Shahar Peer, seeded 10th, had little trouble brushing aside her opponent yesterday in the third round of the ladies singles at the Australian Open. Peer earned her second straight-sets victory in Melbourne, defeating the tricky Romanian Sorana Cirstea 6-3, 6-2.
The Israeli tennis star needed only one service break in the first set, which she took in 48 minutes. The opening game of the second set was quite long, with Peer eventually breaking serve. At 4-2 she broke the Romanian's serve again, and then finished her off in 92 minutes to reach the next round in ease.
Peer will meet a tough opponent in the next round - Italian Flavia Pennetta, seeded 22nd in the tournament. Pennetta outplayed world No. 84 Lourdes Dominguez-Lino of Spain (6-2, 6-2 ) in their second-round match, and is reported to be in her best form ever.
The 23-year-old Shahar Peer, who now ranks No. 12 in the world, reached two Grand Slam quarterfinals last year (at the French and U.S. Opens ) and believes this is her breakthrough season.
Yesterday was a good day all around for Israelis in Melbourne. The reunited doubles team of Yoni Erlich and Andy Ram, ranked 14 in the competition, came back from a set down to beat British duo Colin Fleming and Ross Hutchins 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 in the men's doubles.
