Muguruza Survives Scare in Wimbledon Opener

Newly crowned French Open champion Garbine Muguruza dodged a potential first round upset at Wimbledon on Monday, hanging on for the  6-2, 5-7, 6-4 win over Italy’s Camila Giorgi.

“I think Wimbledon is a very tricky tournament because the grass sometimes, it can give you surprise,” said Muguruza afterwards. “I think all the matches are quite more equal. I think I had a very tough match today.

But I’m going to take the positive side. I think it’s good to start the tournament, it’s good to get into the grass court. I’m very happy about this match. Sometimes you don’t win every match beautifully, but you just got to be there and fight.”

She did just that. After dropping the second set, Muguruza fought incredibly hard to earn herself a break point in the third set. She opened up seven chances to break Giorgi’s serve, converting on one which was all she needed, winning 22 of the 30 points on her own serve to win the third and deciding set.

In the second round, Muguruza will take on Slovakia’s Jana Cepelova, who took out Mariana Duque-Marino 7-5, 7-5 on Monday.

Former semifinalist Simona Halep cruised into the second round, winning her match on Monday 6-4, 6-1 over Anna Schmiedlova.

“I’m happy that I could win today. I’m looking forward for the next round, and maybe I will play better after two days,” Halep said of how she felt. “I moved better. I was everywhere. She had only four winners, so [that] means that I was pretty good on my legs.”

Halep draws a matchup with Italy’s Francesca Schiavone, who ousted Anastasija Sevastova 7-6(7), 6-4 on Monday.

Five-time champion Venus Willis overcame a rocky first set to move past Donna Vekic 7-6(3), 6-4.

“The first round is never easy and she played amazing tennis today,” said Venus. “I expect players to feel free and go for it when they play me. In the first set there were some hairy moments but I guess that’s when experience sets in and I had the chance to win the important points.”

In the second round, Venus will square off with Greece’s Maria Sakkari, who rolled past Saisai Zheng 6-3, 6-2.

It was a rough day for American women on the grass courts in England. Despite wins from Venus, Madison Keys, Samantha Crawford and Varvara Lepchenko, there were seven Americans to fall: Shelby Rogers, Madison Brengle, Nicole Gibbs, Bethanie-Mattek Sands, Irina Falconi, Louisa Chirico and Vicky Duval.