Stosur Happy to Bounce Back
5/01/2010
By Chris Pike
SAMANTHA Stosur bounced back from a loss to Sorana Cirstea on Saturday to give Australia a winning start against the United States and she’s pleased with how she’s playing to begin 2010.
Stosur lost on Saturday in three sets to Romanian Cirstea, but bounced back with an impressive 6-2, 6-4 win over 18-year-old American Melanie Oudin on Tuesday.
The world No. 13 was happy with how she played against Oudin. The stats back her up as she served 14 aces, converted three of seven break points and showed the form that saw her win her first Sony Ericsson WTA Tour title in 2009 and make the semi-final of the French Open.
“I’m really pleased that I was able to win going out there first up and I played pretty well. It was nice to be able to take a bit of pressure off Lleyton going into his match,” Stosur said.
“It was just that I was able to keep going this time. That’s kind of what I really wanted to focus on today – that if I got ahead in the match to really close it out. I thought as I started that second set, I saved a few great points and didn’t let her really try and get into it.
“I was very pleased with the way I served and that kind of helped everything else along too.”
Stosur was happy with the start to her match on Saturday to win the first set and she felt she was playing well, but took the foot off the pedal and she made sure that didn’t happen again against Oudin.
“I think it’s all mental. It’s just one of those things. You slightly deviate from what you’ve been doing to get yourself to that point,” she said.
“You’re playing a girl that’s got nothing to lose, who’s just going out there free hitting and swinging and before you know it you’re in a battle and the match is even again. I think a lot is just mental and recognising what is going on out there.”
Stosur will face a stern test on Thursday’s against Spain’s Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez. The pair have played just once before with the Spaniard winning 7-6, 7-5 in 2009 at Bali.
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