Analysis for Razzano-Pennetta (Australian Open)

Head-to-head record 2:0

Virginie Razzano of France will play Italian Flavia Pennetta in the second round at 2008 Australian Open. Razzano reached her career-high singles ranking of World No. 27 on October last year. In January 2008, Razzano lost to Ana Ivanovic of Serbia in the first round of the Sydney Medibank International 6-1, 2-6, 7-5. In the third set, Razzano was ahead 5-2, only to see Ivanovic win the next 5 games, and proceed to the quarter finals. She is a versitile and experienced player with a solid serve and all-court game. Hard court abilities should be her biggest advantage over Italian opponent. Pennetta has won four career WTA singles titles, 3 of them on clay courts, including back-to-back titles in Bogota and Acapulco in 2005. Her maiden title came in 2004, when she won the title in Sopot. She also has had several notable wins in her career, namely beating former world number ones and multiple Grand Slam champions Justine Henin, Martina Hingis and also Venus Williams en-route to her fourth WTA Tour title at the Bangkok October 2007. But she is still the pure clay-courter in our eyes. She used extreme topspin on her forehand and slower topspin and slice on her backhand. She is a patient baseliner who won matches by disrupting her opponents' rhythm through changes of spin, pace, depth, height, and angle. Both players are experienced but Razzano is a better player on faster surfaces and she also won both heads-ups they played on hard courts. Anything can happen here again but Razzano´s odds above 1.7 could be worth trying.