Tennis – United Cup: Caroline Garcia “very happy” with her start to the season and already focused on the Australian Open

Caroline Garcia, 4th in the world, started the 2023 season with two United Cup victories on the heels of her title at the Masters in November and says “very happy“despite the elimination of France from the group stage of this new competition by mixed national teams.

“I knew that playing the United Cup I would play at least two matches and at the start of the season it is important to play as many matches as possible. I am very happy with my first two victories“, she said on Tuesday after beating Croatian Petra Martic (38th) 7-6 (11/9), 6-4.

For her resumption match, she had clearly dominated Argentina Nadia Podoroska (196th) 6-2, 6-0. The French n°1 in particular appreciated both the calm and the aggressiveness which she was able to show against Martic.

“I expected a big battle. We faced each other several times in 2022 and each time it was a battle of services and aggression. The intensity of the tie break was very high, with an incredible scenario, and I’m happy that I managed to stay calm, to focus on point after point despite some avoidable unforced errors.“, she analyzed.

In this decisive game indeed, Garcia saved a set point and pocketed the sleeve on his fifth set point. Thereafter, she managed the break to lead 2-1 and was no longer worried. Despite this victory, France were eliminated from the United Cup after losing 3-2 against Croatia.

“I will be able to work for the two weeks that separate us from the start of the Australian Open“, underlined the 29-year-old player. The first lifting of the Grand Slam 2023 begins on January 16 in Melbourne. She will try to do better there than the semi-final played in the last Major of last year, at the US Open where she was petrified by the challenge for her first appearance in the last four of a Grand Slam tournament.