Sandy Pramuji

Aravane Rezai of France hitting a return in her match against Germany’s Sabine Lisicki during the first day of the Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions at the Bali International Convention Center. Rezai won 1-6, 6-3, 6-4. (Photo: Made Nagi, EPA)

Bartoli Off to Flying Start at Bali Tennis Tourney

Nusa Dua, Bali. Top-seeded Marion Bartoli of France made a winning start to the Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions, but the two wild cards in the 12-player field were not so fortunate.

Bartoli opened the season-ending tournament with a 6-4, 6-4 victory in Group A against Slovakia’s Magdalena Rybarikova at the Bali International Convention Center on Wednesday.

No. 4 seed Sabine Lisicki saw her one-set lead slip away in a 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 loss to rising French star Aravane Rezai in Group D. Japan’s Kimiko Date-Krumm started Group C play with a 7-6 (5), 6-3 loss to second-seeded Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium.

Lisicki, a 20-year-old from Germany, dominated early in the match with her precision passing shots. She broke Rezai in the second and sixth games to win the first set.

Rezai came back with more confidence, though, and started playing more aggressively in the second set. Her forehand winners and unforced errors from Lisicki helped Rezai jump out to a 3-0 lead and level the match.

“I had some advice from my coach. He told me to play stronger, with more power, and keep on fighting,” Rezai, 22, said.

A moment of controversy turned the third set. The players traded breaks in the first four games before Rezai broke again and held to lead 4-3.

Lisicki looked distressed late in the set when she insisted a Rezai shot down the line was out. Hawk-Eye showed otherwise, and Rezai took a 5-3 lead.

The German did not hide her unhappiness after the match.

“I’m still sure it’s out,” Lisicki said. “But I don’t want to use it as an excuse. I missed it. Fortunately this is a round-robin tournament, so I still have my chance.”

Lisicki must beat Melinda Czink on Friday to stand a chance of advancing. Only group winners move on to the semifinals.

The match between Wickmayer, 20, and Date-Krumm, 39, featured the youngest and oldest players in the tournament. The Belgian relied on her power and big serves to keep Date-Krumm on the run.

“[Date-Krumm] is a really tough player,” Wickmayer said. “She won a title as a 39-year-old woman, which is pretty amazing. Now I know why she was once at No. 4 in the world.”

Date-Krumm had a chance to extend the match to three sets after taking a 3-0 lead in the second set, but unforced errors and two late breaks ended that threat.

“I made many mistakes. I tried to be aggressive, but then I was a little bit too aggressive,” Date-Krumm said.

Today’s matches
Group A: Shahar Peer (Israel) vs. Magdalena Rybarikova (Slovakia)
Group D: Melinda Czink (Hungary) vs. Aravane Rezai (France)
Group B: Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez (Spain) vs. Agnes Szavay (Hungary)
Group C: Anabel Medina Garrigues (Spain) vs. Kimiko Date-Krumm (Japan)

Your View

See Result