Muguruza passes his first exam of 2022 with a high mark

Garbiñe Muguruza started the season this Wednesday in Sydney with a convincing victory over Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-1, 7-6 (4) in 1h26. The Spanish, number three in the world and second seed of the tournament (first in fact after Barty’s resignation) swept the 27-year-old and 40th Russian from the beginning and then knew how to suffer to close the triumph in the second round tiebreaker. , after saving five set points. On Thursday she will face another player from the Eastern European country, Daria Kasatkina, in the quarterfinals.

“It was exciting, a tough match, but the first win of the year is always wonderful. I knew it was going to be difficult, regardless of the result, I played very well in the first set, I think she made a couple of mistakes that allowed me to win it very quickly. But in the second I knew that I would have to fight for him and in the end it was decided at the last moment of the tie-break, “he said. Garbiñe who won the first 13 points of the match in an overwhelming start. “I am excited to start the year, I think it will be very fun and interesting to see how I play and also in front of spectators all year long,” she added after a triumph founded on safety with its services (76% of points won with first and 61% with second) and the ability to commit half the unforced errors of his rival (26-52).

At times, Muguruza flew on the track of the Ken Rosewall Arena stadium, before an Alexandrova with whom he had the face-to-face level (2-1 in his favor now) and that he knew how to react so as not to take a blushing beating. The Caracas-born stalks number two in the ranking held by Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, who suffered a painful defeat with 21 double faults in Adelaide’s first round against Sweden’s Peterson. He is now at just 272 and will pass it if he lifts the trophy this week.

Results WTA Sydney Tennis Classic.