Sara Errani stoops out in round two against Daniela Hantuchova – Brisbane International 2013
After the departure of the 10th ranked Dane, Caroline Wozniacki, another top-tenner was ejected from Brisbane International tournament on Tuesday. World number six, Sara Errani, received an absolute shocker from the
Slovak tennis veteran, Daniela Hantuchova, in the second round clash of the tournament. 32nd ranked Hantuchova registered a 4-6, 6-1, 7-5, score line to sideline one of the hot favourites of the tournament in a convincing manner.
The battle lasted for two hours and 25 minutes, featuring some incredible power hitting from the 29-year-old Slovak. It was the seventh encounter between these two rivals and Hantuchova sustained her superiority in the head-to-head
series by stretching the record to 5-2. These two top class performers last played against each other in 2012 Cincinnati Masters tournament and Errani came out as the dominant winner. It was the payback time for the Slovak veteran on Tuesday and she did it
in style.
Errani has been in sublime form last WTA season, reaching her career-best ranking of world number six after winning six championship titles. She was expected to take off the new season on a high note but it went the other way round.
The Italian number one had an ideal start to the contest and raced through the games to clinch the opening set comprehensively. She completely ran out of steam in the following set and Hantuchova came hard at her, bagging the second set with a breadstick.
Errani kept struggling to make her comeback in the decisive set but Hantuchova’s power hitting was extremely precise and she kept winning crucial points to wrap up the proceedings in her favour.
It was an amazing comeback from the Slovak professional, especially after losing the opening set of the match. Her Top-10 opponent didn’t expect such an all-round onslaught from her in the later two sets and was clearly taken by
surprise. Hantuchova created 19 break opportunities in the entire matchup and converted eight of them to outplay Errani. On the contrary, the world number six also had 13 break points in the contest but could only clinch six of them to finish on the losing
side in the end.
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