By Rickee Bhardwaj
Tuesday was a good day for German players at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix. In front of an almost capacity crowd, Julia Gorges, Sabine Lisicki and Andrea Petkovic all advanced to the second round. With Kristina Barrois' also winning on Monday, it means four Germans are in the second round of the long-established tournament for the first time since 1984.
The match involving Andrea Petkovic, Germany's top player, was the day's most thrilling. Playing the qualifier, Tamira Paszek (Austria), the world No. 19 eventually won her first encounter in the Porsche Arena 3-6 6-2, 6-2. The Austrian, the world No. 88, took the first set playing bold, aggressive tennis. In the end the experience of Germany's number 1 proved decisive even though "Petko" was 2-0 down in the third set.
"I was exhausted after the Fed Cup," she said. "I had my work cut out fighting my way into the match but the crowd were a sensational help."
On Wednesday, Petkovic will face the Serb Jelena Jankovic (the world No. 8), who was an easy 6-1, 6-2 winner in her first round match against Beatriz Garcia Vidagany (Spain).
Julia Gorges started the German success story. Playing on Centre Court in the Porsche Arena, the 22-year-old was an easy 6-3, 6-1 winner against the Dutch qualifier Michaella Krajicek. "My match went well. I was glad I was drawn to play a qualifier in my opening game and my serve was a real threat today," she said after her win. Gorges will now meet Victoria Azarenka (Belarus), the current world No. 5.
Sabine Lisicki was also relieved to have got through to the last 16. The 21-year-old beat the Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova 7-5, 7-6 (2) in her opening match. After being out of the game for a big part of last year because of an ankle injury, the German put on a great display against the 1.61 metres tall Cibulkova. The smallest player in the field is currently No. 27 in the world rankings whilst Lisicki is ranked only 155.
"My hand was shaking a little at 5-3 in the second set. Then I took one point at a time and things then got better in the tie-break."
Lisicki will have to keep her hand under control if she is to get through to the quarterfinals as she will now face the Chinese Na Li, the world No. 6.
Samantha Stosur, the 2010 runner-up from Australia, opened proceedings in the Porsche Arena with a 7-5, 6-1 success against Marie Jose Martinez Sanchez. World ranked No. 7, she found her rhythm after initial problems and eventually won comfortably against the world No. 33 from Spain. Stosur will now meet the Slovakian Daniela Hantuchova, who beat Alexandra Dulgheru (Romania) 7-5, 6-3.
The Russian Anna Chakvetadze was out of luck. The former world No. 5 had to retire with dizziness in her match against the Slovakian Zuzana Kucova with the score at 6-1, 5-7, 4-4. Now the world No. 50, the Russian also had to pull out of her doubles, which meant Kristina Barrois and Jasmin Woehr received a walkover into the next round.
