The Netherlands' Sanne Keizer goes up for the block against Canada's Elizabeth Maloney in a tight opening main draw match on Thursday
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Myslowice, Poland, May 19, 2011 – The team of the moment - Marleen Van Iersel and Sanne Keizer from the Netherlands – shook off the after effects of celebrating their maiden FIVB Swatch World Tour title in Shanghai 10 days ago with a hard-fought 21-19, 24-22 win over Canadian 27th seeds Heather Bansley and Elizabeth Malony in the first round of the Myslowice Open main draw on Thursday.
The Myslowice Open sixth seeds, whose previous best finish at the Swatch World Tour was a bronze at the Osaka Open in 2009, were surprise winners in the previous Swatch World Tour event in Shanghai after defeating Jennifer Kessy and April Ross of the United States 15-21, 26-24 and 15-13 in an absorbing final.
Following their break-through win and a week off Van lersel and Keizer’s major obstacle was getting back in the groove for their first match in Mylsowice.
“It was a tough match as we expected,” 23-year-old Van lersel said. “After the amazing feeling of Shanghai we knew the next game would be difficult so it was good to win in straight sets. It was a very tough game but luckily we got through it.
“From now on we do everything the same as in Shanghai. We knew the win in Shanghai was building as we had two ninth place finishes in Brasilia and Sanya and we have the same feeling here.
Keizer’s shouts of satisfaction after the match was testament to the huge obstacle the Dutch pair had. “It was a mental issue,” Van lersel explained. “We’re fit and well prepared but the mental difference was the key.”
Van Iersel and Keizer now face 22nd seeds Renata and Lese Lima in the second round after the Brazilians, who advanced to the main draw through qualifying, caused a minor upset by beating 11th seeds Brooke Hanson and Lauren Fendrick from USA 15-21, 21-18, 15-11.
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