London,jun 26
Karolina Muchova showed minimal rust in her first competition in nine months, defeating qualifier Magda Linette 6-4, 6-1 to advance to the Rothesay International quarterfinals.The Czech will next play defending champion and No 4 seed Madison Keys, who defeated Anhelina Kalinina 7-6(5), 6-1 on her fourth attempt. Keys had previously lost to Kalinina in Miami 2022, Rome 2022, and Rome 2023, but saved two set points by serving cleanly at 5-6 in the first set to upset the Ukrainian qualifier.Muchova hadn’t competed since the US Open last year due to a right wrist ailment, for which she had surgery in February. Her first match back was cut short when qualifier Elina Avanesyan retired from their first-round match after only four games due to a left thigh ailment. However, the 2023 Roland Garros finalist wasted little time demonstrating the breadth of her abilities against Linette.Muchova broke the Pole in the opening game with a variety of victories, including a drop shot, a net rush off the return, and passing shots from both sides. From there, the 27-year-old cruised to victory by saving all eight break points. In the second set, she exhibited clutch play and came through eight deuces to break Linette in the first game again and then produced an unassailable 4-0 lead with a six-deuce hold. Katie Boulter, the Rothesay Open champion, advanced by defeating No 5 seed and previous champion Jelena Ostapenko 6-4, 7-5. Boulter’s triumph is his fourth Top 20 win of the year and first since the spring hard-court season.
Boulter will face either third-seeded Jasmine Paolini or Elise Mertens of Belgium in her second grass-court quarterfinal of the year. Boulter is already 7-0 in completed grass matches this season. Her sole loss came when she retired in the opening round of the Rothesay Classic last week.”Honestly, I was trying to slap a little hit harder than she was. She hits such a good ball, so tough to play against. You don’t know what’s going to happen, it’s completely in her control. I just tried to be as aggressive and consistent as I could be and make her play every single ball. Today it paid off and thank God I served it out at the end,” Boulter said as quoted by WTA.
