Pauline Parmentier extends her impressive run on Strasbourg dirt – Internationaux de Strasbourg 2012
Local star, Pauline Parmentier, extended her blistering run of form at the Internationaux de Strasbourg 2012 after tumbling over the Russian qualifier, Alexandra Panova, in straight sets on Thursday. She registered a 6-3, 6-3 success against the world number
77 to cruise into the semi-finals at this outdoor clay court tournament which is part of the WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) Tour 2012.
The Paris resident showed brilliant tennis to outfox Panova in their second outing. The players previously fought each other at the Saint-Gaudens WTA event last year and after earning this spotlight, Parmentier not only extended her lead in the head-to-head
series by 2-0 against the 23-year-old but also secured a final four berth.
Parmentier convincingly entered this WTA International-level tournament and held her opening serve to level the scores at 1-1. She drew the first blood in the fifth game and then cashed in another break chance in the last game, eventually sealing the opener
by winning six games to three.
Ranked 66th in the WTA Premier Rankings, Parmentier lost her track in the follow-up set and gifted away her opening serve in the first game to trail at 0-1. However, she made a fitting reply and wiped out the following three games in a row before
the Russian snatched her break back. The French got the breakthrough in the sixth game and subsequently clinched the set with a 6-3 score line.
Summing up Parmentier’s performance at this one hour and 37-minute epic, the French spilled more errors and clobbered a lower first serve share of 63 per cent as opposed to her rival’s 65 per cent. However, she impressively availed 28 out of 47 points on
it and superbly warded off eight out of 10 breakpoints she came across. Parmentier also sought 12 break chances and converted five to her advantage.
Next up for the 26-year-old is her wildcard compatriot, Alize Cornet, who stunned fourth seeded Anabel Medina Garrigues in straight sets to set-up this battle.
The American teenager, Sloane Stephens, will accompany Parmentier in the final four. She lost her serve twice but capitalised on four out of six break opportunities to formulate a 6-3, 6-4 victory against the Japanese star, Ayumi Morita. The 19-year-old
produced a better first serve share of 85 per cent as compared to her rival’s 71 per cent but impressively marked 35 out of 53 points on it.
She will next face the second seed, Francesca Schiavone from Italy.
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