Lauren Davis has advanced to the third round of the Australian Open. Her opponent, Magdalena Rybarikova, retired after losing the tiebreak 7-9. After a taxing first round upset of Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in which Davis came back from a set down to win, all the American needed was a set before advancing in the Australian heat.
Davis Comes From A Break Down Before Rybarikova Retires
The American, who tends to struggle on serve because of her miniscule size, clearly showed her problems while serving in her opening service game. She fell behind 30-40 and saved the break point but would surrender the break to the Slovakian as she took the early 1-0 lead. The world number 75 consolidated it beautifully, holding at love for a 2-0 lead.
Davis put herself on the board with a hold of her own at 15. In the sixth game was when Davis her move. The American made life difficult for the Slovakian, battling back from 40-0 down to garner her first break point opportunity. Though she’d squander it, she converted on her second attempt to level the match at three-all. The Slovakian nearly took the lead back with a break point in the seventh game, but Davis consolidated for a 4-3 lead.
Both women would not have any more trouble on serve, and a tiebreaker ensued. The two battled in the tiebreaker before Davis set herself up for two set points up 6-4. She dropped three straight points as it was now the Slovakian’s turn to go up a set.
As always, Davis showed the resiliency she is known for and saved the set point. She went on to win the final two points to take tiebreaker 9-7, and Rybarikova soon retired after that to put the American through to the third round where she’ll face Maria Sharapova.