'Bit of a robbery' - Caroline Garcia produces fine performance to overcome Leylah Fernandez at Australian Open
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Updated 19/01/2023 at 08:29 GMT
Caroline Garcia is into the third round of the Australian Open after a straight sets win over Leylah Fernandez. Garcia came from 4-0 down to win the first set tie-break then showed all her quality to outlast her Canadian opponent in the second on Rod Laver Arena. Garcia is bidding to win the first Grand Slam of her career in the tournament where she has never gone beyond the fourth round.
Caroline Garcia
Image credit: Getty Images
Caroline Garcia is through to the third round of the 2023 Australian Open after a hard-fought 7-6(5) 7-5 win over Canada's Leylah Fernandez.
The 2022 US Open semi-finalist, who won four titles in under six months last year, has continued her fine form into 2023 by knocking out the 2021 US Open finalist in straight sets.
Garcia will play Germany's Laura Siegemund in the next round.
"I felt after I won the first set it was almost a little bit of a robbery on my side," the world No. 4 said in her on-court interview after the match.
"Because she was pretty much up all the time and she was winning service games very easily.
"I could never really find my rhythm but I just tried to go one point at a time and stay focused on the present. I made it and it was very important for me for sure."
The first set was high quality. Fernandez converted her second break point opportunity to go 3-2 up after the Frenchwoman ripped a wild forehand wide, but Garcia got back on serve in the very next game with a volley winner at the net.
The Canadian piled on extra pressure to try and break at 5-5, but Garcia saved two break points and held her serve with a fine volley.
A tie-break soon followed and Fernandez raced in front, winning the first four points. But Garcia stole it, coming back from 4-0 down to take the opener in 63 minutes.
The second set was extremely close with Garcia surviving her service games to remain in the set.
Fernandez got a set point on Garcia's serve, but the Frenchwoman rescued it with an ace moments before levelling at 5-5 with another one.
Garcia then turned up the pressure, reeling off four points in a row to get the vital break.
The 29-year-old made no mistake getting over the line, converting her second match point with an unreturnable first serve.
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