The schedule makers played a cruel trick on me -- my two favorite obscure players, Florencia Labat and Nathalie Baudone, both had matches starting at 11 AM. Luckily, the courts were next to each other, so I could hear the chair umpire announcing the score of the other match. I started at Flo's match...
It was an all-Argentine matchup on Court 2, pitting Labat against Mercedes Paz, whom she sometimes plays doubles with (including a gold medal performance at the '95 Pan Am Games). Labat won the toss and elected to serve. Paz got off to a very slow start, making errors on the first five points. She tried to change her fortunes by coming to net, but Flo was ready with deadly passing shots. Florencia, who usually goes to the net only to shake hands, was successful on all three of her approaches in the set. Paz lobbed over her head on one of them, but Labat calmly followed it to the back of the court, whirled around, and ripped a forehand winner.
Labat streaked to a 5-0 lead, ending the fifth game with an ace. Paz bounced her racquet in disgust during the next game, which went to deuce before she finally got on the board. Her success was short-lived, however -- Florencia held at love to close out the first set 6-1. During the final point of Flo's set, Nathalie Baudone took the first set of her match by that same 6-1 score. Afraid I might miss Nat altogether if I tried to take in all of the Labat match, I packed up and walked over to Court 3...
Hearing that Labat had gone up 4-1 on the adjoining court, I zipped back over there to catch what would likely be a quick ending. Quick ending indeed -- Florencia won the final two games of the match and darted off the court with a 6-1, 6-1 victory. Paz obviously didn't provide a major challenge on this day, but Labat had to be pleased to get through her first match in convincing fashion. She may not have the power of a Mary Pierce or serve-and-volley skill of a Jana Novotna, but I think Florencia has a pretty game when she's playing well. When her opponent is unable to overpower her, she usually gives a good account of herself. That certainly was the case in this first round victory.
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