The 29-year-old Golubic won the first set with her third break after losing a 3-0 lead. In the second round she lost her serve to 4: 6, in the third to 0: 2 and 1: 3. With a score of 2: 4, they missed three chances to breakthrough in service, and Vondrousova’s last service game was also fiercely contested. Golubic fended off two match points before she couldn’t use a break ball. Two points later, after two hours and 29 minutes, the game was over. The Swiss lost for the second time in a row against the Czech, who now leads 2-1 head-to-head.
Despite the defeat, Golubic can start the first Grand Slam tournament of the season with some confidence in Melbourne next week. Last week in Melbourne she failed in the quarter-finals in three sets against the former world number one Simona Halep.
Jil Teichmann (WTA 37), seeded as number 7, will start against the American Lauren Davis (WTA 95), who survived the qualification, in Adelaide. The two are playing against each other for the first time.
