McHale Completes Comeback To Advance in Miami

March 23, 2017 | By Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff

New Jersey’s Christina McHale advanced to the second round of the Miami Open on Wednesday, coming back from a set down to beat Germany’s Annika Beck 6-7(2), 7-5, 6-0.

After coming back to win the second, McHale dominated the third set. She broke Beck three times and did not face a break point on her own serve to complete the comeback.

She moves on to face sixth-seeded Spaniard Garbine Muguruza in the second round.

McHale was one of six American women that won their opening round matches in Key Biscane on the main draw’s first day on Wednesday. Varvara Lepchenko knocked off Lauren Davis, who is coming off quarterfinal appearances in Doha and Dubai before reaching the Round of 16 in Indian Wells last week, 6-3, 6-3 to push through into the second round, while Taylor Townsend fought back from a set down to beat fellow American Amanada Anisimova 2-6, 6-2, 6-3.

The world’s number one doubles player, Bethanie Mattek-Sands, opened up her singles campaign in Miami with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 triumph over Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic. She will play ninth-seed Elina Svitolina of Ukraine next.

Shelby Rogers and Madison Brengle were the other two Americans to win on Wednesday. Rogers came back from a set down to beat Marina Erakovic 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(4), while Brengle hung on to beat Jelena Ostapenko 6-3, 3-6, 6-2.

Alison Riske was upended by Germany’s Julia Goerges, who defeated the American 7-5, 6-3 to set up a matchup with 20th seed Carla Suarez-Navarro.

The struggles of Monica Puig and Eugenie Bouchard in 2017 continued on Wednesday as both players were ousted in their opening round matches. Romania’s Sorana Cirstea beat Puig 6-2, 6-4, while Australia’s Ashleigh Barty outlasted Bouchard 6-4, 5-7, 6-3. 


Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
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