Rabat finalist Grabher safe in second round of Paris

2023-05-30 15:51:50

After a smooth first round success, Julia Grabher is in the second round of the French Open for the first time and thus also in a tennis major tournament. The 26-year-old from Vorarlberg, who was last in Rabat in her first WTA Tour final, finished off Arantxa Rus from the Netherlands on Tuesday following 85 minutes with 6:2,6:3. She thus secured a duel with last year’s finalist and number six of the tournament, Coco Gauff (USA). This will take place on Thursday.

“Of course I’m super happy with my first victory in a Grand Slam,” said Grabher. This didn’t happen overnight. “There’s years of work behind it. I’ve been in very good shape over the past few weeks and have gained self-confidence.”

Precisely because of this strengthened self-confidence from what was by far the best year so far and the advance to place 61, Grabher was the boss on court 12 from the start. And that despite the fact that they went into the duel with the world number 87 with a 0:3 record. had gone. She had not won a set so far, but this time she turned the tables in front of her coach Günter Bresnik. No wonder, however, because Grabher has matured into a completely different player since the last duel in 2021.

After three breaks en suite, Grabher made it 5-0 in just 23 minutes. She missed the first set ball to make it 6:0 and had to give up the serve. To make it 6:2, however, the Dornbirner served out. In the second set it was balanced up to 3:3, when Grabher managed the break to 4:3 it was the preliminary decision. She confirmed the break and following 1:25 hours took her opponent’s serve once more to make it 6:3. If there was anything to complain regarding, it was her serve. She only had to give it up once, but nine double faults are too many. “I can serve much better,” said Grabher.

She was nervous at first. “I started well, that’s why it went away straight away. I then played it home confidently,” Grabher looked back. The victory brings the ÖTV actor, who by the way does not yet have a manager, a gross prize money of 97,000 euros and in the live ranking she improves by another six places to position 55. Now it is once morest Gauff. Grabher has never played once morest the 19-year-old American on the WTA tour. However, she suffered a 6-1, 3-6 smack at the Billie Jean King Cup in Delray Beach just under six weeks ago.

“I know Coco, played once morest her a few weeks ago. It was on hard court though and I know what’s coming, but I’m in good shape too and I’m really looking forward to the task.” At least on sand, she doesn’t have to be afraid of number six in the world. This is also shown by a look at the narrow 5:7.6:4.6:7(2) defeat once morest Daria Kasatkina in the third round of Rome almost two weeks ago. The Russian is ninth in the WTA ranking.

Her recipe once morest Gauff: “It will be important that I serve well. I can’t make double mistakes like today, but need a good percentage on the first serve. She serves very well, so you don’t always get a chance of a break. “

Gauff is not untouchable either, as a set loss in 3:6.6:1.6:2 once morest Rebeka Masarova (ESP) shows. “I had a good match in the BJK Cup and obviously their style of play is better on clay so the next match will be difficult,” said Gauff. “I’ll have to hit a lot of balls. She has a great forehand and I’ll have to deal with that. I also saw her match once morest Kasatkina in Rome and I expect a lot of rallies.”

Grabher is in the second French Open round following Dominic Thiem and Jurij Rodionov were eliminated, as is Sebastian Ofner. On Wednesday (11.00 a.m. / live ServusTV) for the Styrian it is regarding his second, third major round following Wimbledon 2017. He meets the US-American Sebastian Korda, number 24.

With a win, Ofner might increase his Paris prize money from 97,000 to 142,000 euros. But it would be much more important for him to achieve his long-term goal for the first time: Ofner would be in the top 100 players for the first time if he defeated Korda.

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