In an all German affair to open the day at the Nurnberger Cup, top seed and favourite Angelique Kerber swept aside the challenge of the little known youngster Anna-Lena Friedsam as she marched into the next round.  Elsewhere, there were tough victories for the talented Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, Caroline Garcia and Mona Barthel upset eighth seeded Annika Beck.

In the day’s opening match, the crowd in Nuremberg were treated to a spirited contest, with Friedsam refusing to be over awed by the occasion, with her powerful backhand matching Kerber’s trademark punch.  But, there were times when the older and wiser German’s experience paid dividends, as Kerber raced into a 3-0 lead, only to be piped back by Friedsam, before eventually sealing it at 6-2. 

The second set proved a much tighter affair, with both players trading three breaks of serve in a set which twisted and turned.  With Kerber’s serve looking evermore fragile, Friedsam pounced on every short ball with a wallop, executing her powerful two-handed backhand with ease.  However, as the match moved into a deciding tiebreak, and when it really mattered, the experience of Kerber shone through.  The ninth ranked German was able to compose herself and easily secure the decider without losing a single point. 

And Friedsam was just one of a number of German players to fall on the day, with Mona Barthel coming out on top in another German battle, as defeated Annika Beck.  The bigger and more powerful Barthel, whose potential has somewhat stumbled as of late, had too much punch for one of the smallest players on tour.  In just over an hour, she secured her place in the next round, and will now face Elina Svitolina. 

One of the rising stars of the game, the Ukrainian has come into prominence in recent months, with a host of solid performances, including reaching the last sixteen in Miami, as she defeated Eugenie Bouchard on route.  And today was no different, as she performed strongly against a tough challenge from Beatriz Garcia Vidagany, the Spanish qualifier.  Hitting an impressive four aces, Svitolina was just a touch of class above Vidagany, winning the match in an hour and forty minutes.    

Results

A Kerber (1) d. A-L Friedsam 62 76(0)

E Svitolina (4) d. BG Vidagany [Q]  76(5) 63

M Barthel d. A Beck (4) 62 64

C Garcia d. D Pfizenmaier 75 57 63