Spanish tennis player Cristina Bucsa has qualified for the third round of the US Open after defeating Japanese player Himeno Sakatsume in an intense match that lasted almost three hours.
Bucsa won the match with a score of 7-6(6), 6-7(0), and 7-6(6), coming close to matching her performance in the round of 16 last year in New York. This was her second victory in the tournament, both achieved with effort and through three ‘tie-breaks’, although the bronze medalist in doubles at Paris 2024 could have closed the match at earlier moments. After failing to win in Australia and Roland Garros and missing Wimbledon due to injury, the competition in New York has been more favorable for the player from Santander.
Throughout the match, Bucsa did not take the opportunity to close out the first set with her serve. However, she managed to win the first ‘sudden death’. In the second set, the circumstances changed and Sakatsume proved more effective, taking the set despite not capitalizing on a ‘break’ advantage. In the final set, Bucsa had two chances to end the match with her serve, but ultimately needed the ‘supertie-break’ to secure her advance.
In contrast to Bucsa’s success, Paula Badosa and Jessica Bouzas were unable to advance. Badosa faced reigning champion Coco Gauff, and although she performed well, Gauff was more precise at crucial moments, taking the first set 6-4 and, after a closely contested second set, the victory on her third match point in the ‘tie-break’ (7-5). On the other hand, Bouzas faced Elena Rybakina, who dominated the first set with a score of 6-2, and although Bouzas rallied in the second, she lost her serve at a crucial moment, closing the match with a score of 6-4.
Source: www.infobae.com
