Baltacha in second round

 

Originally published on: 26/02/10 13:01

The Kiev-born Baltacha took her chances in an evenly-contested match to win 6-4 3-6 7-5 in two hours and 25 minutes.

The world number 83 will next play 30th-seed Kateryna Bondarenko, from Ukraine, in the second round.

Baltacha had easily won her only previous meeting with Parmentier at Sunderland five years ago 6-2 6-2, and looked on course for a repeat of that result when she converted her only break point of the opening set to win it 6-4.

But the 26-year-old was made to pay for not taking her chances in the second set, failing to convert all three break points she earned, and it was this time Parmentier who needed one opportunity to grab the decisive break and level the match.

Parmentier then broke again at the start of the third set, only to concede it back before the rain came with the scores level at 3-3.

A 20-minute delay ensued and when the players returned the contest remained poised until 6-5 in the decisive set.

Parmentier had to serve to stay in the match, but failed to do so as Baltacha won with her second match point.

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