In Melbourne, Fiona Ferro delivered a solid performance but it wasn’t enough to pass the second round of the Australian Open qualifications. Up against Linda Fruhvirtova, ranked 132nd in the world, the Niçoise was defeated in three sets (4–6, 6–3, 4–6) after a long battle.
There are no longer any French women in the Australian Open qualifications. This is a harsh reality for the new captain of the French team, Alizé Cornet, who also cannot rely on the French No. 1, former member of Tennis Club Nice Giordan, Lois Boisson, who is injured. With Fiona Ferro’s elimination earlier in the morning, there are no more tricolores in the qualifying tournament of the Australian Grand Slam. There will also be no Azuréenne in the main draw after the early exit of Diane Parry yesterday. A first since 2006.
Facing Linda Fruhvirtova (20 years old, ranked 132nd in the world), Fiona Ferro knew it would be a tough challenge. Against a former top 50 player, who struggled to confirm last year, things did not go as hoped. Although the score quickly favored the Frenchwoman in the first set, the match was very contested thereafter. Fiona Ferro held her own against her opponent for a long time, winning several break points. But unable to confirm her advantage, the player from Valbonne was logically caught up in the score before losing the first set (4-6).
A convincing reaction
The first set, completed in 43 minutes, saw Linda Fruhvirtova take the lead thanks to a better risk-taking from the baseline. Fiona Ferro, struggling with her serves, conceded too many points on her second serve.
But the Frenchwoman managed to respond authoritatively in the second set. More dominant, she relied on her quality of return in forehand and a strong presence at the net to turn the tide in the match. More focused on her serve, she took advantage of a slight dip in form from Linda Fruhvirtova to regain control of the score. Disoriented, the Czech player lost her footing and dropped the second set (6-3).
The last set, longer (58 minutes), illustrates the tension of the duel. Fiona Ferro maintained her focus on her serve at the beginning of the third set but was often dominated by the power of her opponent’s game, who hit her shots hard. The duration of the points extended, and Fiona Ferro eventually dropped in intensity. She eventually conceded a break at 3-5 and had to respond on Linda Fruhvirtova’s serve to stay in the match. She managed to do so by saving two match points and stayed in the match until the end. However, on her next service game, her lack of sharpness in key moments proved costly.
Linda Fruhvirtova ultimately won (6-4/3-6/6-4) in 2 hours and 28 minutes, ending the journey of the player from the Maralpine. Facing a player more powerful in service, Fiona Ferro compensated with her consistency, game reading, and positioning skills. Although she wasn’t able to turn the match in her favor, she proved she can compete with top 150 players. This bodes well for the future, as she will now have to string matches together to climb back up the rankings.
