From grass to clay to hard courts, Diane Parry explores all surfaces on the WTA circuit. After Wimbledon and Hamburg, the player from Nice concludes her July in Warsaw.
Two weeks after her elimination in the second round in Hamburg, Diane Parry is in Warsaw. A preparatory tournament on hard court for upcoming American events such as the Cincinnati Masters 1000 and the US Open. So, she leaves behind the grass and clay, two surfaces where the player from Nice had varied success.
To prepare for her American tour, Diane Parry chose a WTA 125 in Poland. In Warsaw, she faced a young Polish player, Monika Stankiewicz (18 years old, ranked 498th in the world). Invited by the tournament for her good performances last year, the young player struggles to confirm this season on the circuit with 11 wins and 13 losses, including many first-round eliminations.
On the other hand, Diane Parry is coming off a good grass court period that she now needs to continue on hard court. Her last victory on this surface dates back to October 22 in China at Guangzhou against Emina Bektas in the round of 16.
A warm-up match
Significantly superior to her opponent, Diane Parry did not have to really exert herself in the first set. Incisive with her cross-court forehand, the player from the Azur Coast played well with the length of her shots, preventing Monika Stankiewicz from launching her return. Accurate when her first serve went in (only 50%), the player from the Maralpine region easily overwhelmed her young opponent. Despite giving up a break early in the set, Diane Parry logically won the first set (6-3).
The second set was a bit more contested. Even though she continued her momentum from the first act, Diane Parry experienced a lapse after leading 3-0. Despite being more consistent with her first serve, she allowed herself to be lulled into some points, such as when Monika Stankiewicz pushed her to play a volley. In changing conditions with gusty winds, it was difficult to accurately read the ball’s trajectory. Unforced errors accumulated and the young Polish player caught up to 3-2. Unsuccessful on her serve, Diane Parry offered her opportunities to level the score. Relying on her experience, the player from Nice managed to stay in her match to conclude with a backhand passing shot (6-3/6-3) in just over an hour and a half of play.
Seeded No. 5 in Warsaw, Diane Parry will face either Czech player Gabriela Knutson coming from the qualifiers or the Ukrainian Daria Snigur in the second round.
