Defending champion:
Petra Kvitová (10) who defeated Kiki Bertens 7-6(6) 4-6 6-3
Second round:
- Ashleigh Barty (9) v Danielle Collins
This was the first time the pair had met, and the American needed to stop a nine match winning streak that Barty was enjoying.
The Australian served first with a love game - an ace, an overhead forcing an error, a Collins return error, and a forehand winner. Collins was convincing in response, two backhand winners and an ace highlighting her service hold. A second love game from the Australian featured a pair of forehand winners, and an ace. The standard of the match this early was extraordinary. Collins continued the trend with a forehand winner, but a double fault (her second) began a troubling run. A forehand hit the net, and at 30-30, another double fault emerged, giving Barty break point. A long forehand off the Collins racquet presented the game to Barty who led 3-1.
Errors were still flowing from Collins and helped Barty to 40-15. Serve was held when an American backhand missed by a lot. 4-1.
The pair exchanged unforced errors, leaving Collins down 15-30. A forehand winner brought it back to 30-30. A wild backhand and break point for Barty. A short sliced return caught Collins napping and her attempt could only land out of court. Barty would serve for the set at 5-1.
A double fault and netted forehand had the Australian in trouble on serve for the first time. American mistakes assisted in levelling at 30-30, but excellent net play by Collins, ending with a backhand volley winner, produced a break point. A second serve winner saved it. Two set points were saved before Barty’s forehand was too much and she took the set 6-1.
Set two began like the the first, with the opening three games easily going to serve and Collins ahead 2-1. In game four, as was the case when serving for the first set, Barty found herself down 0-30. The backhand was to blame on each occasion. A big serve and a stunning overhead brought it back to 30-30. A forehand return winner from Collins was rewarded with break point, and a Barty forehand error confirmed a break and a 3-1 advantage.
The break was consolidated easily, the American forehand on fire. 4-1.
Barty, now being outplayed by Collins, trailed 15-40 following forced and unforced errors. A double fault gave the game to Collins who led 5-1 and would serve to square the match.
After losing the opening point, Collins cruised to the game and set, thanks in large part to Australian mistakes. 6-1, and a 100% reversal of how set one behaved.
After losing five games straight, Barty lost the first point of the deciding set when Collins sent a return forehand past the ninth seed. Barty steadied with an amazing angled forehand winner. Collins finished a great rally with a forehand down the line, but Barty held serve, sealing things with a drop shot from the top shelf. Barty had rediscovered her opening set form, gathering three set points, helped by a powerful off forehand winner. One was saved by a smashing Collins forehand, another by a series of big forehands forcing Barty into error. In the end it was a cleverly executed backhand drop shot return that surprised everyone and broke Collins. 2-0 Barty.
After consolidating the break, despite a double fault, Barty had a break point on the Collins serve. It was saved, and in a game which saw the American waste three game points, serve was ultimately held. Barty led 3-1.
At 1-4, Collins introduced two unforced errors, before cracking a backhand cross court winner. A netted forehand brought up two break points. One was saved by a magical forehand winner. The next forehand, though, was way out and Barty led 5-1 with serve to come for the match.
A double fault for 15-15. Collins was too slow to reach a drop shot effectively, and then an ace presented Barty with two match points. One disappeared after a forehand was pushed wide, but an off forehand winner concluded the match.
Ashleigh Barty defeated Danielle Collins 6-1 1-6 6-1.
- Belinda Bencic defeated wildcard Sveta Kuznetsova 7-6(4) 2-6 6-3
- Viktoria Kuzmova defeated Carla Suárez Navarro 6-4 7-6(2)
- Yulia Putintseva defeated Pauline Parmentier 6-4 4-6 6-3
- Sloane Stephens (8) defeated Victoria Azarenka 6-4 2-6 6-2
- Kiki Bertens (7) defeated Jelena Ostapenko 6-4 6-3
- Anastasija Sevastova (12) defeated Mihaela Buzărnescu 6-3 6-4
- Petra Kvitová (2) defeated qualifier Kristina Mladenovic 6-3 7-6(5)
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