Radwanska Wins Opening Round Match at 2017 US Open
FLUSHING MEADOWS, N.Y. – Despite dropping out of the WTA Tour Top 10 for the first time since October 2015, Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska advance to the second round of the 2017 US Open Tennis Championships with 6-4, 7-6 (3) first round win over surging Croatian Petra Matric in one hour and 33 minutes.
The 26-year-old Martic, who rose an impressive 577 spots in the rankings since returning from injury in April after reaching the fourth rounds at both Roland Garros and Wimbledon, broke the former Wimbledon finalist to open up the match.
Martic looked to be heading towards another impressive major singles match result, backed by winning 14 of 21 net approaches. However, despite much early success at the net and to break points in the fifth game of the match, Martic was unable to capitalize on her early momentum.
The No. 10-seeded Radwanska used her traditional drop shots and consistency at the baseline to get back in the match and take a 5-2 lead, before closing out the opening set 6-4.
The 29-year-old and winner of the 2016 U.S Open Series took her level a play up a notch in the second set, dropping just two points during her first three service games.
Both players were crafty in their own ways, Radwanska with her perfectly placed dropped shots and volley winners, while Martic began finding success again at the net.
With a chance to serve out the match, Radwanska was broken by Martic with a huge forehand winner to move the second set to a tiebreaker.
In the tiebreaker, the Pole rushed ahead 5-1 and never looked back, winning 7-3.
Radwanska fired up sevn aces compared to just two for Martic, helping her win 73 percent of her first serve points. The former World no. 2 also converted four of none break point chances.
Radwanska, who was voted the WTA Tour Fan Favorite Singles Player of the Year in 2016, next faces Yulia Putintseva, who won her opening round match in straight sets over Sofya Zhuk of Russia.
