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Garbine Muguruza Opens Up About Past US Open Struggles Following Halep Exit

The two-time grand slam champion reacts to the world No.1 crashing out of the tournament.

Published

6 years ago

27/08/2018

Spain’s Garbine Muguruza has said she sympathizes with world No.1 Simona Halep after she crashed out in the first round of the US Open.

Halep became the first top seed in the Open Era to lose in the first round of the women’s tournament after being brushed aside by Kaia Kanepi in straight sets. The loss followed a positive summer campaign on the North American hard court’s. Halep won the Rogers Cup followed by reaching the final of the Cincinnati Open. Reflecting on her early exit, the 26-year-old admitted that she finds it difficult to find her game in New York.

“Maybe the noise in the crowd, the city is busy, everything together,’’ Halep said during her press conference. “I’m a quiet person maybe I like smaller places. I don’t really feel 100 per cent on my game when I step on the court here.”

The woes of the Romanian are ones all too familiar for Muguruza. Her first four appearances at Flushing Meadows saw the Spaniard win only two matches. It wasn’t until last year that she had a breakthrough with a run to the fourth round. In total she has only ever won six matches at the US Open, including her 6-3, 6-0, win over China’s Zhang Shuai on Monday. To put this into perspective, at her second worst performing grand slam (the Australian Open) she has won 14 matches.

“I really feel for her way when she says that, because me, at the beginning, for the first four years, I didn’t almost get past the first round.” Muguruza said in response to Halep’s comments. “I was always there and I didn’t really understand what was happening.
“This (the US Open) is a little different than other tournaments, but I’m learning to handle that better because I really want to go far in the tournament.
“I feel like people love it or people don’t like it. It’s black or white a little bit.”

So how did Muguruza manage to overcome her US Open nightmares? For her, it didn’t involve changing her fitness program or adjusting her mental approach to the game. Instead, she chose to take the route of an introvert whilst in New York.

“I try not to spend a lot of time outside. There are a lot of people, there is a lot of noise. I always try to be in calm places. I’m happy to go to the park, but I don’t do a lot of shopping.” She explained.
“I do spend a lot of time in the hotel, at this tournament in particular. But that’s my way.”

Muguruza is seeded 12th in this year’s draw. Leading up the tournament, her offensive on the tour has been halted by an arm injury. Her win over Shuai was only the second competitive match she has played since Wimbledon.

“I feel I’m trying to be realistic, not trying to set tough goals, even though I always expect myself to go out there and perform well.” She concluded.

In the second round, Muguruza will play Czech qualifier Karolína Muchová.

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Stefanos Tsitsipas beats Sebastian Ofner in Barcelona to extend his winning streak

Published

5 hours ago

17/04/2024

sampaolo

Stefanos Tsitsipas beat Sebastian Ofner 6-4 7-5 at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell to extend his winning streak to seven consecutive matches after claiming his third title at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters last week.

Tsitsipas earned an immediate break in the first game. Ofner broke straight back to draw level to 1-1. Tsitsipas earned his second break in the seventh game to take a 4-3 lead and served out the first set 6-4 with a hold at 15.

Tsitsipas broke in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead. Ofner won three consecutive games with two breaks of serve to take a 5-3 lead. Tsitsipas came back by winning four consecutive games with two breaks of serve to seal the second set 7-5.

Tsitsipas has a record of 17 wins to 5 defeats in Barcelona. The Greek player reached three finals at this tournament in 2018, 2021 and 2023.

“I feel pretty good, but it is still early in the tournament. The conditions here are very different to Monte-Carlo and I felt it today when I was playing. My job is to adapt and to ensure I can bring my A game again in Barcelona this week. Today was a great test to see where I stand. I am hoping to keep on improving and getting good wins like this under my belt”, said Tsitsipas.

Tsitssipas set up a third round match against Roberto Carballes Baena, who beat Lorenzo Musetti 7-6 (7-4) 6-4 in 2 hours and 15 minutes.

