Mona Barthel topples Barbora Zahlavova Strycova in the quarters – Bell Challenge 2012
Seeded third in the draw, Mona Barthel of USA reached the last four-stage of this WTA event by beating the sixth seed from Czech Republic, Barbora Zahlavova Strycova, in straight sets 6-3, 6-4 in the quarter-finals of the Bell
Challenge in Quebec City, Canada on Friday.
Barthel played attackingly from the first point of the encounter and soon brought her opponent under pressure, grabbing five games in a row to attain a 5-0 lead. Strycova made a late fight back to win three back to back but the
time had passed till that moment, as Barthel held her serve in the ninth game to seal it 6-3.
The German fired two aces and committed a couple of double faults, keeping her first serve percentage at 55 and securing 14 of the 21 points on them. The 6ft 1in tall sent back accurate replies to the second deliveries of her opponent,
as she converted five of the eight of them into points. The 22-year-old availed two of the five break opportunities she created and saved five of the six threats she faced in the opener.
Barthel carried the winning momentum into the second set and broke her Czech opponent in the very first game. The German held her following serve to attain a 2-0 advantage. She struck again in the fifth and consolidated on it to
stretch her lead to 5-1. Just like the previous set, Strycova grabbed three successive games and came close to levelling the proceedings but that did not happen, as Barthel served it out to win 6-4.
Both players were erratic on the second deliveries, as they committed three double faults. Barthel banged in a couple of aces too but Strycova was unable to hit even a single one. The German contestant failed to save the only break
point she faced but converted both she received in the second set.
Barthel required one hour and 26 minutes to oust the Czech contender in a one sided contest.
Ranked 36th in the world, the German participant will take on the unseeded Belgian player, Kirsten Flipkens, in the semis.
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