Ivanovic, Errani Reach Monterrey Quarterfinals

March 5, 2015 | By New York Tennis Magazine Staff
Photo credit: Adam Wolfthal

Ana Ivanovic continued her excellent play in Monterrey late Wednesday night, rolling past France’s Pauline Parmentier 6-3, 6-2 to reach the tournament’s quarterfinals. The top-seeded Serb saved all four break point chances she faced and won three break points of her own to cruise in just a little bit over an hour.

“It was a very good match. It was a little late, but I’m happy to win,” said Ivanovic. “It was different conditions than yesterday too—it was a little bit slower out there, and a little bit heavier. But I was happy to get the victory and get through to the quarterfinals in Monterrey again.”

Ivanovic has looked sharp in Mexico through her first two matches after struggling over the last month or so. She made it all the way to the final in Brisbane earlier this year before losing to Maria Sharapova, but lost two of her last three matches heading into Monterrey.

Now into the quarterfinals, Ivanovic draws a matchup with France’s Kristina Mladenovic, who took out former world number two Vera Zvonareva 6-4, 6-2 on Wednesday.

Sara Errani, the second seed, also made her way into the quarterfinals on Wednesday. The Italian beat former Monterrey champion Timea Babos of Hungary 6-3, 6-3.

Babos beat Errani in the 2012 semifinals on her way to the title.

“I wasn’t really thinking about it like it was a rematch. I don’t really remember much about that match—several years have passed—so I just tried to focus on today’s match,” said Errani. “I knew she likes the altitude and the fast courts and has a really good serve, so I just tried to stay solid and keep it more to her forehand side, where she was making more unforced errors tonight.”

Errani won six of eight break point chances and really dictated the play to advance to the final eight.

The other second-round match on Wednesday saw eighth-seeded Magdalena Rybarikova outlast Polona Hercog 7-5, 3-6, 7-6(9). The Slovak staved off four match points in the final breaker to knock off the Slovenian in a match that lasted two hours and 46 minutes.


New York Tennis Magazine Staff
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