Victoria Azarenka, Gisela Dulko move into the second round – US Open 2011
Fifth seeded Belarusian Victoria Azarenka sailed past her Swedish opponent Johanna Larsson in her opening round match at the 2011 US Open on Tuesday, 30th August. The current world number six blasted away Larsson in
a little over an hour as she secured a 6-1, 6-3 win for herself.
Playing each other for the first time, Azarenka opened serve in the opener rushing into a 1-0 lead. Although Larsson managed to match her opponent to level the game score, little did she realize this would be her only game win
for some time. A successful hold of serve later, Azarenka had moved 2-1 in the first set before she broke the lower ranked Swede for a 3-1 lead. Another hold of serve and a breakpoint conversion put the Belarusian 5-1 in the lead as she got ready to serve
out the set. Losing no points to her erring opponent, Azarenka closed out the opener with a breadstick win.
Hitting one ace, zero double faults and eleven winners, Azarenka recorded a 77 percent win on her first serve as she went one up in the set score.
A dominant force from the start, Azarenka did not let up in the second set though the Swede gave it her all to put up a fight. Forcing the score to proceed on even terms, Larsson was able to keep the score tied for the first six
games, even exchanging a breakpoint opportunity with her opponent. However, Azarenka was here to win. Breaking her opponent in the seventh and ninth game, the Belarusian won the second set 6-3, sealing her straight sets victory over the Swede.
Azarenka now moves on ahead for a second round clash with Argentine Gisela Dulko.
Dulko made her way into the second round after securing a twin 6-3, 6-3 win over her Canadian opponent, Rebecca Marino.
In a match that lasted only fifty nine minutes, Dulko hit a marvellous 91 percent on her miserable 45 percent first serve including four aces and equal number of winners. Catching a lucky break on her otherwise error ridden play,
Dulko was able to convert four of nine breakpoint opportunities to ensure her survival at the event.
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