2024-01-15 12:55:15
Published on January 15, 2024 at 1:55 p.m. – updated on January 15, 2024 at 2:10 p.m.
Caroline Garcia seriously dominated Naomi Osaka (6-4, 7-6) Monday in Melbourne for the Japanese woman’s big comeback at the Australian Open. Particularly impressive on serve, the Frenchwoman will face the Polish Magdalena Frech.
Face a double winner of the tournament for her entry into the running. The task reserved for Caroline Garcia was not obvious, especially since her opponent had nothing to lose. Now a mother, Naomi Osaka (26), absent from the last edition, was in fact making her comeback in Melbourne, with only one tournament in her legs: at the start of the year in Brisbane, where she played her first match since September 2022 and was nevertheless very close to immediately signing a huge feat in the 2nd round against another former world number 1 Karolina Pliskova. “I was so anxious,” the Frenchwoman admitted afterwards. This was not seen. Not only did the 19th in the world tame the Japanese in two sets (6-4, 7-6 in 1h28) on the court of the Rod Laver Arena, but she also had fun like rarely in recent times. Totally liberated, the Lyonnaise had fun in the game, of course, but it was above all on her primary asset, the service, that she made the show. Very impressive in this area against the former boss of the circuit, now 831st in the ranking, Garcia produced a rare copy in women’s tennis, with 13 aces, 89% of points scored behind her first ball and 64% behind her second. The duel between the two champions also turned into a waitress fight, Osaka not being left out with 11 aces to her final tally.
Garcia: “I tried to put a lot of pressure on my serve”
However, not enough to disorient Garcia on Monday who we dream of seeing evolve at this level in every match. “I knew it was going to be a very important point, like being as aggressive as possible. I tried to put a lot of pressure on my serve and I managed to stay solid and be a little more aggressive than her at the end,” the Frenchwoman savored after her victory at the microphone of the tournament announcer while the “Caro, Caro, Caro” fell from the stand in which a colony of French supporters of the former member of the Top 5 (4th) had gathered, imperial in this last tie-break during which she did not let no chance in Osaka. A single match point was enough for the player who reached the round of 16 twice (in 2018 and 2023) to punch her ticket for the next round. The Polish Magdalena Frech, 69th, awaits 19th in the ranking and seed number 16 in Melbourne. If Garcia plays the same tennis as Monday, there should be no match. But be wary, because it is well known: our leader is capable of the best but also the worst. Monday was the best. And we ask for more.
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