Alison Riske edges Jelena Ostapenko in three sets for the upset

Alison Riske clenches her fist during a second round match with Jelena Ostapenko at the National Bank Open.  

Alison Riske fought from behind and in the lead to come through at the National Bank Open Wednesday. The American battled Jelena Ostapenko through lead change after lead change until she came through in a 7-6(2), 0-6, 7-5 score on Court One at Sobeys Stadium in Toronto. It marked her first series win against the 16th seed, who had the strength but double faults broke it apart.

The Latvian marked her third win in Toronto after defeating Kalinina for the third time in her career. Cutting the second set short against the Ukrainian gave her enough energy to store for a tough match with the American. Riske went the full length with Petra Kvitova, who has bested Ostapenko five times but didn’t get a chance this time. The 32-year-old earned her right for a third chance against the 16th seed, in hopes of notching a win. Both of their previous battles came on the hard surface, leaving either one open to enter the round of 16.

Ostapenko stumbled on the first two points but found her forehand to record easy winners on Riske and hold. The American didn’t have the best performance on serve but did manage to secure the second game. The Latvian kept her pace in check and made work of the third game before capitalizing on her opponent. Carrying the momentum, the 25-year-old relentlessly found the lines on her returns, earning the break and a 3-1 lead.

Ostapenko suffered a second double fault in her attempt to back up the break. The mistake opened the door for Riske to try and break back, but the 16th seed reeled in the problem. On the second break of deuce, Ostapenko got comfortably into the rally, swung the forehand crosscourt, and awarded herself a three-game streak. The tables turned for the American, who held serve and broke her opponent to love in the seventh to sit a game down.

Riske eyed a chance to level the score, but her 40-0 grip loosened when Ostapenko tallied three return winners to force deuce. She drove herself from being down in the game to conducting the remainder of it for a 5-3 stand. Ostapenko served for the set but notched her third double fault to start. It opened the door for Riske to get out front and break the 16th seed.

Sitting one game from extending the set, the American held her end, only to see Ostapenko take the lead back at 6-5. Riske didn’t let her game come apart and kept the fight on in the 12th, where she successfully held to force a tiebreak. The American opened the scoring with a minibreak before finding herself up 3-0. It was frustrating for the Latvian, who had a lot of work to do, to come back from the deficit.

It was too late for the 16th seed, who fell too far behind, watching the set slip away in 58 minutes in favor of the American. It was a topsy-turvy battle between the two, but at the business end, Riske pulled off the comeback. When the second got underway, Ostapenko was in front again, trying to take charge on the court. She scored the double break on the American, who had some issues with the service.

It was a momentum cruise for the 16th seed, who quickly took a 4-0 lead in hopes that she could lock up a tie. The American threatened in the fifth, but Ostapenko put the brake on her opponent’s effort and held to remain in command. Serving for a shutout, the Latvian committed back-to-back double faults but was then gifted a long return from Riske, ending the set in 25 minutes.

For the first time in the match, Riske held the opening game of the set, hoping to get on the right path. The American defended well to earn a break from the Latvian, who was showing frustration to her support. In the third, she dug in patiently, only to see Riske score two aces in a row. Ostapenko answered with a winner on the first break of deuce, leading to a bad double fault from Riske.

The loss of service for the 32-year-old led to a tie for the Latvian, who didn’t take the fourth game by any ease. The American denied her opponent from getting another one, holding Ostapenko to love in the fifth to regain the lead. The 25-year-old’s shots were going wide during the last few games, leaving her in a vulnerable position. Mistakes from the American made it three-all as neither player had a sense of great control over the other.

Riske held to step out ahead of Ostapenko, who had a mixed bag of shots that included her eighth double fault and a couple of winners. It somehow got her to deuce with Riske, but the effort was long-lasting. The American earned chances to break but couldn’t get over the line. Both players battled through 17 points and six breaks until Ostapenko held to keep on Riske’s tail.

After six holds of serve, the American was back in the lead during the business end of the deciding set. Ostapenko felt the extra pressure as she served to stay in the competition in the 10th. A huge slice of luck in the form of a lob gave Riske the early lead, but Ostapenko’s returns helped her regain patience and the lead back. A third ace from the Latvian put her in reach of game point, which she accomplished on an error from Riske into the net.

The set was going the distance with a five-all situation and Riske back on serve. The American held strong in the 11th, sitting one game from an upset. It was back in the hands of the Latvian, who lost the first pair of points on serve. Riske gave up one, but a ninth double fault brought up match point. A short rally ended with Ostapenko fore handing a shot into the net, bringing an end to a dramatic fight in 2 hours and 20 minutes.