Roberta Vinci came out on top in a battle of Italians as she edged Camila Giorgi in three sets. Vinci took a little over an hour to close out her countrywoman on Banque Nationale. The seventh seed tallied her second career win over Giorgi in their three overall meetings. Vinci booked her place in the Coupe Rogers third round.
Underdog storms through first eight games, Vinci fails to hold serve once
Giorgi and Vinci took the court to open up Wednesday’s play on Banque Nationale. Giorgi commenced play on her serve, but she was broken to 30 before she stole the break right back in the following game. The break trend continued for the next two games as neither player held a game point. However, Giorgi was able to pull out a clutch hold to inch 3-2 ahead. Vinci, although, could not get dialed in on serve and she was broken again to shift all the momentum onto the hard-hitting 24-year-old’s side.
The Italian veteran looked to sneak back into the set despite being down two games to four. She raced up to a 15-40 advantage, but the constant power from Giorgi overcame the nifty shots of Vinci. Giorgi fought back to hold for a 5-2 lead. The world number 77 was playing better tennis than her ranking acknowledged. She just needed one set point chance to close out the seventh seed in impressive, routine style.
Veteran convincingly forces deciding set
It was a new set, new Vinci. She began the second set in strong fashion with a break followed by her first hold. The inconsistencies in the Giorgi game were on full display as her errors clinched Vinci the set’s first four games. The hard hitter failed to hold a break or game point until the set’s fifth game. Giorgi held to love before quickly getting a 0-30 lead in the following game. However, the crafty Italian put together five consecutive points to put herself within a game of a third set.
Giorgi served to stay in the second set and quickly found herself up 30-0. However, the game became complicated and it eventually was brought to deuce. The feisty Italian held on to stay alive in the set. They switched ends of the court with Vinci having the nerves of serving for the set. The veteran was unable to close the set on her serve, but she settled in to break back on her second set-point opportunity. The all-Italian matchup was going to a decisive set for the second time in their three meetings.
Seventh seed clutches crucial break deep in the decider
The third and final set commenced with an unfamiliar trend as both players held serve routinely. Vinci was able to hold without a problem yet again for a 2-1 advantage before arriving at the set’s first break-point chance. However, Giorgi fought off the world number eight in the set’s fourth game. The set was brought to two games apiece with both Italians boasting impressive serving throughout the first stage of the final set. They exchanged holds to 30 before exchanging holds, yet, again, for a four-all score line.
Vinci went to serve at four games apiece and immediately reversed the pressure to her countrywoman after a strong hold to love. Giorgi was to serve to stay in the match, but she was unable to sustain the pressure. Vinci grabbed the only break in the final set to wrap up the second-round match. The experienced Italian advanced to her fifth Rogers Cup round of 16.
Vinci to play Kasatkina
The veteran awaits Daria Kasatkina in the third round. The Italian holds a 1-0 win-loss record against the Russian.