Eugenie Bouchard racked up numerous unforced errors that was the demise of another early ending at the Monterrey Open’ Monday. The problems allowed Spain’s Sara Sorribes-Tormo
to finish strong in a 7-6(8), 6-3 victory on center court at the Sierra Madre Tennis Club.
Neither have met one another before to set up both on an even keel to begin the new tournament. Both made their debut at the tennis club with the readiness to start things off right. The Canadian needed it more than ever as she carried a five-match losing streak dating back to the third round of the Australian Open. With very little improvements since, she’ll hope to take care of her Spanish opponent and be the one to dictate. Sorribes-Tormo didn’t make it into the main draw at Miami but her efforts have been on and off with the hope that she can find a way to take down one of the sports popular players on the tour.
She found herself deep in a whole as Bouchard was showing comfort on court during her opening serve. The Canadian went on to consolidate the win with a break followed by a second service hold. It was in the fourth that Sorribes-Tormo got on the board with a heavy battle that produced her first hold on serve. The early confidence made it a game for her as she added another victory on break sitting a game down on Bouchard.
In a complete comeback, Sorribes-Tormo leveled with the 23-year-old with a hold that had her on a three-game winning streak with plenty to be pleased about on her contestive run. The holds of serve were becoming essential and beneficial to Bouchard who won the seventh to regain control with two left to capture the set. The need for a key break wasn’t going to come easy for her against the Spaniard who was slowly showing some fight in her serve that put her level through 8.
It was projecting to be a fight to the finish with the lead in contention in the ninth where the 20-year-old challenged the Canadian. Bouchard got out of trouble and held her end but with the chance to play for the set, the world number 56 had to work defensively for success. She couldn’t keep the Spanish youth down as Sorribes-Tormo pushed the set forward with an answer on serve that had Bouchard in a state of concern.
She made good on her serve in the 11th but stopping the young Spanish player was the biggest task in the 12th as she took it to Bouchard. The final rally came in a baseline drama where the ball got so close to the line that it would end. Bouchard put a little too much power on the ball that saw the ball drop long of the baseline sending things to a tiebreaker. It was a 2-2 tie before errors handed Sorribes-Tormo a grip. She took the next two that completely incensed the Canadian who slammed her racket before smashing it bent.
After receiving a warning and getting a new racket, the 23-year-old turn things around trimming the gap to a point in hopes of getting back out front. Bouchard managed to reach a tie at six all but the Spaniard still had the first set ahead. They continued reaching a stalemate leaving it anyone’s to win. In another key mistake to open the door, it was the 20-year taking the steps that led to her winning the break 8-7 in 1 hour and 25 minutes. As Bouchard made her way back to the bench, she let loose on her racket smashing it to non-use that earned her a point penalty to begin the second set. The unforced errors were the major key to her defeat in the set racking up nearly 40 of them which was a season high for her.
She ended up losing the game but returned to play on as best as she could. Through the first three games, Sorribes-Tormo had control of the set and never let go of it climbing slowly while maintaining a strong force that kept the Canadian dormant. By the seventh game, the 20-year-old got to 5-2 on a strong hold that set her up with the chance to win it all on the break. Bouchard responded in a way that was very uplifting for one in her position to be able to produce wins despite struggling throughout.
She won a third game in the eighth but she remained on the edge as Sorribes-Tormo was back with the ball in hand to serve for the match. Recovering from 0-30 down, the world number 98 reached match point on a third consecutive unforced error by Bouchard. She nearly had it on a shot that hit the net but the ball decided to make its way back over the Spaniard’s way to drop fast and force things to deuce. It lasted just a couple of breaks, but the victory came in the form of another unforced error ending the bout in 2 hours and 13 minutes.
Despite all the fight that Bouchard put into staying in the match, her problems overwhelmed her from making that possible. In total, the Canadian had a high 46 unforced errors and a low return percentage. The Spaniard’s fight from an early whole to finishing strong gave her much to be proud of and a relief to change her game in an instant. “My coach said ‘I told you what to do ten minutes ago and you’re not doing it’ and he was right,” she said during her on court interview. “I started playing better and I was a bit lackluster and looking for one in the next round.”
She’ll await the winner between fellow Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro and Dutch star Alison van Uytvanck on Wednesday.
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