Yanina Wickmayer defeats Alison Van Uytvanck in the second round of Brussels Ladies Open
The world number 22 Yanina Wickmayer has defeated the world number 427 Alison Van Uytvanck 7-6(2), 6-4 in the second round match at the 2011 Brussels Ladies Open on Wednesday. The 21-year-old Belgian was near flawless and merely
took one hour and forty minutes to conclude her straight sets victory.
Uytvanck’s game was very solid and her legs were fast enough to chase the ball but she couldn’t keep her momentum and lost the match in straight sets. Wickmayer on the other hand totally dominated the match as she was far better
from the baseline and made some aggressive net rushes to get some big points. She registered 57 percent on her service and 47 percent on return. Though the world number twenty two had control of majority of points, but could not make a real dent on Wickmayer’s
serve. Being very solid on serve against Uytvanck, Wickmayer took her chances and took the match in straight sets.
Stricken by nerves and self doubt, Wickmayer’s belief returned in the nick of time as the Belgian beat her opponent by winning two more points in the tie break. Wickmayer had been convinced that she would lose the first set when
trailing at 6-6 in the first set. However, Uytvanck began to show signs of exhaustion and allowed her opponent to dominate the tie-break with majority of points in it.
The first set of the match started on a very competitive note by both the players. Wickmayer and Uytvanck exchanged serve breaks in the set as it went into a tie-break. Uytvanck broke the first serve with a brilliant forehand winner
down the line but Wickmayer displayed some excellent temperament and determination to bounce back immediately. In the tie-breaker Uytvanck only put two points on the scoreboard to give Wickmayer the lead with 7-6(2).
Uytvanck tightened up her game and showed better tennis early in the second set. However, with the score tightened at 4-4, Wickmayer had another opportunity of breaking the serve. Wickmayer converted 60 percent breakpoints to earn
an impassable 5-4 lead in the set, serving for the match. Although Uytvanck saved 40 percent of the breakpoints, she could not restrict the world number twenty two from earning a well deserved victory in the set where a single break of serve decided the consequences
of the match.
By the end of the match, Wickmayer had clinched four percent points more than Uytvanck to assure her berth in the quarterfinal of the tournament. She scored 57 percent on her service, 47 percent on return and 52 percent of points
in total to secure the match.
Wickmayer now moves into the quarterfinal of the tournament, where she will square off against Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark in the quarterfinal of the tournament. Players have already met each other on three different occasions
at the WTA (Women of Tennis Association) tour. Wozniacki leads their head-to-head series to 3-0. This is going to be the fourth meeting of their career and the second of season after Wozniacki comfortably prevailed over the Belgian in the third round of the
Rome Masters.
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