Garcia without shaking
Victory against Kamilla Rakhimova, 6-2, 6-4
Caroline Garcia has a status to assume, that of winner of Cincinnati, and therefore a more than serious outsider in this US Open. And obviously, he does not bother her at the moment. Opposed to the Russian Kamilla Rakhimova (90th player in the world) for her entry into the running, the Lyonnaise showed great authority to win in two sets and 1h22 of play (6-2, 6-4).
WTA Cincinnati
Garcia chased away doubts: “Everything is clearer in my head”
08/22/2022 At 07:26
Garcia: “A little frustrated not to take every opportunity”
In line with what she showed last week, the 17th player in the world played very well the vast majority of the time. Regular and efficient, the Habs did not allow doubt to settle when (small) doors were ajar on its face-off, which it settled in the second round – 76% of first, against 53% in the first set. Despite a slight drop in speed at the end of the match, she managed to complete as in Cincinnati: on her serve, leading a set 5-4. Provided that the comparison goes further. For that, he will first have to dismiss another Russian in the second round, Anna Kalinskaya.
A last spiked volley and Garcia goes to the 2nd round: the match point on video
Moutet qualified by KO
Win over Stan Wawrinka, 6-4, 7-6, ab.
After two very tight sets which he won (6-4, 7-6), the Frenchman, 112th player in the world, qualified in the 2nd round by taking advantage of the abandonment of Stan Wawrinka at the end of the tie-break ending the second round. Present in New York for the fifth time in his career, the Lucky Loser perfectly managed his start to the match against the winner of the 2016 US Open, breaking him twice to race in the lead (6-4).
The second set was a huge showdown between the two players, who never let go of the slightest service game until the inevitable tie-break, where everything could change. But it was the Swiss who cracked, physically (6-4, 7-6). Faced with these two sets to go up, Stan Wawrinka preferred to offer a little rest to his body, bruised since a heavy injury at the start of 2021. In the 2nd round, Corentin Moutet, who relied on a first serve solid (77%), will meet the winner of the match between Czech Tomas Machac and Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp.
Hard blow: The abandonment of Wawrinka against Moutet on video
Grenier, first winner
Victory against Tomas Etcheverry, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4
What a destiny for Hugo Grenier! Eliminated in the third qualifying round of this US Open three days ago, the Frenchman took advantage of Pablo Andujar’s package to finally join the main draw for the first time in his career, at 26 years old. And the 119th player in the world could not have made better use of this little boost of fate by dominating Tomas Etcheverry, 86th at ATP.
It took nearly 3 hours for the Habs, author of 37 winning shots (against 32), to take the measure of his opponent. And time to adjust. The Argentinian took the opportunity to win the first set after capitalizing on an early break. But Etcheverry ended up being penalized by his too many faults: 48 in total, 17 more than his opponent. Grenier’s next opponent should give him fewer gifts: it will be the 14th player in the world, Matteo Berrettini.
Rinderknech wins the tricolor duel
Victory against Quentin Halys, 4-6, 7-6[4]6-3, 6-2
It has been more than three years since the two players had delivered their first confrontation on the circuit, which had turned to the advantage of Quentin Halys during … a challenger in Glasgow. There is no doubt that one will remember much more than this afternoon under the American sun, which turned to the advantage of Arthur Rinderknech, 58th player in the world. His opponent, 76th at ATP and from qualifying, had however started better by offering himself the first round.
He even offered himself a second set point, at 6-5, but missed the opportunity. The turning point of the meeting, undeniably. Because Rinderknech was much more solid in the tie-break which followed, then until the end of the meeting, with an entry break in the third set then a quiet fourth set. Halys has multiplied the faults too much to hope for better (65 against 23). His eldest will have a lot to do in the second round, against world number 1 and defending champion Daniil Medvedev.
The roller coaster for Tan
Defeated against Bianca Andreescu, 6-0, 3-6, 6-1
A very difficult game to read. This is what Harmony Tan and Bianca Andreescu offered us on the GrandStand. The French, eighth finalist at Wimbledon, was first completely overwhelmed, conceding a “bubble” in the first round, during which she only gleaned eight tiny points. A slap which, rather than knocking him down, served as an electroshock to win the second set, which was the most disputed of the meeting.
But the break conceded at the start of the third round hurt him very badly. Especially since opposite, the 48th player in the world, beaten by Caroline Garcia in the Bad Homburg final at the start of the summer, was absolutely intractable on her serve, with 73% of first serves in the third set, all followed by a point won. The Canadian could rub shoulders with an opponent of another caliber in the second round: the Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia, 15th player in the world.
No surprise for Jeanjean
Lost to Coco Gauff, 6-2, 6-3
There was no miracle. Coming from qualifying, Léolia Jeanjean has never managed to even threaten the American Coco Gauff, seeded number 12. Appeared on the main circuit during the last Roland-Garros, the 27-year-old Frenchwoman was cornered as soon as he entered the court, losing in 1h20 of play.
Impressive in service with only seven small points lost during her commitments, the last Parisian Grand Slam finalist is aiming for only one thing: a first Major title, at just 18 years old. This will go through a confrontation on Wednesday against the Romanian Elena-Gabriela Ruse or the Australian Daria Saville.
WTA Cincinnati
A new WTA 1000 five years later: breathtaking Garcia!
08/21/2022 At 7:51 PM
WTA Cincinnati
Garcia, from qualifying to the final: “No one expected it, that’s for sure”
08/21/2022 At 08:42