Google News Palermo Ladies Open: Diane Parry, Caroline Garcia lead French march into last-eight
by ABBEY JOHNSON
Diane Parry shocked second seed Yulia Putintseva in their second-round match at the Palermo Ladies Open on Thursday. The Frenchwoman won 6-3, 6-4 in an hour and 29 minutes. Parry won 71% of her first-serve points to Putintseva’s 56% and 65% of her second-serve points to the latter’s 53%.
She also saved three of the four break points she faced while converting three of the five break points she had on Putintseva’s serve. In the quarter-finals, Parry will play Irina-Camelia Begu. The sixth-seeded Romanian won her second-round match on Wednesday.
Another Frenchwoman, fifth seed Caroline Garcia had a tussle in her second-round match-up against Italy’s Elisabetta Cocciaretto. Garcia overcame a first-set bagel to prevail 0-6, 6-3, 6-4 five minutes shy of the two-hour mark.
Palermo Ladies Open: Caroline Garcia outlasts Elisabetta Cocciretto
Cocciaretto won 90% of her first-serve points in the opening set even as Garcia won 33%. Cocciaretto also won 78% of points on return on Garcia’s second serve while winning around 67% of points on her second serve.
She didn’t face a single break point but broke her opponent thrice. In the latter two sets, Garcia didn’t lose her serve once – she didn’t face any in the deciding set and saved all six break points in the second set – but broke Cocciaretto twice.
In the quarters, Garcia will play another Italian in Lucia Bronzetti. Bronzetti defeated Elina Avanesyan in their second-round match, 6-1, 6-3 in 69 minutes. Lastly, eighth seed Nuria Parrizas Diaz also advanced to the quarter-finals of the Palermo Ladies Open.
Parrizas Diaz defeated Julie Grabher of Austria 6-2, 6-4 in an hour and 24 minutes. The Spaniard secured six breaks on Grabher’s serve and saved four of the seven break points she faced. For a place in the semi-finals, she’ll play Jasmine Paolini.
Paolini and Bronzetti are the last two home players left in the draw of the Italian event. Photo Credit: Palermo Ladies Open Twitter