Tuesday 18 January 2022

2022 AO 1R - Muguruza d Burel

Clara Burel (France) v Garbiñe Muguruza (3) (Spain)

First match on Rod Laver Arena on Day 2 of the 2022 AO featured 2020 finalist and number three seed Garbiñe Muguruza against young French player Clara Burel, who had only made the main draw twice before, losing in the first round both times.
These two hadn’t met in a tour match before.

Burel served first, and began with an ace. Muguruza took it to deuce, but Burel held on. Things were level after a love game from the third seed.
Muguruza broke to love in the fifth game, complete with overhead and backhand volley winners. 3-2.
Careless ground strokes led to Muguruza facing break points in the following game. She saved one, but Burel, with a backhand passing shot converted the second to level at 3-3.

Burel gifted another break to Muguruza with three double faults. 4-3.
At 3-5, Burel delivered two more double faults, was broken to love, and Muguruza took the set 6-3.

Burel saved three break points in the second game of set two. 1-1.
Muguruza set up a break point in the fourth game with a brilliant backhand volley, and finished the job with excellent net play. 3-1.
The third seed saved two break points in the seventh game with attacking forehands, and led 5-2.

A double fault and errors from Burel, and match point for Muguruza. Saved with a backhand cross court winner. 
A second match point was saved when Muguruza hit the net.
A double fault created a third match point. Also saved. Serve held, and Muguruza would serve for the match.

Muguruza survived two double faults and one break point, but from deuce Burel hit two forehand winners to achieve the break and trail 4-5.

Burel served again to stay alive. Backhand and forehand winners from Muguruza had Burel down 0-30. A backhand from Burel landed long and three more match points arrived.
One was saved, but not the second, and Muguruza won 6-3 6-4.

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