Pauline Parmentier rallies past Anabel Medina Garrigues into the second round – Open GDF Suez 2012
French qualifier, Pauline Parmentier, made the biggest upset of the day, as she overcame world number 24 Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain in three sets, 2-6, 6-3, 6-3, in the first round at the Open GDF Suez in Paris, France
on Wednesday. The world number 62 came back from a deficit of one set to beat her Spanish opponent in a marathon match.
Medina Garrigues made a great start as she broke Parmentier in the second game and held her serve in the next game, building a 3-0 lead in the opening set. The Spaniard did not lose any service game and broke Parmentier again
in the eighth game to win the first set 6-2. The Valencia, Spain, resident served superbly in the match, smashing three aces and 72 percent of the first serves in the opening set.
In the second set, both players held their serve in the first four games to level the score at 2-2. Parmentier broke the Spaniard in the fifth game but failed to capitalise on it, equalising the score at 3-3. The Frenchwoman
grabbed three games in a row after that, breaking Garrigues in the seventh and ninth game to clinch the set 6-3. Parmentier had an impressive first serve conversion rate, winning 11 of the 13 first service points in the second set.
Parmentier took the lead straightaway in the third set, as she broke her opponent in the second game and consolidated on it to take a 3-0 lead. The French broke Garrigues again in the sixth game to stretch her lead to 5-1.
However, she was unable serve out the match in the next game, taking the score to 5-2. Parmentier succeeded in serving out the set in the ninth game, sealing it 6-3.
Talking to the reporters after the match, the five feet and nine inches tall said, "I'm so happy with my win against such a good player who is playing so well right now. I was a little bit tired after Fed Cup this weekend
but I started to play a lot more aggressively and was going after her second serve more, and I think that's how I was able to turn it around. I'm really happy to play such a good match here in France."
Parmentier is slated to meet Mona Barthel of Germany in the second round. The world number 43, Barthel, cruised past Barbora Zahlavova Strycova of Czech Republic in straight sets 6-3, 6-2 in the first round.
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