On Monday, in the first round of the WTA 250 in Portoroz (Slovenia), Ana Konjuh managed to dominate Donna Vekic after giving up the first seven games (0-6, 6-3, 6-2). Faced with Kristina Mladenovic, the Croatian (82nd world) this time lost the first eight but the comeback never came. The Frenchwoman (68th) won 6-0, 6-4, despite a complicated second half of the second set (two service games lost after breaking).
Impeccable on service (85% from first balls), successful forehand, Mladenovic flew over the first round, also taking advantage of the largesse of his rival, not stingy in unforced errors. But, after leading 6-0, 3-1, she stuck on her commitment. The match was finally balanced. Even at 5-4, serve to follow, the game was not won. But a last game won by attacking gave him victory and a qualification for the quarter-finals.
Already quarter-finalist in Chicago, just before the US Open, Mladenovic will face the winner of the match between Alison Riske and Viktoria Kuzmova on Friday.
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