One of the best matches which went unnoticed by most tennis fans this year came in the third round of the #FrenchOpen — the thrilling affair between the resurgent #AngeliqueKerber and former semifinalist #KikiBertens. Kerber, despite being higher-ranked, came into the match as the underdog and impressed her fans as she claimed the high-quality 7-6, 7-6 win after an hour and 52-minutes of action.
This was a repeat of their first-round encounter all the way back in 2016 when the Dutchwoman stirred up one of the tournament’s biggest upsets by knocking out the third-seeded German in the opening round en route to securing her place in the Olympics draw and proceeding into her maiden Major semifinal.
This was a clash between two most improved players on the tour — since their previous meeting, Kerber had reached the number one ranking while Bertens continues to prove her credentials on clay. They would also meet at the 2018 WTA Finals, in which the Dutchwoman exacted revenge for this loss after her stunning breakthrough which saw her win the title in Cincinnati.
Kerber fired 22 winners to 27 unforced errors in this encounter, but it was Bertens’ unforced errors which made the difference as 52 of them proved costly ultimately. Although she was able to find 39 winners in the process, most of her errors came during the untimely moments which separated both players on the scoreboard eventually.
Kerber steals the tight opening set
It was a marathon game to begin the match with, as Bertens faced some trouble against a determined Kerber who came out of the blocks firing on all cylinders. The Dutchwoman had to fend off multiple break points, including one with a stunning volley winner, before several powerful serves helped her seal the deal.
Kerber’s inability to convert her chances backfired as this time it was Bertens’ turn who earned two break points in the following game. Some inspired play from the German then helped her escape from the brink and get onto the scoreboard. Bertens found herself in some deep trouble once more, but some top-notch serving and impressive forehands ensured that the match will remain on serve.
A quick exchange of breaks followed, although it was Bertens who kept frustrating Kerber with some outstanding saves to keep the scores level. The first set was soon brought into a tiebreak but it was just one mini-break which separated both players, showcasing how tight this match was.
The quality of tennis being displayed was immense, but a rare mishit forehand return from Bertens sent the Dutchwoman back to reality — gifting the first set Kerber 7-6 after 58 minutes of thrilling action.
Bertens attempts a comeback but Kerber proves too strong
The match seemed all but over when Kerber rattled off eight of the first 12 points in the second set to earn a quick 2-0 lead. However, Bertens was not going down without putting up a tough fight as she came up with a stunning forehand return winner to grab the break back immediately, returning on serve.
Bertens was extremely frustrated with her own game as errors leaked from everywhere; and Kerber played some flawless tennis as she took full advantage of the situation to regain her advantage. The 12th seed just could not consolidate her break as Bertens kept coming out of nowhere to remain in contention with Kerber’s second serves proving to be her liability.
In what was thought to be a turning point of the match, Bertens daringly charged towards the net and put her doubles experience to good use as Kerber could only watch the volley go past her. This sparked a rise in Bertens’ confidence as the German’s game came under fire for the first time in the evening.
Within a blink of an eye, the Dutchwoman clinched the break and gained the golden opportunity to serve out the set, earning her first lead of the match. The nerves and pressure seemed to have overwhelmed her, as Bertens blasted a huge forehand out of the court to hand Kerber back the favour.
Another tiebreak soon ensued, and this time it was Bertens who grabbed the early advantage with a fantastic dropshot winner to earn the mini-break. Unexpectedly, Kerber stormed to rattle off four consecutive points and Bertens could not recover as she sent a backhand wide, allowing Kerber to snatch the hard-fought 7-6, 7-6 win after 112 minutes of play.
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