Romina Oprandi stuns Svetlana Kuznetsova in the quarter-final – Portugal Open 2013
53rd ranked Swiss veteran, Romina Oprandi, surprised everyone with her incredible performance in the quarter-final round of Portugal Open, outmuscling the 27-year-old Russian, Svetlana Kuznetsova, in straight sets. Oprandi
took merely 63 minutes to settle the final score line at 6-2, 6-2, marching into the semi-final round of this WTA clay court event.
Kuznetsova was leading 3-0 in the head-to-head combats against Oprandi prior to this match. She defeated the experienced Swiss contender twice in 2006 and once in 2007. However, Oprandi returned the favour to the Russian opponent
in Thursday’s battle, sidelining her from the tournament draw and improving 1-3 in the all-time record against her. Kuznetsova suffered her eighth defeat of the running season and carries with her title drought, while Oprandi cheerfully enters the round of
four.
The Swiss contender was off to a flyer in the opening set, breaking Kuznetsova in her very first game to impose a 3-0 lead right away. She kept unforced errors to a minimum and didn’t give any opportunity to her opponent to come
on top. Kuznetsova could hold just two serve games before she suffered another crucial blow from the Swiss veteran in the eighth game. Oprandi broke her serve for the second time and claimed the opening set at 6-2.
Oprandi delivered 60 percent of her first serve on target and secured 11 out of 15 points on it to claim the opening set. She crafted two break chances in the set and converted both of them to surpass the Russian, who couldn’t
even go near a break point in the entire opening set.
The following set had a steady start, with both players holding their serves in the opening five games. Kuznetsova gifted away a break point to Oprandi, who grabbed the crucial opportunity with both hands and broke into a 4-2 lead.
The hot favourite Russian couldn’t deliver in the eighth game as well and had to suffer the decisive blow from her opponent. Oprandi broke her serve for the fourth time in the match and concluded her triumph at 6-2.
Oprandi will play against any of the two Russians, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Elena Vesnina, who will compete on Wednesday afternoon.
Tags: