2nd seed Caroline Wozniacki survived a mighty scare in the second round of the Australian Open, coming back from the brink to defeat Croatia’s Jana Fett 3-6, 6-2, 7-5 on Wednesday.
A major upset seemed almost certain as Wozniacki lost the opening set and faced two match points in the seventh game of the deciding. However, the Odense native managed to pull off one of the most unlikely comebacks in modern tennis to eventually come out triumphant in an exhausting 150 minutes.
Fett came into the match with a clear game plan, targeting the former World No. 1’s forehand wing more often and denying her any opportunity to get into any sort of rhythm by playing short points. Fett’s ploy paid rich dividends as she frustrated Wozniacki, who was getting restless due to her inability to display her famous counter-punching style of play.
With the first set gone, Wozniacki changed tactics in the second, becoming a little more aggressive on the returns. Finding herself in a spot of bother for the first time in the contest, Fett couldn’t withstand the sudden pressure that was built around her by the two-time US Open finalist. Wozniacki clearly had the upper hand and the momentum at that point of the encounter as she leveled the match at a set apiece.
Two things really worked for Wozniacki in set No. 2 – her serve was on song and she was able to break Fett’s serve twice early on to take a decisive 4-1 lead. Additionally, Fett’s unforced errors rose drastically to put Wozniacki in the driver’s seat.
Wozniacki though returned to her defensive avatar in the third, which allowed her 103rd ranked challenger a way back into the match. Suddenly, Fett was dominating the proceedings as she raced to a 5-1 lead and within a blink of an eye was serving for the match. At 40-15, she had two match points, but couldn’t serve it out. From then on, Wozniacki reigned supreme as her opponent never recovered from the aforementioned setback.
For a place in the pre-quarterfinals, Caroline will take on Dutchwoman Kiki Bertens or Nicole Gibbs of the United States on Friday.
