Garbiñe Muguruza solved this Monday with a note a disturbing and dangerous start in the US Open against the Croatian Donna Vekic, a player with intermittent performance, but capable of winning, for example, Aryna Sabalenka in the Tokyo Games, and of reaching further in the tournament than the Spanish (to the quarterfinals in 2019). In addition, the 25-year-old Croatian and 57th in the world had an ace up her sleeve or, rather, on the bench, because her coach is Sam Sumyk and his physio, Cathrin Junker, both former employees of Garbiñe, who was not intimidated and, from less to more, won by 7-6 (4) and 7-6 (5) at 2:18. “I am proud of my fighting spirit”he said in the interview on the pitch.
Although this year she lost in the first round to the Ukrainian Kostyuk at Roland Garros, Muguruza has a great record in Grand Slams premieres: 29-6 with the latter. In fact, she is the second best of all the tennis players competing in the tournament, after the American Keys (30-5). Having improved it will allow her to face the German Petkovic or the Romanian Begu on Wednesday.
Monday mood 💪@GarbiMuguruza digs deep to grab a second career win over Vekic! pic.twitter.com/rAu0eBXSdU
– US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 30, 2021
The start of the tournament was tough for the Spanish, against a rival who had a lot of success in sending to the lines and against whom she had to defend herself often in exchanges. In that aspect, Garbiñe has improved a lot, a plus in her tennis that helps her in difficult moments against aggressive and tenacious players like Vekic, who was the first to convert a break option. Immediately afterwards the Caracas player equaled and from there his presence grew until a tiebreaker in which he played marvelously.
Nerves of steel
The second set started just as well, with a promising 3-0 in the midst of the Balkan fall, which was slow to react, but finally did. At 5-3, Muguruza served to win and with the pressure on he conceded an inopportune break. The partisan went to another tie-break that again smiled at Garbiñe on its own merits. The first point was won after a spectacular and long rally and the third, which put her ahead, then he executed a couple of devastating drive and backhand winners, dispatched a second serve that was rather a first and, to finish, a volley shot brand of the house with which he secured a just victory in a difficult debut that has to give him a lot of confidence.
Results, table and schedules.