Tennis: Braverman upsets top-50 player

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Brandis Braverman of Newport Beach used the

elements in her favor to defeat Magdalena Grzybowska (ranked 50th in the

world) of Poland, 7-5, 6-2, in the opening round of the Pilot Penn

International Tennis Tournament Friday.

“It was really windy and cool out there today, which I think worked in my

favor,” Braverman said. “Magdalena has a longer serve than I do and I

think the wind really hurt her with that.”

This was the first time Braverman had ever faced Grzybowska head-to-head,

but she has seen her play in the past.

“The last time I saw her play was in 1997 when I was playing juniors at

Wimbledon,” Braverman said. “She had defeated Venus Williams in one of

the opening rounds that year.”

Grzybowska was the highest ranked opponent that Braverman has ever

beaten. “Her forehand was not that strong for such a big girl,” Braverman

said of her 6-foot-1 opponent. “I felt very comfortable exchanging

forehands with her. I just tried to stay consistent against her and I was

able to.”

Both players held serve until Grzybowska broke Braverman’s serve in the

seventh game to go up, 4-3.

Braverman broke right back to even the set at 4-4, before finally winning

the first set, 7-5.

“With the score tied at 5-5, I was serving and down, 15-40, but I managed

to hit some big serves when I really needed to,” Braverman said. “After I

won that game, I was able to break her serve for the first set.”

Braverman carried her first-set momentum into the second set, winning the

first four games and taking control of the match, before holding off a

late Grzybowska threat.

“I gave her a sloppy game on my serve to make it, 4-1, then she held her

serve at 4-2 and had three break points on my serve,” Braverman said. “If

I hadn’t come back to win that game, it would have been 4-3 and her serve

instead of 5-2. I’m glad I was able to hold her off.”

Next up for Braverman is another first-time opponent, Ines Gorrochategui

of Argentina, today in the second round.