Nina Bratchikova topples Roberta Vinci to reach the quarters – Whirlpool Monterrey Open 2012
Unseeded Russian Nina Bratchikova shocked the top seeded Italian, Roberta Vinci, in straight sets at the Whirlpool Monterrey Open 2012, a $220,000 WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) International tournament taking place on the hard courts in Monterrey, Mexico.
She clobbered a 7-5, 7-5 victory over the world number 23 to advance into the quarter-finals on Wednesday.
Ranked 106th in the WTA rankings, Bratchikova displayed tremendous skills to upset the Italian in 81-minutes. Battling each other for the first time, the Russian not only edged in the head-to-head series by 1-0 against Vinci but also secured a
spot in the final eight at the Sierra Madre Tennis Club.
The 26-year-old magnificently blocked four out of five breakpoints she came across and capitalised on two out of three break opportunities to pull out the opener with a 7-5 win. The lower ranked outshined Vinci completely in the opening set. She produced
a better first serve share of 61 percent as compared to the Italian’s 44 percent and clicked 16 out of 22 points on it.
The 29-year-old Italian posed some resistance in the following set and found four break chances. However, she failed to convert any to her advantage.
Bratchikova on the other hand took full advantage of this. She cashed in one out of three break chances in the end and clinched the set with a 7-5 score line.
The Portugal resident, Bratchikova, will next confront the winner of the match between the sixth seed, Greta Arn, and the Croatian qualifier, Maria Abramovic.
The Second seeded Sara Errani on the other half of the draw faced a better fate. The Italian sought 16 break opportunities and clobbered a much better first serve share of 84 percent in contrast with Alize Cornet’s 52 percent. As a result, the higher ranked
avenged her loss at the Charleston WTA event four years ago.
The Italian went on a four games rampage and later exchanged a break to pocket the opener with a 6-2 victory. She lost her serve once and broke Cornet’s serve three times to earn the glory.
Ranked 36th in the WTA rankings, Errani continued displaying impressive skills in the follow-up set and reeled off the opening three games in a row. She then exchanged two breaks of serve and ultimately won the set with a 6-3 score line.
Up next for Errani is the conqueror of the match between the wild card entrant, Yaroslava Shvedova, and Luxembourg’s Mandy Minella.
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