Carla Suarez Navarro has reached the Round of 16 at the Connecticut Open in New Haven after Slovakian qualifier Jana Cepelova was forced to retire from the match due to a right thigh injury, as the Spanish player was leading 6-4 4-0 on a hot day. Suarez Navarro beat Cepelova 6-2 6-2 in the first round of last January’s Australian Open.
Suarez Navarro got an early break with a down the line forehand winner at the start of the match to open up a 2-0 lead. Cepelova hit strong returns to break straight back. Suarez Navarro earned a crucial break after a long seventh game to take a 4-3 lead. Cepelova broke back, as Suarez Navarro made her only double break of the match.
Suarez Navarro fired a forehand to earn her first break of the second set and held her serve with a forehand winner before Cepelova called for the trainer. The Slovakian player fought bravely in the fourth game despite the pain, but Suarez Navarro made a double break to set up a Round of 16 match against Anastasya Pavlyuchenkova.
Suarez Navarro dropped from world number 12 to 35 due to a shoulder injury.
“I started the season with a shoulder injury, so it’s tough for me. Women’s tennis now is really good. Everyone is playing really good, and you have to be good every time”, said Suarez Navarro.
