Marketa
Vondrousova fought hard to overcome
Caroline Wozniacki by 6-2, 7-5 and advance
to the third round of the National Bank Open in Montreal.
The recent
Wimbledon champion,
Marketa Vondrousova, continues to showcase her prowess in
Toronto. In the opening round, she defeated Mayar Sheriff with ease, posting a
score of 6-4, 6-2.
Her most
recent tournament on hardcourt before the
Canadian Open was the Miami Open in
March, where she entered the competition outside the top 100 and reached the
quarterfinals.
This time
around, she faced the former world No. 1, Caroline Wozniacki. The Danish player
made her return to the WTA Tour after more than three years of absence and is
currently a mother of two.
In her
first-round match, she secured an impressive victory of 6-2, 6-2 against the
world No. 115, Kimberly Birrell, displaying a high level of competitiveness
despite her time away from professional tennis. However, this time the
challenge was to face the most recent Grand Slam champion.
The
development of the first set was influenced by the effectiveness of each
player's service game. Vondrousova had a first serve percentage of only 48%,
but won 87% of points on her first serve and only 44% on her second serve.
Wozniacki
had a higher first serve percentage (67%), but couldn't match the Czech's
dominance, winning 61% of points with her first serve and 44% with her second
serve.
The
reigning Wimbledon champion excelled in crucial moments, converting two of five
break points in her favor, while also saving three opportunities for her
opponent. This allowed Vondrousova to secure a 6-2 lead at the break.
The second
set began with a clear advantage for Vondrousova, who achieved two consecutive
breaks and took a 3-0 lead with her serve. However, Wozniacki remained focused
and managed to secure four consecutive games, demonstrating her strong
competitive spirit.
The seventh
game witnessed an incredible battle between both players, with Wozniacki facing
three double faults and saving four break points. A total of eight deuces were
played before she clinched her fourth consecutive game with a powerful ace.
At 5-5,
Vondrousova secured the decisive break that granted her the advantage,
ultimately winning the match 6-2, 7-5. This marked a more than respectable
performance by Wozniacki in her first tournament after three years.
"Sweet
Caroline" will return to the court next week at the Cincinnati Open, where
she received a wildcard entry.
Vondrousova's
next challenge lies in the third round, where she will face the American and
world No. 7, Coco Gauff. Gauff comes into the match in excellent form, having
easily defeated Katie Boulter (a qualifier) and recently secured the title at
the WTA 500 DC Open last week.
