Caroline Garcia takes the first step after defeating Belarus’ Aliaksandra Sasnovich in three tight sets (4-6, 7-6(5), 6-4) in the second round of the WTA 1000 in Guadalajara. The American Baptiste, their nearest rival.
It’s time to take the court for the third seed at this Guadalajara Open Akron. Caroline Garcia, who is trying to get stronger against a team without all the characters and thus get a good feeling after the unforgettable last few months. Her first competitor in Mexico was Belarusian Aliaksandra Sasnovich, who arrived after leaving behind Netherlands’ Arantxa Rus.
Sasnovich strikes first
A super even start to this match, with Garcia unable to assert her game or be dominant with her serve, an important measure of her level. After some back and forth there were break points for both sides, but without concreteness, then came the first break of the game, for Sasnovich, who took the lead on the scoreboard with a surprising win in the seventh game. The Belarusian didn’t let the move go through and later closed the set 6:4.
Remarkable comeback from Garcia
An important setback for the match, as Sasnovich also came out better in the second set, scoring a break in the first game, setting the overall pace of the score and putting the third seed in his place. Despite this unfortunate moment, Caro found his own strength, taking a step inside the court and going out to make early returns, do damage and win the break almost immediately. At the most critical moment, Aliaksandra managed to break the ball to make it 6:5 and serve for the game. In this twelfth game, the Frenchwoman had to save two match points to resist and move closer to the tiebreak. New confidence for the tiebreaker, Garcia won the second set.
Absolute tension for the final set, with the Belarusian taking the lead after starting serve, but Garcia was better positioned and able to absorb the pressure of always running from behind. The long-awaited break came in the seventh game for the favorite, who was guaranteed to close the game on her serve if she could hold out for two more rounds. Sasnovich managed to exploit the situation to the utmost, reduced to 4-5 and dreamed of the break that would restore his chances. However, The Frenchwoman would come on strong and hold on to her first serve when she needed it most to complete the task with a final 6-4.
