Tennis News

GSTAAD, Switzerland – 16-year-old Rebeka Masarova brought the sunshine to a rainy week at the Ladies Championship Gstaad, recovering from a set down to defeat former World No.1 and No.2 seed Jelena Jankovic, 1-6, 6-4, 6-2, to capture a win in her WTA main draw debut.

“I feel amazing,” she said after the match. “I prepared so well mentally and physically for this. I was so happy to play this match; I knew it’d be a good experience, but I wanted to win, and I’m glad I did!”

Masarova first turned heads a few weeks ago in Paris when she knocked out the top two junior seeds to win the junior French Open title. The feat earned her a wildcard into her debut WTA main draw appearance, one that was delayed thanks to multiple rain delays but finally got underway on Thursday.

“I resolved not to make too many mistakes, and was focused on what I had to do. I realized what she was doing to me; she was playing a lot to my backhand, and I had to play to her forehand. It wasn’t about winning the point anymore, it was about not missing. But when I had the opportunity to make a point, I did.”

The Swiss youngster will have the chance to go one better against Anett Kontaveit, who was among the event’s earliest winners with a 7-5, 6-1 victory over Maria Sakkari all the way back on Monday.

Former World No.7 Patty Schnyder was Gstaad’s other wildcard entrant into Gstaad, but the veteran’s first WTA main draw appearance since 2011 didn’t go as planned as she fell to Katerina Siniakova, 2-6, 7-5, 6-4.

“A couple points, and it could have gone either way. I wasn’t the luckiest, either,” Schnyder said after the match. “But we also have to talk about how tough it was to wait with the rain and to play in that wet and cold weather. It was a struggle for both, I know, but for my game, it’s helpful when the ball bounces high and it’s not too heavy. Normally I’d find these conditions in Gstaad, but not with the rain!”

Schnyder appeared in control before the rain interrupted their first round encounter, and though the Swiss star moved ahead by a break upon the resumption, Siniakova proved too strong in the end, serving out a narrow victory in just under two and a half hours.

“I could play the rallies, but just missing out on some important points. She’s also one who can play, pick the corners, run and defend. So I really had to play and make the rallies. Maybe some other conditions might have helped my balls be more effective, but it was the same for both.”

Despite the defeat, the comeback kid was feeling optimistic about how she fared against a WTA field – having played almost exclusively on the ITF Circuit since her comeback began last summer – and is looking forward to improving and getting the chance to challenge herself again.

“I’m a little bit disappointed still because I was enjoying being here, and to lose two tight sets is tough. But I’ll go on; I’m still having fun and it’s not that I feel like I have to quit or have heaps to work on. It’s just small things I have to work on that’ll help me win these kinds of matches.”

GSTAAD, Switzerland – World No.85 Lara Arruabarrena completed the outstanding first round matches at the Ladies Championship Gstaad with an upset of No.4 seed Caroline Garcia on Friday.

A contest originally scheduled for Tuesday afternoon was eventually completed nearly 72 hours later, Arruabarrena emerging with a hard-fought 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-4 victory.

“I’m not sure I’ve ever played a first round on Friday before! I was a bit surprised but we can’t do anything because it’s been raining,” Arruabarrena said. “I’ve played in Bogotá before, which is like 2,500 meters [above sea level], so this is not bad – thought it was going to be more tough, let’s say, but it’s okay, I like it.”

Arruabarrena’s experience in Bogotá, where she won the title in 2012 and has reached three subsequent quarterfinals, served her well as the match progressed, taking advantage of the faster conditions to romp through the second set then break decisively at the start of the third. Later on, she is due back on court to take on Carina Witthoeft for a place in the quarterfinals.

“I was expecting a tough match, obviously, and I think I played really well, serving really well. I have to play again this afternoon but there’s not a lot you can do,” she added.

Elsewhere, there was better news for the other three seeds in early action, with Kiki Bertens, Annika Beck and Julia Goerges all registering first-round victories. Goerges, the No.8 seed, was the most impressive, swatting aside Jana Cepelova, 6-0, 6-3, while No.3 seed Bertens saw off Tamira Paszek, 5-7, 6-2, 6-4, and No.5 seed Beck beat Marina Erakovic, 3-6, 6-2, 7-5.

MELBOURNE, Australia – No.7 seed Garbiñe Muguruza defeated Samantha Crawford in two tight sets on Wednesday evening to reach the third round of the Australian Open.

Breaks in the penultimate game of both sets proved the difference, Muguruza triumphing 7-5, 6-4 to book a meeting with Anastasija Sevastova.

Crawford, who first rose to prominence when she came through qualifying to reach the Brisbane semifinals 12 months ago, gave another good account of herself Down Under, overcoming a slow start to push the reigning French Open champion all the way.

Muguruza came out with her right thigh strapped after complaining of a sore leg during her first round, but showed few signs of sluggishness as she rattled off the first three games. Crawford began to settle into the contest and was soon back on level terms.

The pair exchanged a series of thundering baseline exchanges as the opening set reached its climax, Muguruza striking decisively with a backhand winner with Crawford serving at 5-5, 30-40. Mugurza went on to serve out the set. Muguruza held her nerve in an equally competitive second set to reach the last 32 for a fourth straight year.

“She was super-powerful and hit the ball very hard, which made it difficult,” Muguruza said. “Today, I had to concentrate and wait for my opportunity.”

“[My leg] is a little bit better. Honestly, I think the time is helping me. Hopefully now the next day is going to help me recover even more,” Muguruza said. “I definitely had a concern. But I knew I had to go out there and play with what I have. You know, I went, try to play my normal tennis, try to be focused. It was important match. Tough opponent actually. I’m very happy with this win.”