On English grass, Diane Parry ran into a Swiss wall. Viktorija Golubic, the tournament’s second seed, dominated her in straight sets: 6-1, 6-3. A frustrating defeat but one that reveals the current limitations of the French player against an opponent with a devilishly effective game.
This Friday in Ilkley, Diane Parry tried to continue her good week on grass against an opponent she knows well: the Swiss Viktorija Golubic. A quarterfinal that promises to be tight between two players with similar profiles, both skilled in variations and very comfortable on this surface.
The French player, currently ranked 97th in the world, started her grass tour perfectly. After two convincing victories in the first and second rounds, she displayed renewed confidence. Her backhand slice and sense of the game, always formidable on grass, allow her to impose a pace that disrupts many opponents.
On the other side, Viktorija Golubic (82nd) is well-versed in such encounters. A surprise finalist in Monterrey at the start of the season, she remains a formidable player on fast surfaces. Her journey at Ilkley has been flawless so far, and she has the experience to manage key moments.
The two players have faced each other once before, in 2022 in Cluj, with Viktorija Golubic winning in two sets. But on grass, the cards are reshuffled. The player from Nice will have her say. Especially since she aims, at 22, for her first final on the WTA 125 circuit.
A failed start, a fleeting set
Diane Parry was caught off guard. From the first exchanges, she struggled against the pace and variety of Viktorija Golubic. Short crosscourt slice, short drop volley, well-placed serve: the Swiss player executed her tennis with clinical precision. On the other hand, the French player never managed to establish her game. Too far from her baseline, she played short, often retreating, which allowed the Swiss to take the ball early. Result: 6-1 in 30 minutes, a one-sided first set, without a single break point for Parry.
A slightly more contested second set… but the same outcome
Diane Parry finally slightly raised her game, daring a few net approaches, trying to shorten the rallies. But it wasn’t enough. Too many inaccuracies on return, not enough intensity in the shots. Viktorija Golubic, always well-positioned, continued to distribute, alternating depth and variations. The break conceded at the start sealed the fate of the set. Diane Parry was unable to reverse the trend. Final score: (6-1/6-3) in 1 hour and 6 minutes of play.
Match statistics
Aces: Golubic = 0 / Parry = 1
Double faults: Golubic = 0 / Parry = 2
Break points converted: Golubic = 4/7 / Parry = 0/0
Points won on 1st serve: Golubic = 23/28 / Parry = 15/26
