Caroline Garcia ousts Ana Ivanovic in Stuttgart Open
Caroline Garcia started her Stuttgart Open campaign in style as she accounted for World No. 6 Ana Ivanovic in straight sets 7-6, 6-4. Ivanovic saved two set points when she was 6-5 down in the first set. The Serb had three set points of her own at 6-3 in the tie-breaker, but Garcia won five points in a row to take the opening set.
The Frenchwoman broke Ivanovic’s serve in the third game to go 2-1 up in the second set. After missing a match point at 5-3, Garcia hit an ace to close out the match in 1 hour and 37 minutes. Ivanovic is yet to win a title this year and three of her last four losses have come against Garcia.
"Sometimes you have a series like this. I just kept my tactics. Against her you have to play aggressive and it worked out," the 21-year-old winner, who next plays German wildcard Carina Witthoeft, said.
In other results, Carla Suarez Navarro beat Russian qualifier Evgeniya Rodina 6-2, 6-7 (5-7), 6-4. No. 6 seed Ekatarina Makarova had a comfortable 6-4, 7-6 (7-3) win over American Bethanie Mattek-Sands in the first round.
Garbine Muguriza was too good for Barbora Strycova as she won in straight sets 6-1, 6-4. The 21-year-old will take on Simona Halep in the next round, whom she has defeated in both their previous meetings.
Lucie Safarova beat Kateryna Bondarenko 7-6 (10-8), 6-4 and Madison Brengle won 6-4, 6-4 made it to the next round with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Alberta Brianti.