Garbine Muguruza finished with plenty of strength on Day Three at the Rogers Cup Wednesday. The world number four completed a straight sets victory over Kirsten Flipkens winning 7-5, 6-2 on Centre Court at the Aviva Tennis Centre on the campus of York University. It was her first recorded victory at the tournament and a spot in the round of 16.
The rivalry has been active since last season when both Muguruza and Flipkens won against each other. The difference maker went to the Spaniard who took down the Belgian at Indian Wells earlier this season winning in straight sets. Muguruza hasn’t played in the tournament but was more than ready since her run at Stanford last week. Flipkens got her first round match in but only played a set after Konjuh retired from action. The world number 82 would try to even the series once more against the fourth ranked tennis star while pulling off the upset.
She remained leveled through the first four games with Muguruza maintaining the service holds between them. They got into deuce in the fifth where the Spaniard broke the Belgian creating herself the lead. She kept on it in the sixth opening the gap while Flipkens showed some vulnerabilities. The Belgian struck back slowly but played with Muguruza closing in on the fifth game winner. She felt the nerves running that caused her to commit on double faults and unforced errors letting Flipkens in the set.
The Belgian made her way back to level with the Spaniard creating an extension to the set. Muguruza caught a break to talk with coach Sam Sumyk to help calm down and get back in control. She did exactly that holding Flipkens back in the next two games to take the set outright. After 52 minutes, it was clear that both players struggled on the serve and returns but remained focused on making it a difficult day for one another.
The Belgian put together a confident service hold that set the pressure into Muguruza to match her or better on court. The fourth seed increased her power over the Belgian who struggled to keep the energy and accuracy together. Flipkens found herself in a hole after four with Muguruza looking very much in control on her serve. She couldn’t keep up with the breaks allowing Flipkens to gain some lost ground and return to holding serve for the first time in her last four attempts.
It was a small moment for her as Muguruza took over and increased her margin of victory against the 31 year old. The Belgian tried to get another with the ball in hand but the pressure on deuce became too much. Muguruza’s break winner allowed her a chance to finish things off in the eighth with service in her favor. The world number four reached triple match point playing long ball with Flipkens who faltered on the final return as it landed in the net. It was a perfect way to end the 1 hour and 25 minute bout and a relief to have kept focus to maintain the straight sets win.
“It was tough,” Muguruza said after the match. “Kirsten is such a talented player and I’ve never won a match here so I’m still adapting but I’m happy that I did it. I tried to reduce my mistakes in the first set so I was little bit more lucky there and I wanted it so much.”
She’ll get set for her third round matchup against Elena Vesnina from Russian or Ashleigh Barty from Australia.
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