[10] Madison Keys (USA) vs. [52] Misaki Doi (JPN)
They traded breaks to open the match as both were equally nervous. Doi has not won a set or a match in her last three tournaments. Keys had left wrist surgery last year and has not played since Charleston earlier this season because of an injury to her left wrist; thus, she was a bit rusty and unsure of her wrist and it showed early when she double faulted a couple of times to lose her first service game. Doi won their first meeting; however, since then she has lost all four subsequent encounters rather easily.
Today’s match could have gone either way because mentally both players were struggling with low confidence. Doi served for the first set at 5-2 and was broken, but managed to serve it out on the second attempt. The knowledge that you have beaten an opponent the last four times you met should have given Keys the confidence to do so again today. After she fought back to win the second side, the momentum should have been on her side; yet, the rust from not playing that much and the recent injury to the wrist that was surgically repaired last season sapped her confidence and she could not sustain the level of play required to beat a dangerous opponent like Doi.
Doi on the other hand, desperately needed a victory to end the drought. She was tired of losing in the first round and was not going to give up without a fight. Perhaps that extra bit of motivation came to her aid at the tail end of the match and she was rewarded for her determination with her first defeat of a top ten player. This 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 victory will do wonders for her shaky confidence going forward.
SOURCE OF IMAGES: Bing search
