Unewfound confidence as the US Open approaches. Driven by an irresistible momentum, Caroline Garcia achieved the greatest feat of her career in Cincinnati, becoming the first player to win a WTA 1000 from qualifying, at the expense of Petra Kvitova, Sunday August 21 in the final. The Frenchwoman, 35e world, not intimidated by the challenge, initially left no chance to the Czech (28e) before remaining solid until the end, winning 6-2, 6-4 in 1h 36.
At the age of 28, she offers herself a third title in the category event just below the Grand Slams, after her triumphs in Wuhan and Beijing in 2017. In the process, she reached the semi-finals of the Masters in Singapore, during of the end of the season, certainly less difficult to grasp than preparation for the US Open.
“What an incredible week! It’s hard to believe that I’m there in front of you “lifting the trophy, reacted with a smile Sweet Caroline, as Neil Diamond sang in one of his hits. This tenth title in total is also her third in two months, after those gleaned on the grass of Bad Homburg and the clay courts of Warsaw, where she had in passing the scalp of the world number one, Iga Swiatek.
27 wins since June
Kvitova, double winner of Wimbledon (2011, 2014), however had for her the experience of major events since she was playing her 12e final of a WTA 1000 (8 wins), the 40e all categories combined (29 successes). But eight days before the US Open (August 29-September 11), Caroline Garcia has indeed confirmed that she is the fittest player of the summer, since she has now accumulated 27 victories since the month of June. Nobody is currently doing better on the circuit.
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The Frenchwoman, who successively dismissed three players from the top 10 in Ohio, Maria Sakkari (3e), Jessica Pegula (8e) and Aryna Sabalenka (7).e), stayed true to her cutting edge style. “Above all, it was about managing the emotion and playing very aggressively, so I knew I would have a chance, because Petra is a great champion,” she told Tennis Channel.
The former world number two, whose qualities in defense and against are proven, did not indeed have a respondent. Caroline Garcia, who now has four wins in their nine confrontations, attacked very hard, breaking twice from the start (4-0), under a threatening sky. The day before, two interruptions by rain of 2:30 and 1:30 had greatly disrupted his semi-final against Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka. In total confidence, she kept this advantage by relying on a solid serve to win the first set.
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A nice shot to play at the US Open
In the aftermath, the Frenchwoman tightened the noose again by returning long and pushing Kvitova to chain unforced errors. Led 2-0, the Czech, who seemed to be dragging her leg, requested medical time to treat her left knee. Back on the court, she demonstrated her pugnacity, creating a break point, her fifth of the match, in vain.
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Three others showed up, but Garcia was able to serve well (11 aces) and defend during a long rally (4-2). Kvitova’s scream of rage did nothing, she fell on stronger, her rival remaining solid on her commitment to finish the job. The Frenchwoman never trembled. Except by understanding, hands in the face and knees on the ground, its accomplishment. With this convincing performance, Garcia, who is restoring some color to tricolor tennis, can hope to play spoilsport at the US Open, where she has never been able to do better than a 3e tour.
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She will approach the fourth round of the grand slam in the shoes of a seed, since she will be 17e from Monday in the WTA rankings. Just like Kvitova, who has never spent quarters at Flushing Meadows. In a context where the world number one Iga Swiatek seems to be marking time, after a dizzying spring (37 victories in a row, titled in Doha, Indian Wells, Miami, Stuttgart, Rome and Roland-Garros), they have a good shot at to play.
