Garbine Muguruza gets key win over Petkovic at US Open

Garbine Muguruza clenches her first during her second-round match against Andrea Petkovic at the US Open. 

Garbine Muguruza finally got the best of a tough competitor at the US Open Wednesday. Andrea Petkovic brought a lot of effort on the court against the Spaniard but gave in to a 6-4, 6-2 result on Louis Armstrong Court at the Billy Jean King National Tennis Center. It was the first win for the Spaniard against Petkovic to earn an advance to the third round for the first time since 2017. 

Both players met for the fourth time and first at a grand slam tournament. Though it’s been five years since their last face-off, Muguruza came into the second round with a three-match slide against the German. After putting a lot of effort into defeating Donna Vekic in lengthy straight sets, going against Petkovic wouldn’t be easier. The 33-year-old had to work hard for her win in straight sets against Irina Camelia Begu Monday that placed her in the crosshairs of the former world number one. With this being their fourth meeting on hard courts, a small change could benefit Muguruza and give her much to smile about. 

The Spaniard went on the defensive against Petkovic’s service to force deuce. They went two breaks where Muguruza earned AD points twice for the break and got it done. Her offense struggled in the second, giving the German three breakpoints. She managed to save one, land a forehand winner for another and get to deuce on a forehand error from Petkovic. 

A missed net-front shot from Muguruza nearly cost her but a good handle in the next rally kept it going. Three breaks were played until the ninth seed handled the finish of Petkovic to make it 2-0. A double break on Petkovic put Muguruza in a terrific spot as her heavy hitting of the ball overwhelmed the German. With good momentum, the Spaniard let it slip up and get Petkovic on the board with a break back. 

The 33-year-old backed it up with an important hold to put her a game down of the Spaniard. Muguruza answered her with a win back on serve that put her a game from the set. Petkovic knew that every game from her side of the court was key and made it 5-4 with her efforts. Muguruza earned three set points on errors from Petkovic, who made a push to recover lost ground and forced deuce. Petkovic suffered a bad hit that fell just long of the baseline and another error that handed the Spaniard the first set in 51 minutes. 

Petkovic opened the second set with a highly competitive stance on her end, but couldn’t match the energy that Muguruza contained. They went to deuce, where it was another costly error that the German wore to hand the ninth seed the break. Muguruza built a strong run of wins against Petkovic, who gave all her efforts to try and win in her defeats. Sitting a double break down, the 33-year-old had a shot to break back and clinched the lone win on a long baseline return from Muguruza. 

When it looked as if the ninth seed would breeze by with another break back, she watched the German claw back to force deuce, finding her winning moments. Despite the work put in, it was a forehand into the net that inevitably gave Muguruza the 4-1 stand. In the sixth, the German pushed herself to get a jump on the 27-year-old and wait for the error that gave her another break back. 

Petkovic’s chance for momentum went sour when she committed a critical error that gave Muguruza the penultimate fifth win that set her to serve for the match. The Spaniard grabbed an ace during her service game, gave up a point, and was then gifted a match point on a forced error from the German. Muguruza couldn’t get it over the net, but her last attempt came on a backhand error from Petkovic ending the day in 1 hour and 29 minutes. 

“It was difficult because we are great friends and train a lot together so it’s never easy when you play against someone you know a lot,” said Muguruza after her match. “We played three times before when I was very young and she was definitely way more experienced and I think I took my chance today, prepared better and I’m a different player and happy that I played well.”

She’ll await the winner of the next match between Jasmine Paolini or Victoria Azarenka on Friday.