Second seeds Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic went up against the wildcards Simona Halep and Monica Niculescu in the quarterfinals at Coupe Rogers. With no seeds left in their half of the draw, it was looking good for the French pair. Halep having won her singles match earlier was on a quest to make the semifinals in the doubles as well.
It was a match full of chances with the Romanians seizing the lead and taking the first set. The French duo just about managed to fight back to force the super tiebreak. In the tiebreak, the second seeds had a commanding 7-4 lead but let it slip as the Romanians edged out 6-4, 3-6, 10-8 to advance to the semifinals.
Topsy turvy set before Romanians edged it
It was the French duo who started off the match and they looked to be in immediate danger as they went down 0-30. Garcia with some big serves served her way out of trouble. The first opportunity of the match fell to the French pair as the Romanians with Niculescu serving made some errors going down 0-40. Mladenovic handled the Halep lob well before Garcia finished off with a volley the middle for a 3-1 lead.
However, the Romanians had a chance to break right back with four break points and they eventually converted their third attempt with Halep putting the shot away to get back on serve for 2-3. Mladenovic dug out an impressive shot as they tried to put pressure on the Halep serve. However, the Romanians clawed back from 0-30 to level the set 3-3.
The match was turning into a break fest as despite saving three of the break points, Mladenovic could not save a fourth deciding point as the Romanians took the lead for the first time in the match for 4-3. The eighth game had everything from net exchanges to defensive lobs to smashes and Niculescu who had served them a 40-0 lead was pegged back to 40-40. Mladenovic tried to intercept at the net but failed as the Romanians survived to consolidate for a 5-3 lead. The French pair held their game to make the wildcards serve for the set which they did to take the first set.
French duo fights back
Both pairs held serve with relative ease at the start of the second set for 1-1. The Mladenovic serve was put under a bit of pressure and a return winner from Niculescu brought up deciding point. The French pair once again lost out as the Romanian drew first blood for a 2-1 lead. However, the Romanians couldn’t extend the lead and this time, the French pair won the deciding point as Niculescu fired wide to level for 2-2.
Garcia fired some big serves to race to a 3-2 lead and it was now the Romanians playing catch up. Halep who had yet to drop serve was threatened this time and the French posted their authority at the net at deciding point to break for a 4-2 lead. They let the control slip up a bit though as the Romanians conjured up a double break point on the Mladenovic serve. The first chance was snuffed out well but on the second, Halep fired a fierce shot that neither could reach to find the break back for the Romanians.
Niculescu who was serving to level the set looked shaky and handed the French duo four opportunities to get the break back. However, as three of them went past, the Romanians looked to survive. Mladenovic eventually put the smash away to pull away for 5-3. Halep carved out a couple of break point with some great play as the French looked to serve it out. Mladenovic saved both with volley winners to close out the set for the French.
Tiebreak horror for French pair and delight for Romanians
Mladenovic first to lose the point for the serving team but regrouped back to level 2-2. As the points went on serve, Mladenovic with a magnificent volley gave the French a 5-3 lead and they went on to further stretch it to 6-3. Niculescu’s return rescued one point back for the Romanian for 4-6 but Garcia with another solid serve extended the second seed’s lead to 7-4.
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The Romanians won the next two points on serve to put pressure on the French and it worked as they leveled for 7-7. Mladenovic, however, hit her first double fault of the match giving the Romanians the advantage and an 8-7 lead. She redeemed herself immediately applying the finish at the net to get back to 8-8 but followed up with an error to hand match point to the Romanians. And on the Garcia second serve, Niculescu whipped up a down the line return winner to seal the match in sensational style.