Monica Puig had a tough first rounder against an older foe but came out of it to advance forward at the Mexican Open Tuesday. The 2016 Olympic gold medalist had a fight on her hands against Italy’s Francesca Schiavone coming out with a 6-4, 7-6(4) straight sets win on Cancha Central at the Acapulco Princess Hotel.
Four years surpassed since the players met with Puig easily downing the Italian in straight sets. The Puerto Rican continues to ride on her gold medal win in Rio last year becoming a heavy competitor for just about anyone she faces. The 23-year-old has managed to make it far in tournaments despite losing to big names deep in them. She carried a heavy advantage going into the Mexican Open and would hope to continue her success in the opening round.
Puig led the way into the opening set gaining a lead on the Italian to dictate on her terms. Schiavone struck back to get on the board and made her stance to stay within reach of the world number 23. On serve in the seventh, the Italian held serve at an important point putting her a game down of Puig wanting to get the break to get even. She was denied the pleasure as Puig held firm in the eighth serving for the set.
Schiavone showed signs of defense attempting to stay in the set for as long as her game would allow. The hold of serve she put together in the ninth increased the pressure early for Puig who had to be strong in the tenth if she wanted to end the first with a grip in the match overall. The Italian wouldn’t let that occur easily as she defended her way through rallies that forced deuce. Though it took some effort, Puig got out of a jam through two breaks to win the set 6-4 in 50 minutes. The Puerto Rican was serving better than her counterpart whose percentage was below 40 percent. The returns were the downside to the Italian who dealt with Puig’s well rounded points winners on her serves.
In a need for a fighting chance, Schiavone fired away to start the second with a strong serve. Puig got on the board in the second but the continuance of service remained with the Italian dictating forward. The fourth saw Puig give a huge response that she was not only gonna be tough on serve but wanted to be the frontrunner of the set. In the fifth on the break, she proved with that with her powerful shot that got the best of Schiavone who lost control.
Struggling to convert the returns to Puig, the 36-year-old couldn’t get the job done in the sixth going down another game. Schiavone wasn’t throwing in the towel against all odds as she rallied forward to hold serve once more, trying to change the pace by any means. Adding speed to her returning on Puig’s shots, the veteran found a way to redirect the ball and get out front. The response didn’t last long as the Olympic gold medalist forced deuce not ready to give in. Puig quickly gained the advantage getting lucky with a shot landing outside that wasn’t noticed by the Italian or officials.
With the set at 5-3 for Puig, the Italian needed something big to come from her final chance at staying in the set. She started things off with an ace down the line followed by a winner going up 30-0. Unforced errors erased her margin briefly but somehow came through victorious with her opponent creating errors of her own. It continued at the wrong time that led to Schiavone pulling off a serious comeback that pushed the set forward and opened a chance for the Italian to force a third. She had Puig on the edge taking a 6-5 hold where gaining a full comeback would be on whether she could continue striking at the weakness of the 23-year-old.
She didn’t have any in the 12th pushing her way to leveling the set at its final point before a tiebreak would truly determine whether the set would come to a close or a finish. The Puerto Rican stayed out front of the Italian gaining two match points in the break before the 23-year-old after 1 hour and 45 minutes.
While most first round matches are tricky, Puig would no doubt put in a stronger stance against Daniela Hantuchova in the round of 16.
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