LONDON (TIP)- Second seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus recovered from a poor first set to beat Varvara Gracheva 2-6 7-5 6-2 today and reach the third round at Wimbledon.
The 2021 semifinalist at the All England Club is only behind world No. 1 Iga Swiatek (40) for match wins on the Tour this year with 35. However, her status as one of the favourites to lift the Venus Rosewater Dish was severely tested.
The Australian Open champion struggled badly in the opening set, with Gracheva, representing France for the first time since switching nationality from Russia last month, moving around with ease in the sunshine on Court One.
“It was just crazy, it was super tough and I couldn’t find my rhythm. I was just telling myself to keep fighting, keep trying and just do your best and probably you’re going to win this one,” Sabalenka said in an on-court interview.
Top seed Carlos Alcaraz produced an entertaining mixture of power hitting, fearsome returning and delicate drop shots to beat France’s Alexandre Muller 6-4 7-6(2) 6-3 and reach the third round.
But he made 41 unforced errors and did not have it all his own way against an obstinate opponent, who clearly enjoyed his first outing on the big stage and went toe-to-toe with the Spaniard for much of the match.
The 26-year-old Muller, ranked 84th, has spent most of his professional career on the second-tier challenger circuit. He came up with some delightful shots of his own, particularly on the backhand but, in the end the smiling top seed’s all-round game was just too strong for him. Source: Reuters