Caroline Garcia edged Tereza Martincova 6-4 4-6 7-5 in the first round of the Zhengzhou Open bouncing back from her first round defeats in Toronto, Cincinnati and at the US Open.
Garcia got the first break of the first set in the ninth game at deuce and held her serve at love to seal the first set 6-4. The second set was also decided in the closing stages, when Martincova saved a break point in the ninth game before breaking serve at 30 in the 10th game.
Garcia led by a break at 1-0 and at 5-3, but Martincova broke back for the second time to draw level to 5-5 after saving two match points on Garcia’s serve in the 10th game. Garcia broke for the third time in the 11th game and held serve on the third match point to seal a thrilling third set 7-5 in the 12th game.
“It was definitely a tough battle. It’s never easy to start the first match on the first day of the tournament. It’s been difficult in the last few weeks, so I am very happy with the way I fought even if it was not always great tennis”, said Garcia.
