Wow this was an incredibly close match and it lasted almost 4 hours!
It started with Coco making a lot of errors and Begu steadily in control till 5-2 0-30 on Coco's serve, but then Vandeweghe's big shots started going in and she won the next 12 of 13 points to get to 5-5. Begu became very passive and in the tiebreak, Coco was totally in control and hit multiple winners to take the first set.
The second set was on serve the whole time with Begu comfortably holding serve to stay in the match and then breaking Coco to go up 6-5, only to play a horrible game to get broken while serving for the set, just like in the first set. The difference between the first set tiebreak and second set was that Coco hit some really bad shots.
The 3rd set also stayed on serve for almost the whole time. Coco broke at 4-4 to serve for the match but made 4 errors to let Begu back in it. At 6-7, Begu had a match point but Coco hit 3 aces in a row to get even. Most of Begu's service games went quickly because Coco hit so many errors, but she was able to win her own service games just because of her serve, and her shots would manage to land in whenever she was down in the game. Begu hit a brilliant passing shot at 9-8 30all and Coco volleyed into the next of like the tenth time on match point.
This would have been a big upset given that it's clay and their respective forms.
Can you believe it, Begu is 12-1 in 3 set matches since Miami and 15-4 overall...If she beats Beck, it'll be the 5th of 6 tournaments where she has won at least 3 matches ... Her form is really great right now. With that said, that was probably the worst match she's played all clay court season (not counting Hogenkamp) and she was totally passive most of the time letting Coco dictate everything. Normally she hits a lot of winners with her deep, flat strokes but she literally did nothing the whole match. Quite honestly, this match was more Coco's racket and Coco lost it, but still a great fight from Irina and still well deserved! Not long before she is Top 20 and if she maintains the form onto grass and the US Open series, she will be a top 16 seed for the US Open.
In fact since 5-5 it's Begu's serve that was clicking. CoCo's serve only saved her from the 1st MP and held easily once since then.
Or maybe in other words CoCo's ROS sucks Groundstroke-wise Begu wasn't really killing her apart from some nice passing shots/using the angles well but yeah everyone knows the errors will come...
Re: RG R2 Match of the Tournament: Begu edges Vandweghe 6-7,7-6,10-8
Epic match
Really nice match and I enjoyed it a lot!
CoCo should not have gave Begu the last MP though...
and what's more annoying? CoCo's behaviour vs the "I-RI-NA" chant (that forces all the "CoCo! CoCo!") Even though it's Begu who was always shouting after winning every few points and was annoying since 5-5 final set.
Re: RG R2 Match of the Tournament: Begu edges Vandweghe 6-7,7-6,10-8
What a SLOPPY thread title you made in your rush to be the first to post this. This match doesn't deserve it!
Such a battle. Seriously proud of CoCo despite not being a fan... she came out of nowhere after a very sloppy clay season and 1R win. She was pissssssed at the end.
Re: RG R2 Match of the Tournament: Begu edges Vandweghe 6-7,7-6,10-8
Coco was the better player through out. Begu was pushing all the match standing 2 m behind the baseline and screaming ajde at every error made by Coco. Surprisingly, the latter was the classier of the two today and of course more talented. If Coco knew how to play a decent return game, she could have won this in two. She will be tough on grass.
Coco was the better player through out. Begu was pushing all the match standing 2 m behind the baseline and screaming ajde at every error made by Coco. Surprisingly, the latter was the classier of the two today and of course more talented. If Coco knew how to play a decent return game, she could have won this in two. She will be tough on grass.
I don't quite get it...Begu pushed for a lot of those end games, fist pumped and ajde'd after first ball misses but gets celebrated? I understand hate and TF go hand in hand, but at least be consistent and not look like a hypocrite.
Any who, people should no longer call Coco a non tennis player after this performance....on clay, against a clay court player who is in great form....she held her own and did well.
Wrong. Begu made lot of winners too. She just knows how to play on clay better than Vandeweghe, who happens to be more limited to her risky game in the end. Begu has better defense. Coco was never able to worry much Begu on the latter's serve in that last set.
Re: RG R2 Match of the Tournament: Begu edges Vandweghe 6-7,7-6,10-8
I don't quite get it...Begu pushed for a lot of those end games, fist pumped and hajde'd after first ball misses but gets celebrated? I understand hate and TF go hand in hand, but at least be consistent and not look like a hypocrite.
Any who, people should no longer call Coco a non tennis player after this performance....on clay, against a clay court player who is in great form....she held her own and did well.
Re: RG R2 Match of the Tournament: Begu edges Vandweghe 6-7,7-6,10-8
Even though I'm extremely down about the loss , I'm still proud with the way Co fought throughout the match. She has improved immensely on red clay as well as in the fitness department.
Re: RG R2 Match of the Tournament: Begu edges Vandweghe 6-7,7-6,10-8
Irina-Camelia :yeah: I've become a fan earlier this season and it's very good to see her win all these close matches lately. Great match, and bad luck to Coco, she was clearly more affected physically at the end. Good handshake from her too