Caroline Garcia Battles Past Victoria Azarenka at Mallorca Open 2019

The Sunday’s champion in Nottingham, Caroline Garcia took on the two-time Grand Slam champion, Victoria Azarenka in the opening round of Mallorca Open 2019. The World Number 23, Garcia is undefeated against Azarenka, they have previously met on the courts Miami and Cincinnati and the Frenchwoman had straight-set victories.

On the grass-courts of the Spanish Island, the Nottingham Open champion, Caroline Garia, surpassed Victoria Azarenka 1-6, 6-4, 7-5 and progressed into the pre-quarterfinals of Mallorca Open 2019.

The Belarusian, Victoria Azarenka made a strong start and held a 4-0 lead in the opening set. And then, Garcia came up with an effortless defense on the volley to absorb the powerful forehand from Azarenka.

At 4-1, Garcia faced her first break point but the former World Number one’s intense serve effaced that opportunity. Victoria Azarenka continued to serve massive and maintained her lead at 5-1. She persisted her dominance and fed her sixth seed opponent a baguette in the first set and inched closer towards the victory. And that was the first set Azarenka won against Garcia on a singles court. 

Caroline Garcia tried changing the equation in the second set as she encountered three break points in the opening game and converted the second one. She played a flawless service game and consolidated her break with a 2-0 lead as she slammed a cross-court backhand winner.

An energised appeared in the next game, as she slammed winners and held her serve to love. The top-ranked French player, Caroline Garcia was blown away in the opening set, but she led by 4-1 in the second as Azarenka made errors. 

The Belarusian could dissolve the two both service breaks with powerful backhands and forehands and equalised the set at 4-4. However, Victoria Azarenka couldn’t dominate in the set. Caroline Garcia did not end the opener in Mallorca end and equalised the match by taking the second set, 6-4.

Victoria Azarenka was annoyed with the sun in Mallorca and found it difficult to play. “I can’t see sh*t (bad sun)”, she told her coach. “I’m f-ing trying but I can’t see sh*t”. And her coach replied, “Neither of you can see sh*t.”

After squandering three break points in the final set, Victoria Azarenka could manage to take away a service game from Garcia, but her inaccurate tennis in the next game neutralised the deciding set at 3-2 with Azarenka in the lead.

Later, both the women were failing to make mistakes on their service games and kept the action uninterrupted until 5-5. Caroline Garia came up with an exquisite backhand return to earn a break point and later converted with an effortless volley.

With that break of serve, Victoria Azarenka is yet to open her victory account against Garia as the Frenchwoman won, 1-6, 6-4, 7-5 in the opening round of Mallorca Open 2019.