After an impressive run in the qualifiers, Azuréenne Fiona Ferro was logically defeated by the Swedish Rebecca Peterson (world No. 87 – 27 years old) in the first round.
By observing her three qualifying matches, one could hope to see the French player challenge her opponent of the day. But it wasn’t to be. Physically and mentally exhausted by the six hours of play she had last week on the courts, Fiona Ferro couldn’t match up against a more vigorous player. This trend was noticeable after just a few minutes of play. Despite the support from the crowd, who turned up in large numbers on court No. 14 that had been so successful for her in recent days, Fiona Ferro didn’t have the weapons. The Azuréenne tried to shorten the rallies but committed too many errors (34 unforced errors in 102 points played). An opportunity for Rebecca Peterson who qualified in two short sets (6-2/6-0 in 1h09).
The Real Priority is Elsewhere
After the match, Fiona Ferro opened up to the newspaper L’Equipe. Although the defeat was harsh, it’s clear that her priority lies elsewhere as she has regained the support of tennis enthusiasts: “I had the crowd backing me, I would have liked to do more. But this is one more step in my path to recovery.”
Now, the Nice Lawn Tennis Club member wants to turn towards other Grand Slam tournaments with the aim of regaining a ranking worthy of her level of play. Currently ranked world No. 465, this result won’t allow her to make an initial leap in the rankings. “My ranking forces me to go back through the ITF, tournaments I’ve been playing since the beginning of the year. There are plenty in Europe starting in June, so I’ll play all summer if my body allows me. I’m motivated for that. The goal is to reach the qualifiers of the big tournaments, the Grand Slams, as quickly as possible,” she revealed a few weeks before Wimbledon.
The journey will be long, but with the determination shown in recent weeks, nothing seems impossible for Fiona Ferro.
