Tennis: Bartoli reaches Paris quarters

Marion Bartoli defeated Croatian Petra Martic 7-5, 6-1 and take her place in the WTA Paris Open quarter-finals.

PARIS: Home favourite Marion Bartoli shook off first-set rustiness to defeat Croatian Petra Martic 7-5, 6-1 and take her place in the WTA Paris Open quarter-finals. Bartoli managed to clinch the first set despite some erratic serving and Martic’s challenge wilted in the second set as the second-seed closed out a routine victory. “Once I’d won the first set, I started to hit the ball a lot better, which enabled me to improve my game,” said Bartoli. “It’s essentially a question of confidence, but it’s never straightforward to come back after two weeks without playing.” Meanwhile, Yanina Wickmayer also progressed to the last-eight with a 6-2, 7-5 win over Christina McHale.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 11^th, 2012.