Wuhan Open, China

Women’s Final:  [20] Caroline Garcia (FRA) vs. [37] Ashleigh Barty (AUS)

It was the first meeting between these two opponents and it was a highly intense and competitive match. This was the sixth singles final of Garcia’s career and she was hoping to get her first singles title of the season.  Barty on the other hand was in her third singles final and she as well was hoping to win the match and secure her second singles title of the season.

It was a match dominated by brilliant tennis and nervous errors. The tension was immediately apparent in the Australian as it took her about nine minutes to hold her first service game. Garcia got the break in the fifth game to take the lead. She fought off the challenge from Barty in the eight game by denying her two break points and maintained the break lead until she stepped up to serve for the first set at 5-4. Garcia was so nervous she failed to serve out the first set and Barty was happy for the reprieve; yet, she had a second opportunity to serve out the set after she immediately broke Barty again. However, once again the Frenchwoman was overwhelmed by emotion and she was broken. A tiebreak decided the first set and it went to Barty.

Garcia could have succumbed to the disappointment of losing the set and it seemed that way when she was broken in her first service game of the second set; however, she showed her determination and fought back. In the fourth game she broke the Australian to get back on serve. This set was a replica in reverse of the first set, they traded breaks and Barty served for the match 5-4 up and was broken. She immediately broke back and served for the match a second time at 6-5 up and could not capitalize. The set was decided in a tiebreak just like the first and this time it was heartbreak for Barty.

After losing the set and essentially the match, Barty’s game fell apart. She was no longer making winners; conversely, Garcia relaxed and started attacking more. She played her best set of tennis in the third set and this time she made no mistakes once she got the lead and she served it out with conviction to win 6-7(3), 7-6(4), 6-2.

SOURCE OF IMAGE:  Bing search