The US Open is Caroline Wozniacki‘s most successful Grand Slam, with her 2009 and 2014 runner-up finishes, but in Thursday’s second-round match her 149th-ranked opponent Petra Cetkovska embraced the “just do it” attitude, saved four match points and showed the Dane the exit door.
The fourth-seeded Wozniacki was the first to go up in the match, 4-2, before Cetkovska captured the next seven games and climbed up to a 4-1 lead in the second set. Then Wozniacki won six of the next seven games and the match progressed into the deciding set.
Cetkovska said to herself “now or never” and “just went for it”, as she later revealed in the post-match interview, and that mindset helped her save one match point to hold for 5-5 in the intense third set and three more match points at 5-6 to force a tiebreak. Enjoying the electryfing atmosphere under the lights of Arthur Ashe Stadium, Cetkovska fought till the end and made the third round with a 6-4 5-7 7-6(1) victory.
Cetkovska’s highest ranking was No.25, while she tumbled out of the Top 100 after missing seven months due to a hip injury following last year’s US Open. (photo: Jimmie48)
I watched this match on ESPN and it lasted past midnight in New York. Cetkovska won the first set and was up 4-1 in the second when Caro came storming back to win the second set. I thought surely Wozniacki would then easily win the third set. Got to hand it to Petra, as she regrouped, saving those match points, and ultimately winning this very entertaining match.
Jim, the match contained long stretches of dominance my both players, with Petra as the underdog eventually getting on the victorious side. Definitely a big victory for Petra.