Jelena Ostapenko looked impressive in routing Catalina Pella 6-2, 6-3 in the second round of the Brasil Tennis Cup in Florianopolis.

Ostapenko breaks twice to confidently take the first set

Pella nearly made an immediate impact on the match, holding and then pushing Ostapenko on serve in a 16 point game, five deuces before the Latvian was able to hold. That proved to be the turning point of the set as Ostapenko broke to love and after she held, she had won nine straight points to take a 3-1 lead. Pella finally snapped the streak at 10 before holding, but it did her little good. Ostapenko would gain a further edge when she broke in the seventh game for a 5-2 lead and when she closed out the set to 30, the set was hers 6-2 and with it, a one set lead, Pella facing a steep uphill climb.

Ostapenko was untroubled through most of the first set, converting on her two break chances to take the lead/Photo: Lachian Cunningham/Getty Images
Ostapenko was untroubled through most of the first set, converting on her two break chances to take the lead/Photo: Lachian Cunningham/Getty Images

Ostapenko batters Pella's serve, breaks four times to reach the quarterfinals

Pella reached the semifinals of Bogota, but that was on her preferred surface of clay and she was broken immediately as Ostapenko again took a quick lead. Now barely able to win points, Pella dropped serve again and was now down 3-0 while losing 12 of the first 15 points of the set. Pella responded with her first break of the match to draw within 3-1, but that momentum was short-lived as Ostapenko broke again, re-assuming her two break lead at 4-1. Ostapenko got a bit sloppy at 5-1, Pella breaking in the eighth game after saving three match points to pull to 5-3. With a chance to perhaps pile more pressure on the sixth seed with a hold, Pella gave her serve away one final time, Ostapenko finally converting on her fourth match point to take the match in straight sets and advance to a quarterfinal match with third seed Timea Babos.

By the time Pella broke, it was too little, too late as Ostapenko enjoyed a comfortable lead/Photo: Lachian Cunningham/Getty Images
By the time Pella broke, it was too little, too late as Ostapenko enjoyed a comfortable lead/Photo: Lachian Cunningham/Getty Images

By the numbers

Ostapenko was efficient on break points, going six of eight in the match, two of two in the first set and four of six in the second set. By comparison, Pella won both of her break point chances, but they came far too late when she was down a set. This is the second career meeting between Ostapenko and Babos, the first occurring earlier this year in Katowice, also at the quarterfinal stage, Ostapenko coming out on top 7-6 (3), 2-6, 6-3. Both players have lost just 13 games in their first two matches en route to the last eight.

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John Lupo
I am a writer and photographer. I have two Instagrams: @lupojohn1 is my personal account while @dslr_transit_photos is my photography account as I do transit photography in my hometown of New York City.