Fourth seed Kristina Mladenovic faced off against seventh seed Yanina Wickmayer in the only all-seeded quarterfinal match at the Citi Open. Mladenovic was looking to better her previous record here, a quarterfinal finish a couple of years ago. While, Wickmayer who lost to the Frenchwoman recently in Eastbourne, was looking to get the revenge.
In the end, the result went in favor of the Belgian who came back after being a set down. She edged the second set after a close affair converting the only break point in the entire set. Unfortunately for Mladenovic, she suffered an ankle injury in the later stages of the second set and went down an early break in the third. The Frenchwoman continued fighting to get the break but another break allowed Wickmayer to go on and seal a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory.
Mladenovic starts strong and sees it out despite a wobble
Mladenovic got off to a stronger start of the two, breaking in the opening game before consolidating with a love hold. Wickmayer eventually got herself on the scoreboard for 1-2. The Frenchwoman was finding her range and her winner sent the Belgian the other way and got her double break points. Wickmayer managed to save both and dug out another hold to stay in touch for 2-3.
The Belgian though kept up her aggressive hitting and was rewarded with the break of her own aided by errors from Mladenovic. The Frenchwoman immediately stepped it up returning Wickmayer’s serve with authority and mixing it up with slices to draw errors from Wickmayer. It earned her the break once more and she further extended her lead to 5-3 with a comfortable service hold. The Belgian then held serve and tried to put pressure on the Frenchwoman who was serving for the set. However, the fourth seed was able to see it out to take the first set.
One break point, one break enough for Wickmayer
The second set was a much closer affair with both women holding serve without much trouble. Mladenovic, however, did find herself in a spot of bother in the sixth game going down 0-30 but came up with some good serves and shot making to close the game to level 3-3.
Wickmayer seemed to have steadied herself hitting less errors and continued putting scoreboard pressure on the Frenchwoman with her comfortable holds. The pressure eventually got to the fourth seed as the Belgian broke to serve for the set at 5-3.
However, while scrambling for the point in that eighth game, Mladenovic had hurt her ankle and play was stopped while a trainer attended to her. Play resumed and a struggling Mladenovic could not do much as Wickmayer forced a decider.
Mladenovic fights on despite ankle injury but Wickmayer remains focus
The ankle was still giving the Frenchwoman all sorts of a problem as she went down an early break in the decider. However, Mladenovic seemed to have shaken it off momentarily doing well to get herself break back point. The chance though passed as Wickmayer held for 2-0. On serve, the fourth seed struggled once more as her weak second serves were constantly attacked by Wickmayer handing the Belgian a chance to go a double break up. Mladenovic snuffed out the chance before closing out for 1-2. She then had a medical time out to get some strapping on the ankle.
At the resumption, Wickmayer was pushed to deuce a few times by Mladenovic who was still giving it her all. A break point came and went though as the Belgian eventually held for a 3-1 lead. Mladenovic was coming up with good shots and Wickmayer faltered handing the break back to the Frenchwoman who leveled 3-3.
Her effort to find the break back doesn’t last long as the Belgian thrived on the errors to break for a 4-3 lead. As she consolidated for 5-3, Mladenovic hung on to make Wickmayer serve for the match. And there were no more twists left as the Belgian went on to complete the comeback victory.