Cristina Bucsa advanced to the third round of the WTA 1,000 China Open after defeating Russian Liudmila Samsonova on Saturday by 6-1, 4-6 and 6-4 in a match of two hours and 27 minutes at the Moon secondary court of the Beijing tennis complex.
Bucsa, bronze medalist in women’s doubles with Sara Sorribes Tormo in the last Olympic Games in Paris 2024, He showed great agility and mobility on the court, moving his rival from side to side and taking advantage of counterattacks to win major points.
The Cantabrian tennis player dominated the first set with authority, earning two consecutive breaks to win the set 6-1.
Her first serve was especially effective compared to Samsonovawho wins most of the points with him and shows superiority in returning his opponent’s serve.
The second quarter is balancedwith the two players trading breaks until Samsonova earned a decisive break to win the set 6-4.
In the third and final set, the Spaniard took the initiative again with a break of serve at the first change.
Although Samsonova was able to level the score, the Spaniard earned a key break in the final game that allowed her to close out the set and the match 6-4.
The Russian committed 5 double faults in the final set, a difference that proved crucial.
Bucsa will face Belgian Elise Mertens in the third roundwho defeated Italian Elisabetta Cocciaretto 6-4, 6-7(6), 6-3.
In another match in the morning session, Jasmine Paolini defeated Denmark’s Clara Tauson 1-6, 7-5 and 6-4, in a match that lasted two hours and 8 minutes.
The Italian, third seed and number 5 in the world ranking, was able to overcome the adverse first set to advance to the third round of the Chinese tournament.
The start was complicated for Paolini, who gave up three times on serve and was erratic by committing two double faults.
Tauson, ranked number 72, took advantage of the moment and took the first round with force (1-6).
However, the Italian reacted in the second set, adjusted his game and took the initiative on the Diamond court, the central court of the Beijing tennis complex.
After a dominant start with almost two consecutive breaks, Paolini saw off Tauson to level the score, although the Italian managed a decisive break in the eleventh game to close out the set 7-5.
The third and final set remained even, with both players defending their serves well until Paolini got a break in the ninth game, allowing him to seal the match 6-4.
The Italian showed more aggressiveness at the net and was more effective on his first serve, achieving 83.3% of points won in that condition.
With this victory, Paolini will face the winner of the match between Japanese Moyuka Uchijima and Polish Magda Linette in the next round.
So she joins Americans Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff, the first of the main seeds to qualify for the third round, while other favorites such as Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka and local Zheng Qinwen are will be looking to get through this saturday.
The current champion and world number one, Iga Swiatek, is not participating this year.
Source: La Verdad
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