Musetti saved three break points in the first game of the opening set. The Italian player earned two break points with a backhand down the line. Musetti saved two break points in the seventh game. Both players went on serve un the 12^th game when Carballes Baena saved a set point. Carballes Baena went up a 5-1 lead with two mini-breaks in the tie-break. Musetti won three consecutive points to reduce to 4-5. Carballes Baena won the final two points to take the tie-break 7-4.

Carballes Baena converted his fourth break point in the fourth game to take a 3-1 lead. Musetti broke back in the fifth game. Carballes Baena saved a break point in the sixth game. The Spanish player sealed the win with a break on his second match.

Last week’s Monte-Carlo finalist Casper Ruud beat Alexandre Muller 6-3 6-4 to claim his 25^th tour-level win of the season. Ruud has drawn level with Jannik Sinner for the most wins in 2024 on the ATP Tour.

Ruud set up a third round match against Jordan Thompson, who beat Jaume Munar 6-4 2-4 6-4. Roberto Bautista Agut beat Andrea Vavassori 4-6 6-4 6-1 to claim his milestone 400th match win on the ATP Tour. Bautista Agut set up a third round match against Cameron Norrie.

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Roberto Bautista Agut wins his milestone 400th match on the ATP Tour

Published

8 hours ago

17/04/2024

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Roberto Bautista Agut came back from one set down to beat Australian Open doubles finalist Andrea Vavassori 4-6 6-3 6-1 after 2 hours and 1 minute at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell.

Vavassori earned an early break in the first game. The Italian player earned three break points in the seventh game, but Bautista Agut saved them. The Spanish player broke straight back in the eighth game. Vavassori broke again in the ninth game to take a 5-4 lead and saved two break points before closing out the first set 6-4 on his second set point.

Both players went on serve in the first four games of the second set. Vavassori earned a break point in the fifth game, but he did not convert it. Bautista Agut broke serve in the sixth game to take a 4-2 lead and did not face any break points to win the second set 6-3.

Bautista Agut broke three times to cruise through to a 6-1.

Bautista Agut reached the 400^th milestone win on the ATP Tour. The Spanish player has become the 13^th active player with at least 400 ATP Tour wins. He achieved 20 wins against members of the top 10, ten wins against top 5 players and four against world number 1s. Bautista Agut is one of the nine players, who have beaten Novak Djokovic as World number 1 more than twice.

“For me it’s just a number. The important thing is that I have done great work over these years, that I have a very consistent career, a career that I can feel proud of “, said Bautista Agut.

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Martina Trevisan beats Naomi Osaka to reach the second round in Rouen

Published

8 hours ago

17/04/2024

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Martina Trevisan upset former world number 1 Naomi Osaka 6-4 6-2 in the opening round of the Open Capfinances Rouen Metropole.

Osaka has played her first clay-court match since Roland Garros 2022, where she lost to Amanda Anisimova. The Japanese player has not won a match on clay since beating Anastasia Potapova in the first round of the Madrid Mutua Open in 2022. She helped Japan beat Kazakhstan in the Billie Jean King Cup.

Trevisan reached the quarter final in 2020 and the semifinal in 2022 at Roland Garros. The former world number 18 won her only title in Rabat in 2022. She reached the quarter finals of the Zaragoza ITF 100 tournament.

Both players traded breaks in the first two games. Osaka earned two break points at 3-2 and three more chances at 4-3, but she was not able to convert them. Trevisan broke serve in the ninth game following a series of forehand errors.

Trevisan broke twice in the third and seventh games and served out the win on her first match point.

Sixteen-year-old Mirra Andreeva beat Elina Avanesyan 7-5 6-4 in 1 hour and 41 minutes to reach her second quarter final of 2024.

Andreeva went up a break in the seventh game, but Avanesyan pulled back on serve to draw level to 4-4. Andreeva broke for the second time in the 11^th game to win the second set 7-5. Andreeva broke in the first game to open up a 2-0 lead. Avanesyan converted her third break-back point in the fourth game to draw level to 2-2. Andreeva broke serve at love in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead. Avanesyan broke back in the eighth game to draw level to 4-4. Andreeva broke for the third time in the ninth game and served out the win on her second match point after saving two break points.