By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, January 19, 2017
CoCo Vandeweghe rallied from a break down in the final set beating Genie Bouchard to book her spot in the Australian Open round of 16.
Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve
Competitive self-control can be a challenge for CoCo Vandeweghe, who concedes she’s still working on mastering shot selection.
Pausing to ponder her options on match point today, Vandeweghe drilled down the correct choice.
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Pounding a backhand winner down the line, Vandeweghe punched her ticket to the Australian Open round of 16.
A spirited Vandeweghe battled back from a break down in the final set for a high-quality 6-4, 3-6, 7-5, third-round victory over Genie Bouchard.
The 2014 Australian Open semifinalist was twice one point away from a 5-3 lead, but Vandeweghe was both resilient and aggressive at crunch time.
It’s Vandeweghe’s first trip to the fourth round in six appearances Down Under and her third career Grand Slam round of 16 appearance.
The 35th-ranked American will play world No. 1 Angelique Kerber for a quarterfinal spot. The defending Australian Open champion crushed Krystina Pliskova, 6-0, 6-4, for her 10th consecutive Melbourne victory.
Bouchard has now dropped five of her last six three-setters.
"It really sucks," Bouchard said. "Very disappointed, because I feel like I had so many chances, especially in that third set. Yeah, I mean, you need to try and close out as many of these matches when you get those chances."
The crackling Vandeweghe serve is the cornerstone of her game and was a key stroke today. She smacked 11 aces, won 85 percent of her first-serve points and repeatedly came up with twisting second serves fighting off four break points to hold for 5-4 in the deciding set.
"I was thinking I was doing more damage off of the second serve against her," Vandeweghe said. "She wasn't handling my kick serve that well, especially later in the match. I got a little sloppy sometimes when I had the hold points in that game. Sloppy and stubborn, I would say, to both.
"But, you know, I'm not too concerned if I don't make a first serve. Obviously the first goal is to make the first serve so you're not constantly playing off of a second serve. That's never any fun, even if you do have utmost confidence."
This win was about more than the serve. Vandeweghe played bold first-strike tennis throughout, winning 12 of 15 trips to the net and nearly doubling Bouchard’s winner total (40 to 20).
Bouchard launched a double fault beyond the service line gifting the first break and a 4-3 lead to Vandeweghe.
Explosiveness is a Vandeweghe asset though consistency can be elusive. Serving in rhythm, Vandeweghe held at love extending the lead to 5-3.
Vandeweghe slashed a service winner wide serving up her second straight love hold to snatch a set in which she hit 12 winners to three for the former Wimbledon finalist.
Hitting her wide serve particularly effectively, Vandeweghe won 14 of 15 first-serve points and pounded five aces building a one set lead.
The 47th-ranked Bouchard went right back to work holding to start the second set.
Stumbling through her sloppiest game, Vandeweghe spit up a pair of double faults and a forehand error gift-wrapping the break and a 2-0 advantage to the Canadian.
Bouchard denied two break points midway through the set then targeted the American’s backhand serving out the set to force a decider.
Over hitting at times, Vandeweghe quickly fell into a triple break point hole to open the third set. Bouchard punched a pass down the line sealing a love break. She backed up the break with a confident hold for 2-0.
Stretching Vandeweghe with the slice serve wide on the deuce side, Bouchard guarded serve with vigilance. She worked through a tricky three-deuce game, spinning her third ace wide and holding for 4-2 when Vandeweghe botched a backhand return and bounced her racquet off the court in disgust.
Former world No.1 Martina Hingis, Vandeweghe’s doubles partner, clapped and yelled encouragement from her seat behind the baseline. Vandeweghe responded with a love hold, sliding an ace wide for 3-4.
Jitters—and Vandeweghe’s returns—jarred Bouchard in the eighth game. She slid a serve down the T to save a break point, but put a backhand into the bottom of the net to face a second break point. When Bouchard missed a forehand Vandeweghe was level at 4-all.
The 22-point game that followed was the longest of the match. Struggling to land her first serve at times, Vandeweghe still fended off four break points. Attacking boldly she knocked off a forehand volley for game point then banged a serve winner holding with a scream toward her box.
Though Bouchard continued straddling the baseline, Vandeweghe hits a heavier ball and unloaded in the 12th game.
Successive forehand errors gave Vandeweghe match point and she finished with a flourish driving her backhand down the line to close with an adrenalized fist pump.