France’s Kristina Mladenovic has silenced the German crowd with a comprehensive 6-2, 7-5, win over defending champion Angelique Kerber in the second round of the Stuttgart Open.
The world No.19 dominated proceedings from the onset, breaking Keber in her first service game of the match. Mladenovic’s intensity, featuring five aces and 36 winners, proved too much for Kerber to handle, who has now missed out of the chance of returning back to world No.1.
Steam-rolling her way through the first half of the match, Mladenovic cruised to a 6-2, 3-0, advantage before encountering some fierce resistance. Trying to feed off the support of her local crowd, Kerber Battled back to level the second set 3-3. Suddenly the disparity between the two was no longer apparent as each player battled on. Still, a more consistent Mladenovic managed to prevail in straight sets with the help of a forehand winner down the line on match point.
“I’m just so happy to be back on the clay. It’s my favourite surface.” Mladenovic said during her on-court interview.
Thursday’s shock win gives Mladenovic her ninth win over a top-10 player and her first against Kerber. Previously, she had lost three times to the German, including twice in 2016. Kerber is now 1-8 against top-30 players this season.
“She’s a very great player, very tricky. She is a lefty so it’s unusual (for me), there’s not a lot of lefties on the tour.” Mladenovic said about the world No.2.
Mladenovic, who won the St. Petersburg Open earlier this year, enters the quarter-finals in Stuttgart knowing that there will be no more than two seeded players left in the draw. Simona Halep is already through and Karolina Pliskova is yet to play her second round match.
Awaiting the Frenchwoman in the next round will be two-time French Open quarter-finalist Carla Suarez Navarro. It promises to be another tough encounter, but Mladenovic is confident about shining on her favourite surface.
“I really do enjoy my game on the clay. I’m a strong and powerful player, but I also like all those variations with the slices and drop shots.” She explained.
“It’s kind of challenging to try to install your game, whatever the surface. Hopefully I can keep going like this.”
If Mladenovic wins the title this week, she will become only the third French winner of the Stuttgart Open and first since 1998.
