CHARLESTON, SC, USA – It came down to the wire for top seed Angelique Kerber, but the reigning Australian Open champion outlasted a spirited challenge from unseeded Lara Arruabarrena, 6-2, 5-7, 7-6(3) to reach the third round of the Volvo Car Open.
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Kerber had only dropped five games in her two previous encounters with the Spaniard, and it looked like it would be more of the same for the German, who broke through after some tight opening games to run away with the opening set.
But Arruabarrena drew the World No.2 into more than a few lung-busting rallies and, despite failing to capitalize on an early break in the second set, managed to force a decider against the defending champion who was playing her first match on clay in 2016.
“First of all, the first rounds are always tough and Lara played an unbelievable match,” Kerber told Andrew Krasny after the match. “After the first set, she was fighting. She is a great player and a great clay court player.”
Kerber served for the match at 5-3 in the third but played some tentative play allowed a Arruabarrena to take advanage and draw level, leading to thrilling third set tie-break. Both finished the match with a positive winner/unforced error differential, with the german hitting 49 winners to 46 from Arruabarrena, and 44 errors to 40.
“It was really tough and a tricky match but I’m really happy to be back here. It’s one of my favorite tournaments. After last year to playing tonight on the Center Court; thank you guys for coming and supporting us,” Kerber said, addressing the crowd after converting the win on her second match point.
“For me, it’s a really special place because last year, I came here and didn’t have the best start to the year. But I came here and won the tournament; from there everything changed. It’s really special to be back and I hope I will play a few more matches here. It’s great to be back!”
Up next for Kerber will be the winner of the second round between qualifier Kristina Kucova – who eased past American Madison Brengle in straight sets Tuesday afternoon – or the resurgent Kateryna Bondarenko, who began the week with an upset victory over No.16 seed Misaki Doi in three sets. Ever the perfectionist, the top seed already had an idea of what she planned to improve for her next encounter with the feisty Spaniard.
“Sometimes I was too defensive and too much trying to wait for the balls and running too much,” she said after the match. “I think next time I play against her, I will try to just go for it and try to step maybe one, two steps in the court and just try to hit the balls and going for it.
“It was a little bit tough because two days ago I was in Miami and it was a little bit different than here tonight. It was actually windy. It was cold, and we started when it was like the sun was still there, and then it’s getting dark. So it was not so easy, but it’s good to have a match like this down already, and I’m looking forward to play the next one.”
Earlier in the day, Mirjana Lucic-Baroni became the first woman to reach the third round in Charleston, surviving a topsy turvy match against No.11 seed Kristina Mladenovic. The Croat had to save four match points while needing seven of her own to close out a come-from-behind 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(13) victory. Lucic-Baroni, who will play either No.8 seed and 2015 Charleston finalist Madison Keys or Laura Siegemund next, hit 15 double faults but managed to save 15 of 23 break points faced with her signature fearless play.
Bethanie Mattek-Sands also enjoyed a three-set triumph on Tuesday, recovering from a set down to outfox Brazil’s Teliana Pereira, 5-7, 6-3, 6-2. Monica Puig took out last year’s semifinalist Lucie Hradecka, 6-3, 6-2, while Australian Open quarterfinalist Zhang Shuai dropped only three games to defeat qualifier Lesley Kerkhove, 6-1, 6-2.
Starting the day on Billie Jean King Stadium Court, Daria Kasatkina – seeded at a Premier level tournament for the first time in her young career – showed why she will be one to watch on her beloved clay courts as she picked apart China’s Zheng Saisai, 6-2, 6-1 after opening up a 5-0 lead in the second set. The win was the 2014 French Open junior champion’s 100th match win (including Challengers), leading to an entertaining reaction from the Russian teenager.
“100, already? I just started to play pro last year!” a flabbergasted Kasatkina told Andrew Krasny.
2010 champion Samantha Stosur also withstood a tough test from Serbia’s Aleksandra Krunic, who led by a break advantage in each set; the No.10 seed advanced into the second round, 6-4, 6-4.
