Virginie Razzano defeats Nuria Llagostera Vives in the first round of 2011 Barcelona Ladies Open
Virginie Razzano is hoping a good run at the 2011 Barcelona Ladies Open as she booked her place in the second round on Tuesday. The 27-year-old, ranked 102 in the world needed just over two hours for a hard-fought 7-5, 6-4 win
over Spain’s Nuria Llagostera Vives, who is currently ranked 118th in the world.
Razzano lost her semi final match here in 2007 to Edina Gallovits-Hall of Romania in straight sets. She had then defeated Julia Schruff, Melinda Czink and Alla Kudryavtseva of Russia in the first three rounds to reach the last
four. She then went on to play the Odlum Brown Vancouver Open, beating Jelena Pandzic, Gail Brodsky and Christina Mchale on the way to the final in Vancouver. However, she didn’t win the title and lost to Jelena Dokic of Australia in straight sets.
Vives on the other hand, made the best performance of her career at the tournament in 2008, where she defeated Shahar Peer, Eloisa Compostizo De Andres and Sara Errani on her way to the semi final before losing to the eventual
runner up and compatriot Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez in three sets.
Looking into the match, the 30-year-old Vives didn’t play well and spilled out 12 double faults in the contest whereas her French opponent followed her with four but her first serves conversion rate was far better than her.
Razzano had an aggressive start to the game, something she was looking for to take the early advantage in the match. She served 65 per cent on target and won 32 out of 49 points on it. Both contestants wasted plenty of breakpoint
opportunities during the match and didn’t clinch them on time. Razzano received nine break points and converted just five of them whilst her opponent got ten opportunities to break serve but she availed only four of them.
It was quite expected that the Spaniard pro would definitely display some of her attacking abilities in the match but it was the other way round. The Spaniard won meager 48 percent of points on her service and 47 percent of points
on return. Furthermore she gained only 47 percent of points in total, six percent lower than her opponent and handed over the match in straights sets.
Razzano will now face world number seventy two Magdalena Rybarikova of Slovakia, who bested top seed Marion Bartoli of France in straight sets to reach the second spot.
Other winners of the day were Mirjana Lucic, Polona Hercog, Laura Pous-Tio, Sara Errani, Varvara Lepchenko, Alberta Brianti, Lucie Hradecka and Gisela Dulko, who all registered impressive wins to reach the second spot of the main
draw.
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