Alize Cornet had good moments on court at the Miami Open but not enough to contain the end result Thursday. Latvia’s Anastasija Sevastova focused during the key stages of the match to counteract her opponent winning 7-5, 6-4 on Court Nine at Crandon Park Tennis Center. The win marked her first victory in the ladies’ main draw with a shot at progressing further.
The Latvian held the series lead through their last three meetings that occurred more than 7 years ago. While the Frenchwoman was very much into her career, the then 21-year-old found ways of beating her twice in Monterrey. With her own game becoming better over the last couple of years, she was more than capable of competing but had not yet won a first round in the main draw. Cornet’s year has not started well needing the one chance to make her presence known and take control with strength.
She started with a break of Cornet in the first forcing deuce where it did not take more than a break to get out front. The Latvian took a 2-0 lead gaining a footing on her own game that sent Cornet everywhere. It soon led to the double break as her variety of offense beat down Cornet. The fourth was the positive change Cornet needed as she frustrated her opponent to earn the break and end Sevastova’s winning streak. In a show of anger, the Latvian slammed down her rack and proceeded to trek onward with her goal.
Cornet used similar strategy to etch out another game holding serve for the first time. It was the beginning of the race to the set as the 28-year-old gained her footing in the sixth to lead by a pair. Cornet followed suit to stay on serve before the Latvian opened the door for a comeback. During the eighth game and up 4-3, Sevastova double faulted struggling on the second serve. Her inability to hold back the mistakes led Cornet to level the score with a shot of turning the set to go her way.
Cornet lost control of her serve allowing Sevastova to conduct a hold that got her back on track with a chance to end the set herself. Cornet had other ideas as she put together a good fight to secure break points and dictate the game to end her way sending the set further on. With the lead becoming very important to both players, the 11th game was tight with the Latvian wanting to break Cornet at all costs resuming her leverage.
She did it on deuce winning the second break of the game to serve for another try at the set. The world number 17 conducted a 40-0 run before handing Cornet a point before closing it out in 55 minutes. While neither did great on serve, the difference was in Sevastova’s as she managed to win key break points and stronger return game. Cornet’s coach came out during the set break to get her focused and ready to counteract her opponent in the second.
Cornet instead found herself a break down after the third but held off from going down two games breaking Sevastova. She then took point in the fifth leading the 28-year-old to match that of Cornet’s victory on serve. The Latvian did so holding her own in the sixth that set the pace for service holds to continue. They went to eight still deadlocked before Sevastova once again made her move to jump out front. The break she earned in the ninth had her on the edge of completing the match with Cornet under pressure. She put a good finish together while playing the serve of Cornet to win the match in 1 hour and 39 minutes.
Sevastova carried her second serve well landing 8 of 11 on the second serve but the overall key of breaking the French star has her moving into the third round facing the winner of Victoria Azarenka and Madison Keys on Saturday.
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