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Anastasija Sevastova delivered a stunning comeback at the Rogers Cup in Montreal on Wednesday. The world number 19 who found herself trailing in the second set came back to force a tiebreak with Monica Puig before capturing the third set in a 4-6, 7-6(9), 6-1 win on Banque Nationale Court in IGA Stadium.
The Puerto Rican became the lucky loser after yet another withdrawal from Garbine Muguruza due to injury. Her entry into the main draw became her first time in the tournament facing the Latvian for a second time this season. With it only standing as their lone meeting, the 24-year-old would try to make something of her luck and bring the fight to Sevastova who defeated Alexandra Krunic in her Montreal debut.
Puig won the first game to start the match off before Sevastova matched her with a service hold of her own. They went to deuce in the third game where the Latvian took control breaking Puig to lead. As the rain slowly fell down on the court, the players commenced the fourth game where the Puerto Rican made her way back breaking Sevastova. They kept up the breaks on one another with the Latvian continuing to lead after seven games.
Puig found a way to hold her serve in the ninth that gave her plenty of momentum to break Sevastova and clinch the set in 39 minutes. While they looked even against one another, the difference was on unforced errors which Sevastova had 18 taking a toll on her second serve and entire return game.
The lucky loser picked up where she left off taking the opening game of the second set before Sevastova fired away to hold serve thereafter. She stayed on serve with the Puerto Rican who rallied through another service game putting the pressure on the 28-year-old. By the time seven games had elapsed, the rain began to fall harder while Puig continued to stay ahead of the world number 19.
It was the ninth game that saw Sevastova change the score after holding in the eighth to take the lead away. The break she earned gave her a chance to level the match and force a third set. She showed some signs of concern giving Puig two break points but saved them to force deuce.
She had the AD point in her possession but an obvious double fault opened the door for Puig to get a chance. Sevastova recorded another double fault but saved herself on a pressure point scoring a winner to end the rally. She continued to falter enough to give Puig chances which she earned on a forehand error tying the score at five all.
The Latvian made up for her mistakes on serve and broke back in the 11th with some help from Puig’s mistakes. It gave her the chance to serve out the 12th having a strong moment of defence but the double faults came back at the wrong time. It gave Puig the break point where a challenged call went her way forcing the tiebreak.
Sevastova tried putting her frustrations into aggression but the errors rattled her spirit. She found herself trailing by a pair but reeled Puig in slightly on the ninth point. An ace helped her level at five apiece as the two inched closer to their personal goal.
On a rally that Sevastova controlled, she went for a lobbed shot that Puig couldn’t get back earned her set point. Puig shut down the opportunity for her opponent and climbed back to try and go for the match. Sevastova felt the same way about her opponent's mission and denied her until she scored a second match point on a ball that landed just inside the line. The two continued to trade off points with both players trying and failing to get it done their way.
At 10-9 in favour of Sevastova, she got deep in the rally where a lob shot worked out for the 28-year-old sending the match deep into a deciding set after one hour and six minutes. Both had numerous unforced errors that led them to the path the finished in the second set but with a third in play, both would try to remedy their issues on the court.
Sevastova came out with her skills improving holding a service game stronger than any of the previous few. She built an attack on the break that saw Puig double fault a third time forcing deuce.
The 28-year-old turned things her way to lead 2-0. It was soon 3-0 for the Latvian who was feeling comfortable with her lead while Puig took a conference with her coach during the changeover. Juan Todero asked Puig to accelerate her shots and aim at the body to get back into contention while there was still time.
She answered with a near shutout on serve but Sevastova held in the fifth to regain her three-game margin. A key break for the 28-year-old arrived in the sixth when she gave herself three break points to put Puig away; it took a second one to get the job done earning the chance to serve for the match. She showed her fighting qualities in the final game taking the last two points to bring the match to an end after 2 hours and 11 minutes.
Sevastova finished with a 55 percent first serve, landing less than 70 percent of points and 8 of 14 break points won against the Puerto Rican who put on a terrific fight in her first match in Quebec. With the effort paying off for the 28-year-old, she would prepare for a round of 16 match against Julia Goerges.
