By Chris Oddo | Tuesday July 4, 2017
24th-seeded CoCo Vandeweghe took care of business on Day 2, defeating Germnany's Mona Barthel in straight sets.
Photo Source: USTA
It was certainly not the type of grass-court ebb-and-flow that CoCo Vandeweghe desired, but the American got the result she wanted against Germany’s Mona Barthel nevertheless.
More: 10 Stats to Get You Primed for Wimbledon's Day 2
Vandeweghe broke six times on 15 opportunities and overcame shaky serving in the first set to rise above the German, 7-5, 6-2, setting up a second-round encounter with Tatjana Maria, also of Germany.
“I think the most important thing is I came out with a victory,” Vandeweghe said. “I don't think it was the best nor hopefully the worst. I think coming away with a first-round victory is difficult in itself.”
The 24th-seeded American has developed a reputation as a Wimbledon performer by reaching the second week at SW19 in each of the last two seasons, and she’s added former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash (after recently splitting with Craig Kardon) as her coach this season in an attempt to continue the success.
Vandeweghe says that Cash is helping her tactically but perhaps more important he is helping her demeanor.
“He's on top of me about mentally staying with it and everything like that, and it's a constant harping on that one,” Vandeweghe said. “I think he said that a bunch, just, ‘Your presence can sometimes get you through difficult situations,’ so I think that goes along with mentality.”
Vandeweghe won 25 of 31 first-serve points and 33 of the 53 rallies that ended in less than four strokes to control the run of play on Day 2, but she had to overcome some early troubles when she was twice broken in the first set.
She broke Barthel a third time in set one before serving out the opener at love.
The American finished with 30 winners and 28 unforced errors and saved a break point in the final game to convert her first match point and clinch victory in 93 minutes.
The 25-year-old is in Karolina Pliskova’s quarter of the draw and could meet No.12-seeded Kristina Mladenovic in the third round.