Storm Hunter nearly upset the No. 9 seed, Barbora Krejcikova, in the third round of the Australian Open before ultimately being defeated in a brave effort early Saturday morning at Melbourne Park.
In the second set, the player ranked 180th in the world challenged the former French Open champion, but Krejcikova managed to overcome the challenge and win in two and a half hours with a score of 4-6, 7-5, 6-3.
Hunter’s unexpected journey at Melbourne Park came to an end with their loss, after making it through the qualifiers. This performance is expected to boost their singles ranking in 2024.
She expressed disappointment in the tough match and her desire to win, despite having a few opportunities. However, she acknowledged that Barbora displayed impressive tennis skills under pressure and made crucial serves when she had break point chances.
In 2023, Hunter achieved the top ranking for doubles in the world. However, she has decided to schedule more singles matches this year. “Despite not winning, this entire week has been a success for my singles game,” she stated.
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The 29-year-old’s performance during the match indicates that she has the skills to compete, and Krejcikova was the first to acknowledge her impressive showing. “She’s doing really well, she had a fantastic run. And, I’m extremely happy that I was able to win the second set,” Krejcikova stated.
Krejcikova had a challenging time facing Hunter at the beginning of their match. Despite being the favored player, she was broken three times in the first set and made 21 unforced errors, while Hunter only had seven. Both players struggled with their serves, resulting in five breaks in the first seven games. Hunter took the lead and encouraged the crowd at Rod Laver Arena to raise their energy.
Those who remained at Melbourne Park after Novak Djokovic emerged victorious against Tomás Etcheverry had hope for an exceptional evening, and the energy level increased. The loudness appeared to awaken Krejcikova and the second set unfolded without any opportunities for a break point. That is, until the crucial stage of the match.
At a score of 4-4, the Czech player earned the first three points, but Hunter claimed the next four. With just one more powerful forehand or strategic drop shot, the Australian could have had a chance to serve for the match in the next game. However, a return went out and the opportunity slipped away. Four points later, another chance arose, but was thwarted by an ace.
“I approach it step by step,” Krejcikova explained. “Because anything can shift in a split second. In tennis, every single shot matters.”
She made a comeback, but Hunter returned at 5-5 with two additional chances to break. On the initial opportunity, the Czech hit a precise backhand shot down the line for a point. On the second chance, Hunter’s return went out of bounds. Krejcikova managed to hold her serve again. In the following game, she broke the Australian player to win the set and quickly took a 3-0 lead in the third set, which she eventually won.
“I continuously checked to see if she would break,” Hunter stated. “Despite facing tough circumstances, she remained resilient and even managed to come up with some impressive ideas, despite the crowd being against her.”
Krejcikova is set to compete against 16-year-old Russian player Mirra Andreeva in the fourth round.
Source: theguardian.com
