Belgian Yanina Wickmayer has continued her dominance of Italian Flavia Pennetta, showing no signs of fatigue after being forced to qualify for Australian Open 2010 as she won her fifth match of the tournament, 7-6(2) 6-1.
The first set was tight, both players imparting maximum energy and attacking at every opportunity. Following the match, Wickmayer said she had nothing to prove to anyone, as she reflected on her disappointment at being required to reach the main draw via the qualifying tournament. The world No. 16 nonetheless sent an emphatic message to the tennis world as she walloped balls left, right and centre.
Wickmayer feels that improvements to the mental and physical aspects of her game are at the root of her continuing good form, which was on show as she knocked out the 12th seed in front of a packed Margaret Court Arena. Pennetta managed to weather the storm in the first set, but it took everything, including a second serve ace, for the Italian to level at 6-6.
The 20-year old Belgian’s point-by-point concentration was evident during the tie-breaker, at one stage forgetting that it was her turn to serve. At the business end of the set, Wickmayer began to accelerate away, commencing a demolition job on the Pennetta serve as she did in the final of the Auckland Open earlier this month.
Pennetta remained on the back foot for the rest of the match as she tried in vain to match Wickmayer’s power. The Italian’s serve started badly and continued downhill, plummeting to 32 per cent in the final set. Wickmayer was able to break three times and romp home 6-1.
Wickmayer, on the way up after winning two titles and reaching her first Grand Slam semi-final in 2009, felt her serve let her down in the first set. Though happy with the way she played in the tie-breaker and second set, Wickmayer admitted her game wasn’t as flawless as it was against Pennetta in Auckland.
“You don’t play the perfect match every day, every week,” she said afterwards.
“But I’m really glad to beat her, because she’s a great player.”
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