Stosur through to last four

 

Originally published on: 26/02/10 12:32

Australian Stosur, 25, held her nerve best in a battle between two players making their debut in a Grand Slam quarter-final to seal a comfortable 6-1 6-3 victory.

World number 41 Cirstea stunned fifth seed Jelena Jankovic last time out, having never previously made it past the second round of a major, but was no match Stosur, seeded 30.

Stosur began inauspiciously with a double fault but was soon into her stride and raced to a 3-0 lead over her nervous-looking opponent.

A wayward crosscourt forehand from the 19-year-old gifted Stosur another break and the Australian then wrapped up the first set, 6-1, at the first time of asking.

Cirstea was struggling badly in blustery conditions and could only get 33% of her first serves in during the opening set.

The Romanian improved in the second, holding comfortably in the opening game before failing to take any of four break points – her first of the match – in the next.

That looked like a costly let-off when Stosur immediately claimed the set’s first break, and another followed as the Gold Coast native’s position began to look unassailable.

Cirstea did get a break back but then conceded one of her own in what proved to be the final game of a one-sided match.

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