Garbine Muguruza had another fine day of tennis to move on at the US Open Friday. The third seed handled Magdalena Rybarikova in straight sets winning 6-1, 6-1 on Louis Armstrong Stadium at the Billy Jean King National Tennis Center. The run she was on got her into the round of 16 with a chance to enter the second week.
The two have met five times with the Spaniard breaking the tie between them back at Wimbledon in the semifinals that set her up for greatness. The 23-year-old won in straight sets against the Slovakian and her second time doing so in their series. Muguruza set a personal best at the Open after taking down Ying Ying Duan in the second round. It was the first time she surpassed the second round making it another step in the right direction for the world number three. Neither player had dropped a set and would both be at each other’s necks to get the same result.
Muguruza didn’t want to be on a pace with Rybarikova and broke the Slovakian right away to begin the set. It was a statement that consolidated into her own service hold in the second and much more. She attacked the serve of the 31st seed for a double break and continued beating down the return game of Rybarikova who still had very little to answer the third seed. It wasn’t until the fifth that the 28-year-old held her own to get a win under her belt but a long way to leveling back with Muguruza.
It became a large 5-1 hold of the third seed as she returned the game to Rybarikova who was under pressure to stay alive in the seventh. Muguruza forced the Slovakian into a tough spot where she gained the lead and took the break to complete the set in 27 minutes. Muguruza looked to be in total control with a 63 percent serve and a second serve that played the perfect support system to her victory.
The second began with a long game between the two with Muguruza dealing with the challenges of Rybarikova. After five breaks and nine minutes elapsed, the Slovakian won as small errors from Muguruza allowed the set to begin differently. Muguruza’s aggression got out of hand early but reeled herself into level the score with a break in the second. She made the third very difficult for Rybarikova getting pushed to one far end before setting up the winners away from her.
The Slovakian started to come back with a double fault from Muguruza followed by an answer near the net that gave her another break point saved. She couldn’t pull all the way in as the third seed slammed the door shut with game point that put her in the lead. She took two more from the 31st seed that clearly got her back into her comfort zone that was essential to finishing out the match.
Rybarikova found herself in a spot again where she had to regain lost ground and save break points. She converted two but an unforced error gave Muguruza the victory and a chance to serve for the match. She put together beautiful shots that Rybarikova had no chance of returning and won it on a serve that came back wide ending 61 minutes of play.
“The last time we played was in the semifinals at Wimbledon so I knew I had a tough match, so I was very motivated,” Muguruza said to Andrew Krasny after the match. “I was expected some moment that she would play very good so I kept calm and fought.”
She’ll game plan for Sunday when she’ll face Petra Kvitova where her skills would be tested to its highest degree.
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