Alexandra is a former Top 10 junior who's been left in the dust as her contemporaries, Victoria, Caroline, Aga and Agnes have made their names on the WTA tour.
Now, Alexandra seems to want to make her own noise. She just lost out on winning her 2nd (and by far biggest) title at the 75K hardcourt in Monzon. She is now within the Top 250 and warrants her own cheering thread!
What a clutch and surprising win for Alex! Finally a three-setter that goes her way! She now meets a second opponent who is great on clay and was also, like her, out of the FO last year. Really it's a toss-up.
Really concerned about today. Just read on treizeci.ro that 'cause of weather delay, she should play 2 matches in the same day, if she wins in the morning, as the qualification needs to end Friday. Hope she makes it.
The more she plays healthy the better she will get. Most important for her is just play and keep fit. The results will come, but fitness should be her main priority.
(3)Chanelle Scheepers (RSA) v (wc)Irina Ramialison (FRA)
Sofia Arvidsson (SWE) v Estrella Cabeza-Candela (ESP)
(wc)Laura Thorpe (FRA) v Q
(8)Lara Arruabarrena (ESP) v Alexandra Dulgheru (ROU)
Nice to see her beating Arruabarrena back to back and even in straight sets this time.
The matches she lost against her in 2013 made me furious, especially the one in Seoul. Not only did she mess up an ultimate cakewalk, but she lost against a player whose game is absolutely limited to the basics of this sport (and I don't mean this as an insult). Anyone with a decent margin on her shots should take her out comfortably and I'm glad Alexandra did this time.