Unrecognizable in the first set, Caroline Garcia, seeded number 4, finally recovered to impose herself with feverishly on Saturday, against the German Laura Siegemund in the third round of the Australian Open.
by Hortense leblanc
While the third round of the Australian Open was fatal earlier Saturday, January 21 in the morning for Benjamin Bonzi and Ugo Humbert – the last two French engaged in the men’s picture and eliminated respectively by Alex de Minaur ( 7-6 [7-0], 6-2, 6-1) and Holger Rune (6-4, 6-2, 7-6 [7-5])-, Caroline Garcia almost went to the hatch to his turn. The Frenchwoman fought more against herself than against her opponent, Laura Siegemund, to finally rally the knockout stages (1-6, 6-3, 6-3) of the first Grand Chelem of the season.
The tight jaw, eyes raised to the sky as if to find solutions, a lot of exchanges with her clan in the gallery … Far from her usual smile, Caroline Garcia displayed signs of nervousness on the court in front of the 158
While his ball speed could have embarrassed her opponent, Caroline Garcia experienced a lot of waste in her game, with bad choices and bullets sometimes sent several meters outside the court. Once her first chance of past breaking, the Frenchwoman was constantly put in difficulty on her service games, with six conceded break balls, two of which hit her opponent (1-6).
Better service to ring the revolt
Overwhelmed on long and little lucid exchanges on short exchanges, Caroline Garcia had absolutely to pull herself up in the second set. Reassured by a good first service game and then by a white game to lead 3-2, the Lyonnaise regained confidence to convert a first break ball in the match and then confirm this gap and lead 5-2. With a found determination, better first balls, and faced with a less precise opponent -with only 2 winning shots in the second round -she managed to push Laura Siegemund in a third set (6-3).
A third round attacked by an entry break for the seeded number 4. But the German had not said her last word and continued to make the Frenchman doubt, who offered her the Débreak on two double faults. Regained by a little more lucidity and composure, Garcia finally managed to resume the service of her opponent and, if she did not convert her first match ball, she pushed the German in her entrenchments for S ‘Extract from the trap set by the 158
“The last game was like the match, Siegemund read my game very well and I was very nervous, commented Caroline Garcia on the court at the end of the match. I was on the edge of the abyss after The first set but I had the opportunity to go in the second week and it was at least that I try to fight. My last season was very good, but I have to start from scratch this year to win again. “
There is no point in leaving, you have to run.
After a first missed set, @carogarcia showed a beautiful … https://t.co/dz4v7kxfpn
If this victory has been acquired in difficulty, it nevertheless demonstrates the French’s progress on the mental level. She passes the third round of the Australian Open for the second time in twelve participations and will try to reach the quarter -finals, which she has never played in Melbourne, against Magda Linette or Ekaterina Aleksandrova.