Ranked just No.603 and making her WTA main-draw debut, Aurora Zantedeschi fell in the first round of the Palermo Ladies Open this week 6-4, 6-3 to Diane Parry -- but not before pulling off a pair of hot shots that belied her status.
The Italian 22-year-old started the match brightly, and in the third game managed to flick a no-look pass past Parry en route to a 3-0 lead. World No.82 Parry responded by winning the next five games to turn the set around, but serving to stay in the set at 5-3, Zantedeschi outdid herself. Scrambling back to retrieve a top-quality Parry lob, she conjured up an angled tweener pass that outfoxed the Frenchwoman.
Zantedeschi had started the week as a modest qualifying wild card, defeating Sada Nahimana and Martina Colmegna to make the main draw. If shots like this are any indication, it won't be her last.
