College Park: Virginie Razzano, still coping with the death of her coach-fiancé, ousted British sixth seed Elena Baltacha 6-4, 6-2 to reach the quarter-finals of a USD 220,000 WTA tournament.
The 81st-ranked Frenchwoman would reach her first WTA semi-final in more than two years with a victory on Friday over 102nd-ranked Irina Falconi of the United States at the hardcourt event, an early tuneup event for the US Open.
"I played a great match," Razzano said. "I'm feeling good with my tennis. I was very serious, focused on my game. I was able to concentrate on my goals from the start."
Razzano fought through her sorrow at an emotional French Open appearance in May barely a week after the death of Stephane Vidal, her coach for 11 years, due to a brain tumour.
"I'm feeling strong," Razzano said. "I don't have stress, just good stress going on the court.”
"When I lost my fiancé, who for me was the most important thing in my life, and then you go to play a tennis match, it's not very important. When you play matches, it's just my job."
Razzano, 28, had not won back-to-back matches since Vidal's death until downing Baltacha. She said every victory is a tribute to their time together.
"For me it is (a tribute) already done, because I won two matches in a row. He is happy because I made a good start, played two very good matches," she said. "The more I win matches there is more confidence for me.”
"I'm going positively. Go to win. I win for him and for me. First for him, then for me."
PTI
First Published: Thursday, July 28, 2011, 12:06