By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday April 13, 2021
Photo: Chris Smith/ Volvo Car Open
Teenagers are enjoying a solid week at the MUSC Health Women’s Open in Charleston, with four teenagers through to the second round in the lower half of the draw. Czech talent Linda Fruhvirtova is the youngest of the bunch, and she was overjoyed on Tuesday night as she made it past Alizé Cornet 6-2, 6-7(7), 4-4 RET when the Frenchwoman retired in the ninth game of the third set with Fruhvirtova serving at 40-30.
It was a wild contest for the wild card, who failed to convert a match point at 6-5 in the second-set tiebreaker when she nudged a very makeable volley a few inches wide. But she battled back through a seesaw second set that saw eight consecutive breaks of serve before Cornet finally pulled the plug with a right thigh injury.
"I feel really proud of myself, how I just, I gave it all today," Fruhvirtova said "I fought for every point, it was hard especially at the end of the second set, to forget all the missed chances, I had one match point, I was up 4-3 and break, 5-4 and break, but I'm so glad I managed."
Fruhvirtova will face Charleston native Emma Navarro in the second round. At 499 in the world, she’ll be the underdog on paper, but in terms of punch Fruhvirtova may be the player with the more daunting game. She used her groundies to great effect on Tuesday, running Cornet ragged with effortless, menacing power, until the Frenchwoman finally gave out.
"I think it was a spectacular match, it was a huge fight from both of us, I admire Alizé, how she can fight, she just never gives up, she was injured and I didn't even recognize it playing the points until she retired the match,” said Fruhvirtova. “So I just wish her a speedy recovery and I'm excited for the next match."
Joining Fruhvirtova in the second round are teenagers Maria Camila Osorio Serrano (19), Clara Tauson (18) and Navarro (19).
Osorio Serrano, who claimed the Bogota title on Sunday, defeated second-seeded Magda Linette, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5, while Navarro passed by Tereza Martincova when the Czech retired, trailing 6-3, 3-2.