An extensive rain delay and a desperate opponent were not enough for history to repeat itself for Eugenie Bouchard at Wimbledon. The 2014 runner-up claimed a straight sets victory over Magdalena Rybarikova that took two days to complete on two different courts. The match started on Tuesday and finished on Wednesday night, with the Canadian avoiding a second straight first round exit in London with a 6-3, 6-4 win.
Bouchard battles back for opening set
Bouchard was under pressure right from the off, facing double break point in the first game of the match. Rybarikova would rip a forehand winner on the second to break to start the match. But it was short lived as the Canadian raced ahead 0-40 in the following game and was gifted a double fault to put the match back on serve. After Bouchard held, she brought up a break point in her next return game and converted when Rybarikova mishit a forehand.
The Canadian continued to pile the pressure on her opponent, holding a break point in the sixth game for a double break lead but this time, she hit a forehand wide. Rybarikova would hold, her first hold of the match. Still, she was unable to get a foot into Bouchard’s service games as the Canadian followed it up with a hold to love. Two games later, she would serve out the set to love.
Rain can’t stop Bouchard from claiming victory
The former Wimbledon finalist picked up where she left off to start the second, reaching break point in the opening game, although Rybarikova would save it with a serve-and-volley. While she was unable to break on that occasion, she kept pressure and reached break point again in the following game at 40-AD. The tennis gods were on her side, as her return of serve caught the net cord and died on the opposite side of the net for a winner to give Bouchard the break and a 2-1 lead.
After scoring the break, the rain came pouring down. Rybarikova, who seemed to be struggling with a leg injury, was quick to demand a stoppage, which the umpire granted. The pair would not return to the court until Wednesday evening when the pair were squished onto Centre Court after the regularly scheduled matches were completed.
When they finally returned to the court, Rybarikova tried to take immediate advantage of the rest by battling to break point in the first game. But Bouchard shook off the rust immediately, reeling off three straight winners to hold. The Canadian turned around and broke in the following game to claim a double break lead. Rybarikova, clearly feeling better, was not deterred and reclaimed the break immediately in the following game and held to close the gap to one game at 3-4. Bouchard was forced to save another break point in the next game before holding for 5-3.
After the Slovak held to make the former runner-up serve for it, Bouchard found herself under pressure in the final game. Rybarikova would race ahead 15-40 and held two more break points at 40-AD but could not convert any over her break points. When Bouchard finally reached match point, she would only need the one as she sealed the victory with a volley winner.
By the numbers
A high first serve percent was key for Bouchard, while she struggled on her second serve, only winning seven of those points, she got 75 percent of her first serves in and won 69 percent of those points. She was clutch on break points, saving eight of ten against her own serve while converting four of her seven. She also won 49 percent of Rybarikova’s service points. Bouchard had more than twice as many winners as her opponent, 26 to 12, while only committing one fewer unforced error, 20 to 21.
Bouchard will turn around and return to Centre Court tomorrow when she takes on Johanna Konta.