Australian Open 2016: big battle and fantastic victory in singles

"I'm terribly happy, it was a huge match! I am very happy with the win! I could have won the first set also, I had a lot of opportunities at the beginning. But I blew my chances ... Then I fought back, and at 4:4 I had break chances again, but without success. Then the first set gone. I think, I had less opportunities in the second set as a receiver. Watson served very well. But I held myself, I fought hard and tried everything. Then my opponent served for the match, but I managed to came back with an agressive receiver’s game, and I broke back. I struggled really, really hard, I wanted this victory. In the final set I led almost every time, she always came back. At 4:2 I made mistakes, but at 5:3 Watson played very well. What is positive, I didn’t collapse after 5:5, I did my job. And it brought a good result. What is interesting: at 6: 5 I hit a forehand winner, then I went to the net. I won the last two points with a forehand straight winner and with a backhand straight winner. We practiced these shots a lot at the winter training camp. It's amazing that I finished the match with these shots. I’m very, very happy” – said Timi.

2 hours 49 minutes: lot of turns, full of winners and lot of emotions. And finally Timi celebrated her first victory in singles at the main draw of the Australian Open. She deserved it, she was close to it in recent years.

At the beginning of the 72-minute first set Watson saved two break points, then won her opponent’s service game. At 3:0, the British player had a chance to the second break, but instead, Timi came back. The Hungarian youngster broke back and equalized.

At 4:4 Timi had another break point, but this time without success. And it was crucial. Few minutes came the tie-break, with the success of the British player. Timi broke her opponent at 2-2, but after that Watson celebrated three receiver’s point...

The second set was also interesting, and with a heartbreaker last period. And at the end, Timi was the better!

Watson was close to the victory! At 3:4 she hold her service game from 15-30, then she easily broke her opponent. So, she served for the second round.

But Timi came with a beautiful receiver’s game, she broke back, then she marched forward! The Hungarian youngster hold her service, then she broke the British player again. So, Timi finished the set from 3:5!

In the final set the Hungarian player twice led with a break, but she couldn’t hold her service game after 4:2 and 5:3. Watson equalized to 5:5, with two very close breaks (both time to 40)...

At 5:5 Timi easily – at last – hold her service game, but a few moments later Watson led 30-0. But it was not enough! Timi came back with great shots, then she finished the match with a forehand and a backhand winner, as a receiver!

The Hungarian player will meet the Wold No13 Belinda Bencic in the next round. The 18-year old Swiss player has won 2 WTA and 2 ITF events in singles. Her career best position was 12 (17 August 2015).

In the 2015 season Bencic remained unbeaten at Eastbourne (England, 731 000 USD, grass) and in Toronto (Canada, 2 513 000 USD, hard court). She was also finalist in Tokyo (Japan, 1 000 000 USD, hard court).