Bianca Andreescu improved on a first round exit last summer at the Berlin Open by winning her opening match against Katerina Siniakova 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, this time around.
The Toronto native hit 24 winners and managed to advance despite only winning 60% of her first serve points in a match that had many breaks of serve.
“I think she played great tennis especially at the end of the second set and she really went for it,” said Andreescu. “On grass it’s really effective but I fought till the end and I am just super happy”.
The first three games of the match were breaks of serve with both players struggling to hold their serve until the Canadaian was able to consolidate a break to take a 3-1 lead.
At 3-2 the Czech fought back to level the set at 3-3 but the world number 69 managed to get a crucial break at 4-4 and was able to serve out the first set.
The second set stayed on serve until 3-3 as both players improved on holding their service games. Andreescu was able to set up two breakpoints with one of her powerful forehand winners and broke serve once more the following point with a return winner down the line.
The break didnt hold as Andreescu was unable to hold serve and Siniakova was able to break right back to go back on serve at 4-4 and the world number 63 managed to get the crucial break to win the set.
After holding serve in the first game of the third set the Czech went on a full attack looking for the first break of serving earning five chances to break before she was able to push through and take an early lead.
The Toronto native once again fought back the following game and got the break back and at 2-1 there was a brief rain delay.
Play resumed less than an hour later and it was back and forth as both players traded breaks of serve once again but at 4-4 it was the Canadian with the crucial break and served out the match.
After the match in her on court interview she was asked about her lack of matches and if she can use this match to build on something.
” I didn’t really like grass for a while but my coach is really helping me enjoy it more. I am having a lot fun and I feel like I am improving and gaining that love for the grass.” She replied.
Andreescu will face another Czech in her next match. Karolina Pliskova awaits who earlier in the day came back from a set down to beat Kaia Kanepi 6-7, 6-0, 6-0.
