In a gripping second-round match at the WTA 500 tournament in Strasbourg, Magda Linette emerged victorious over Ekaterina Alexandrova. The encounter, which extended over two hours and 57 minutes, saw Linette rally from a set down to secure a 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, 6-3 win.
Linette had earlier defeated Romania’s Sorana Cirstea with a score of 7-5, 7-5 in the opening round. The match against Alexandrova presented a more formidable challenge for Linette.
The match began with both players struggling on their serve, leading to a competitive first set that was decided by a tie-break, which Alexandrova narrowly won. Undeterred, Linette responded strongly in the second set, capturing four consecutive games to win it 6-3.
The final set initially favored Alexandrova, who broke Linette early and led 3-1. However, the determined 32-year-old Linette fought back impressively, winning five straight games to claim the set 6-3 and advance to the next round.
Next, Linette will face American Madison Keys, the world number 16, who recently triumphed over China’s Xinyu Wang.
Magda Linette – Ekaterina Alexandrova 2-1 (6-7, 6-3, 6-3)