Lucia Bronzetti followed her Billie Jean King Cup title with the Italian teamwith an upset 6-2 7-6 (7-2) win over Victoria Azarenka after 2 hours and six minutes to reach the second round at the Australian Open in Melbourne.
Bronzetti fired eight aces and won 66% of her first service points. The Italian player saved six of the eight break points she faced. Both players hit 29 winners, but Azarenka made 37 unforced errors to Bronzetti’s 21.
Bronzetti broke twice in the second and fourth games to race out to a 5-0 lead, but she did not convert five set points. Azarenka pulled one of the breaks back on her second break point at deuce in the seventh game.
Bronzetti earned her third break in the eighth game to win the first set 6-2.
Bronzetti saved a break point in the third game of the second set. Azarenka broke serve in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead. Bronzetti converted her second break-back point in the eighth game to draw level to 4-4. Bronzetti saved three break points in the ninth game after seven deuces to hold serve for 5-4. Bronzetti earned three mini-breaks to race out to a 6-1 lead. Azarenka pulled one of the three mini-breaks, but Bronzetti closed out the tie-break 7-2 on her second match point.
Bronzetti will play against the winner of the match between Croatia’s Petra Martic and Romania’s Jacqueline Cristian.
“I was able to deal with the toughest moments in the second set. I achieved one of the the best win of my career alongside the victory against Barbora Krejcikova”, said Bronzetti.
