Linette sets up Qtr-final clash against Canadian Marino

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Magda Linette beats Oksana Selekhmeteva in the R-16 match of the WTA Chennai Open 


In pic: Magda Linette in action. Pic Credit: The Tribune


By Naman Suri


Chennai: Polish number-one ranked, Magda Linette was able to quickly overcome her Russian counterpart, Oksana Selekhmeteva in straight sets 6-2, 6-0 in the R-16 match of the WTA Chennai Open here at the SDAT Tennis Stadium on Thursday. The 30-year-old, Linette will now move on to the quarter-finals, where she’ll face Rebecca Marino, who is seed seven in the tournament. 


Linette and Selekhmeteva were facing each other for the first time, and the match was scheduled to happen on the Center Court of the 5,800-capacity stadium, here in Chennai.


The number three seeded started off well with a calm and aggressive game style, winning two games straight, before Oksana nudged the third game. The 67th-ranked Polish later won the first set 6-2, as she blasted through Oksana's defence in the second set, 6-0. It took Linette 1 hour and 23 minutes to wrap up the game and proceed into the quarter-finals of the tournament. 


Oksana, who reached the 2nd round after beating Despina Papamichail 6-3,6-1 wasn’t allowed to settle against Linette, as she came out all guns blazing from the very first game of the match. Albeit this, the Russian teenager has had a good year on hard courts, winning 12 and losing four.


Linette scored a total of 65 points in the match against 37 of Oksana as the Pole remained extremely good with her serves, winning 76% on her first serve and 53% on the second serve. Linette recorded five aces, and three double faults and broke through the Russian teenager six times after converting 32% of her break points.


Speaking at the post-match conference, she said, “I try to approach every match just focusing on myself, not getting distracted by whatever is going on with the opponent.” She also commented on Federer retiring from the game, saying, “It really hurts to see him go; he will always remain the greatest player of all time (G.O.A.T) for me.”


The Pole has a 176-133 record on the hard court over the years and hasn’t lost a set yet in this tournament. She would now go on to face Canadian, Marino in the Quarter-finals, here on the Centre Court. Marino reached the Qtr-final stage after beating another Polish tennis star Katarzyna Kawa 7-5,6-3.


Update: Linette went on to the final of the tournament, where she lost to the Czech teenage sensation Linda Fruhvirtova 6-4,3-6,4-6.

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