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Danka Kovinic had no answer to Elina Svitolina's brilliance at the GNP Seguros Monterrey Open Tuesday. The Montenegrin fell in straight sets to the top seed 6-3, 6-2 on Cancha Central at the Sierra Madre Tennis Club. This marked the first win for the Ukrainian since Feb. 13.
The two players were meeting for the third time on the women's tour. Svitolina entered this contest low on confidence following a disastrous showing in the Middle East where she lost early in Dubai and Doha.
However, the top seed began strongly, holding to love and breaking quickly with Kovinic yet to settle into the match. The Ukrainian raced away to a 3-0 lead which forced Kovinic to request for a conference with her coach Vuk Bolic as she attempted to figure out some tactics that would help her get back in the match.
The two players then traded games, with Svitolina moving 5-2 ahead and just one game away from taking the opener.
Attempting to extend the set, the Montenegrin held serve, saving breakpoint. With the chance to serve for the set, Svitolina unleashed on her forehand, earning two set points and eventually closing out the first set in 31 minutes. Svitolina won 87 percent of points on her first service and struck six aces.
Kovinic struggled to cope with the power that Svitolina was hitting the ball with but still managed to hold serve to open the second set. The Ukrainian held firm on her own serve to draw level. Svitolina then sensed another opportunity to break and capitalised before holding serve to take a 3-1 lead.
The Montenegrin hit back with a service hold of her own but Svitolina was playing with freedom and following another comfortable service hold, she broke once again to make it 5-2. The Ukrainian then served for the match in the eighth game and made no mistake, sealing a comfortable straight-sets victory.
"I think my game was very solid. I was playing well on my serve today. It brought my lots of confidence and definitely was excited to come here and play and nice to get a first win here."
Svitolina will lock horns with Olga Govortsova in the next round.
