Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina’s preparations for the grass-court Grand Slam hit a snag Wednesday when she lost to Donna Vekic 6-7 (1), 6-3, 6-4 in the second round of the Berlin Open.
Vekic faced only two break points and saved them both. It was Rybakina’s second match, after defeating qualifier Polina Kudermetova on Tuesday, since withdrawing ahead of her third-round match at the French Open when a virus left her with breathing difficulties.
“I stayed in the moment. I was just trying to play the next point, the next game,” Vekic said. “I was like, ‘Just stay with her. The chances will come.'”
Vekic’s next adversary will be Elina Avanesyan, who lost in qualifying but then got a main-draw spot as a lucky loser after another player withdrew.
Caroline Garcia will play either former Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova or Nadia Podoroska in the quarterfinals after the third-seeded Frenchwoman defeated qualifier Jaimee Fourlis 6-3, 6-2.
“The best practice is to play matches so obviously I feel more confident in my movement,” Garcia said of adapting to grass after clay tournaments. “Today, I had a good time on Center Court. I really enjoyed it.”
Maria Sakkari beat Alizé Cornet 6-4, 6-2 in the first round after a health issue affected her French rival. Cornet was trailing 4-1 in the first set when she complained of feeling unwell and had her blood pressure checked before continuing.
Sakkari will next face Aliaksandra Sasnovich, who upset Victoria Azarenka 6-4, 6-4 in a match that had been suspended overnight.
