Jelena Ostapenko makes a 1-6, 7-6(6), 7-6(5) comeback win over Schmiedlova in @CincyTennis first round! #CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/1bNfcRhHFw— WTA (@WTA) August 15, 2016
Anna Karolina Schmiedlova got off to a roaring start today, taking the first set 6-1 against Jelena Ostapenko in less than 20 minutes in the opening round of the Western & Southern Open. Schmiedlova then went up two breaks in the second set, and appeared to be on the way to achieving a short, efficient victory.
But you know how tennis is. And lately, you know how Schmiedy is. Ostapenko saved two match points at 4-5 in the second set, and went on to win that set 7-6. But after falling behind 0-2, 0-40, Schmiedlova raced ahead to 5-2 in the third, and again--the match looked like it was about to end. But Schmiedova's level crashed when she served for the match, and she never saw another match point. Ostapenko broke her and went on to break her again. There was another tiebreak, which Ostapenko won with relative ease, though--for a short time--it looked like Schmiedlova was going to catch up and possibly prevail.
The momentum shifts in this match were extreme, and--given that Ostapenko's second round opponent is Karolina Pliskova--there could be another see-saw contest in the Latvian player's near future.
Also in round 1, qualifier Daria Gavrilova defeated Caroline Garcia 7-5, 6-3. She'll play 17th seed Elina Svitolina next.
I know JJ had that very long losing streak a few years ago, but can you think of any player of note (which AKS was by the end of '15) that has had the sort of season that Schmiedlova has this year? Lordy.
ReplyDeleteNone comes to mind. This match today was crazy. I had to leave several times because the humidity was killing me (I know, I'm from LA--you'd think....) Then I skipped Mugu's all-access appearance just to watch Schmiedy get the win. And then she went all to hell and lost.
ReplyDelete