Dubai: World No 26 Sorana Cirstea refused to be intimidated after drawing last year’s semi-finalist Roberta Vinci in Saturday’s Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship first round draw.
Vinci, 30, the current singles World No 14 eventually succumbed to fellow Italian and doubles partner Sara Errani in last year’s semi-final after overcoming Svetlana Kuznetsova, Angelique Kerber and Sam Stosur.
But Cirstea, 23, said that if she concentrated on her own game she could pull off a shock. And with Vinci having suffered early exits so far this year in Sydney, Melbourne, Paris and Doha, an upset could be on the cards.
“I’ve never played against Roberta but she’s a player with a lot of experience having been on tour a long time,” said the Romanian. “She’s a very good doubles player — currently the World No 1 — so it’s going to be tough. But that’s why I am here, to find a way to beat my opponent.”
Having reached the quarter-finals in Pattaya as well as first and second round exits in Auckland, Sydney, Melbourne and Doha this year, Cirstea will now look to surpass her best finish in Dubai — last year’s second round exit.
“I think I’m playing the right way and that’s more important than anything. As long as you play right, results will come,” she said. “I’m a player that doesn’t focus on results but the things I have to do, so that takes the pressure off a little bit. I’ve been practicing well and I’m healthy, so I’m looking forward to this week.”
Whoever wins between Cirstea and Vinci will go on to play Sara Errani in the second round.
Meanwhile, possible quarter-final opponents could be Caroline Wozniacki or Sabine Lisicki and the semi-final could also see them face Venus Williams or Agnieszka Radwanska.
“I think any half of a draw no matter where you find yourself is going to be tough,” she said. “I’m trying not to think too far ahead and just take it one step at a time. All my attention is on the first round and getting through that then we will go from there.”
