Global (Commonwealth) _ Iga Swiatek has a great opportunity to win Wimbledon someday, but not this year after losing to Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan in an incredible match on Saturday in the third round. The five-time grand slam champion Pole, who lost to Putintseva last month, lost badly as the smart and astute player triumphed 3-6, 6-1, 6-2.
With 38 unintentional mistakes made by Swiatek, Putintseva secured her greatest career victory, paving the way for a matchup with Jelena Ostapenko in the round of sixteen. Swiatek remarked, “I totally let her come back into the [match] in the second set. That was a bad thing for me to do. I was not without my blunders. She really took advantage of her opportunity. In the second set, I felt like my energy level dropped a little bit. Really, I couldn’t get back up.
Swiatek was on a 21-match winning run after winning her fourth French Open title last month, but Putintseva was also riding high after winning the crown two weeks earlier in Birmingham. Swiatek crumbled as the 29-year-old raised her game and attacked more as the match progressed, maybe as a result of her clay court run wearing thin.
She said, “My tank of really pushing myself to the limits became suddenly empty. I was a little taken aback. But I am aware of my mistakes following Roland Garros. I didn’t get enough rest. I promise not to repeat this error. I think I need a little bit more of that energy to be patient and tolerate some mistakes while I’m on grass. I didn’t really do all that well mentally in this competition. I must better recuperate from the clay court season on a mental and physical level.”
The 23-year-old still has a vulnerability while playing on grass that prevents her from getting the time she wants to establish a strong platform from which to launch her groundstrokes. However, Putintseva’s speed, consistency, and variety rendered her unbeatable as the match went on, so her problems shouldn’t be taken away from her.
The first set proceeded as planned, but things took a turn for the worst at the start of the second. Putintseva was running the rallies while Swiatek was falling apart, hitting flat and hard and taking advantage of the uneven ground.
In the second game, she took an early break to lead 3-1, and Swiatek faltered, her second serve being unusually prone to errors. Even with her skill at the baseline, Swiatek still appears uneasy when she advances, missing the deft touch Putintseva displayed everytime she approached the net. Additionally, Putintseva unleashed her own groundstrokes when given the opportunity.
Before the third set began, Swiatek had a long restroom break while the second set vanished like a haze. However, it had little effect on the pace or halt the errors coming from her racket. Putintseva led 4-0 after winning 14 of the opening 16 points, then Swiatek held serve to eventually halt the bleeding. Putintseva trailed 5-1, 40-40 on the Swiatek serve, and was two points from winning. With audacious, go-for-broke hitting, the Pole saved two match points after narrowly holding serve. Putintseva earned a third match point with a stunning drop shot, and Swiatek threw a backhand return into the net.
Putintseva remarked, “I was playing fearlessly at one point.” “All I could think was, ‘I can do this, all I have to do is believe, I have nothing to lose, just go for it.'” My coach also advised me that regardless of the shot you’re hitting, “Just follow your gut and believe 100% no matter what shot you’re doing.”
That’s when the turning point moment took place. I become pretty skilled at playing now. I’m so thrilled right now since I stole it and she didn’t lose it. I was having a great game. This is the most significant thing to me.
Yulia Antonovna Putintseva is a professional tennis player from Kazakhstan who was born in Russia. In February 2017, she reached her career-high singles ranking of world No. 27, and she is a three-time major quarterfinalist. On the WTA Tour, she has won three singles championships. She performed for her natal nation of Russia prior to June 2012.
