Garbiñe Muguruza got rid of the bad taste in his mouth this Wednesday in Cincinnati that the loss to Katerina Siniakova had left in his debut in Montreal. The Spanish she was reconciled with the victory (6-4 and 6-3 in 1:40) against a suitable rival for her, Caroline Garcia, against whom she now has a favorable 4-0 face-to-face, with only one set for the 27-year-old Frenchwoman, 63rd in the world, but who was number four in 2018. “It is always difficult against her,” he said. Garbiñe, who felt “much relieved” to sit in the chair after closing the win. “I think the key has been to fight at each point, and the serve that has worked very well,” he said.
Muguruza will face Czech Barbora Krejcikova, reigning Roland Garros champion and an opponent who also brings back good memories., because he won it this year and in two sets in the final in Dubai. Garbiñe, who returned to the top-10 last month almost three years later, played with an impeccable attitude against Garcia, always in control of the game, and with a service that gave him good returns (7 aces, 83% of points won with first and no double faults) and with which he only granted two break options to the gala and in the eighth game of the second set. In fact, on both occasions, he saved the ballot with serves.
Black storm clouds threatened to disturb the end of the day, as had happened in the previous days, but Muguruza won before the rain appeared after saving the only disturbing situation that he went through in the entire encounter. It was the last attempt for Garcia, exhausted after the beating the day before when she resolved her duel against Stephens at the border of 02:00, before surrendering to the evidence that it would be impossible for her to beat her black beast again. She did not succeed because the woman from Caracas was always very attentive, she handled herself well both with the backhand and with the drive, unavailable to the discouragement that the heat and humidity could cause her. Drenched in sweat, she clung to the dominance of the match until he won it with an exquisite point, culminating in a drop and a balloon. Chapeau.
Barty and Osaka convince and Kerber kicks Svitolina out
The big favorites did not fail in their premiere at the WTA 1,000 in Cincinnati. The number 1 in the world Ashleigh Barty managed to win in two sets against British Heather Watson by 6-4 and 7-6 (3) to meet in the round of 16 with a tough rival, Belarusian Victoria Azarenka (she beat Alison Riske 6-2, 7-5).
The return to the slopes of Naomi Osaka after her defeat at the Tokyo Games and, despite a difficult start, the Japanese managed to come back against the brave American Coco Gauff 4-6, 6-3 and 6-4 and will now face the Swiss Jill Teichmann in the second round (she beat Bernarda Pera 6-1, 6-4).
Along with the defeat of Aryna Sabalenka against the Spanish Paula Badosa, the other big surprise of the day in the Cincinnati women's team was the defeat of the Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, who fell to the German Angelique Kerber 7-5, 2-6 and 6-4. In addition to Svitolina, the Canadian also fell Bianca Andreescu, who lost 6-4 and 6-2 against Karolina Muchova; and the Belgian Elise Mertens, who was overtaken by the Kazakh Elena Rybakina (6-3 and 6-2). Yes they go ahead Belinda Bencic and Petra Kvitova in a day where I know they retired two other favorites like Simona Halep and Jennifer Brady.
Results, table and schedules.