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By Alberto Amalfi | Monday, May 29, 2017

 
Kristina Mladenovic

Kristina Mladenovic fought off 88th-ranked Jennifer Brady, 3-6, 6-3, 9-7, to reach the Roland Garros second round.

Photo credit: Roland Garros

As a feisty Jennifer Brady pushed Kristina Mladenovic to the edge of elimination, French fans made a stand.

Chants of “Kiki! Kiki!” reverberated around Philippe Chatrier Court.

Watch: Muguruza Sweeps Schiavone

Mladenovic answered the call with a gritty comeback.

The French No. 1 fought back from a 0-3 deficit in the final set outdueling the 88th-ranked American, 3-6, 6-3, 9-7, in a three-hour thriller that sent her into the Roland Garros second round.




An emotional Mladenovic waved in appreciation to fans who exhorted her over the finish line.

Coping with Brady’s booming forehand and her own apparent nagging back issue, Mladenovic sometimes spun sub 70 mph second serves into the box.

The reigning Roland Garros doubles champion’s willingness to attack at critical stages—she won 10 of 12 trips to net in the final set when she doubled Brady's winner output (24 to 12)—was a key to a tense test.

In her Roland Garros main-draw debut, an assertive Brady smacked five of her eight aces in the opening set, winning 18 of 20 first-serve points to build a one-set lead.

The 13th-seeded Frenchwoman converted the only break of the second set to force a decider.

Brady burst out to a 3-0 lead only to see Mladenovic reel off four consecutive games. Brady roped a forehand return winner down the line, breaking back for 4-all.

Mladenovic served for the match at 6-5, but Brady again amped up her returns. Driving a forehand return winner down the line for break point, Brady singed the sidelined with a backhand crosscourt winner for 6-all.

While Mladenovic, who thought the shot landed wide, engaged in an extended conversation with the chair umpire over the mark, Brady took shadow swings near the back wall trying to keep her body loose.


 

The will to win. 💪 #RG17 #Mladenovic 📷: Philippe Montigny / FFT

A post shared by Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) on



It was the first of two Mladenovic debates with the chair umpire that seemed to disrupt her opponent’s rhythm.

Rapping an inside-out forehand, Mladenovic earned double break point. Brady, who looked a bit reluctant to step into the court, netted a slice backhand down the line as the Frenchwoman broke for 7-6.

Mladenovic curled an ace wide for 30-15, but could not get closer to closure. Brady hit a forehand return winner down the line for 30-all. Two points later, Brady hammered another forehand winner earning the fourth consecutive break to level.

Each team Brady applied pressure, Mladenovic answered. Exploiting three unforced errors from the 22-year-old American, Mladenovic posted the fifth straight break for 8-7. A backhand volley winner brought Mladenovic to triple match point and when Brady missed a final forehand it was over.

The Madrid finalist raised her 2017 clay-court record to 12-3. Playing for her fourth straight trip to the third round, Mladenovic will face 2012 finalist Sara Errani next. The 91st-ranked Italian qualifier stopped Misaki Doi, 7-6 (7), 6-1.  


 

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