Sofia Arvidsson, Arantxa Parra Santonja win in 1st round – Collector Swedish Open 2011
In a lopsided Collector Swedish Open first round match, Sofia Arvidsson’s superior court skills finally prevailed as she took out Czech Andrea Hlavackova 1-6, 7-5, 6-4.
The world number 73 suffered an unpredictable whipping in the opening set, with the Czech hitting the ball smoothly and authoritatively, who mixed some sumptuous forehands with all-court aggression to take the first set with a
breadstick.
But the sugary hitting could not last longer and in the second set as Arvidsson began to assert herself, breaking in the twelfth game after a lengthy rally. Although Hlavackova did break back, Arvidsson returned the compliment
for 7-5.
Arvidsson’s game had moved from indecision to precision, and she was returning the Czech’s shots with a lot of interest and out-powering the world number 110 from the backcourt.
As the final set unfolded, Arvidsson once again started to dictate the terms, standing alive inside the baseline and picking off Hlavackova’s unique shots with ease. Although Arvidsson’s power engine temporarily stopped when Hlavackova
snatched her third game, the Swede stayed in control to close out the match with some brutal hitting.
Awaiting her in the second round match at tournament will be the World number one Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark. If the Swede desires any success against the Dane, she will need to iron out some of her looser shots in an attempt
to beat the world number one.
Meanwhile, at the clay courts, Arantxa Parra Santonja blew kisses at the crowd, after she won her first round match after beating Ukrainian qualifier, Tetyana Arefyeva in straight sets 7-5, 6-3.
Arefyeva could not offer any real threat, but the Ukrainian knew her game very well and proved to be a tricky customer in the opening stages of the match. But as the match moved towards the end, the tempo of Ukraine’s qualifier
reduced considerably with lacking the accuracy, agility, power and spark that assisted her to win three qualifying matches, before entering the main draw.
The 20-year-old Ukrainian served near 74 percent on her first serve in her final qualifying round against the Italian, Anastassia Grymalska to reach the first round and needed to serve at least 80 percent to seriously threaten
Santonja. But she was a bit un-enthusiastic in connecting on just 62 percent on her first serve in the first set, as Santonja converted two of five break points to take the first set with ease.
By the time, Arefyeva finally found the range on serve, Santonja was already a break up in the second set. The 28-year-old Spaniard knocked off a slice volley for a set point, and when Arefyeva nudged a backhand return beyond the
baseline, the world number 119 had already clinched a two-set lead to love.
Up next for the Spaniard is the fourth-seeded Lourdes Dominguez Lino in the second round the tournament.
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