Australian Lizette Cabrera has scored the biggest win of her young career with an upset of fifth seed Misaki Doi in the first round of Hobart International 2017.
Cabrera won 6-4 5-7 7-5 in an almost three-hour marathon on Centre Court.
The 19-year-old wildcard showed no signs of nerves in her WTA main draw debut, saving break points in the opening game then racing to a 5-2 lead. Cabrera went for her shots and was out-hitting her higher-ranked and more experienced opponent. Serving for the set, Cabrera dropped serve but responded by breaking in the next game to take the first set in 50 minutes.
“I was really nervous but I love having a big crowd and the crowd were really good today,” Cabrera said when asked how she felt before the match. “I thought I handled my nerves fine and just went out there and played like I normally do.”
Competing against a top 100-ranked opponent for just the second time in her career, and seeking a second win, Cabrera fell behind an early break in the second set but managed to claw it back. The No.40-ranked Doi was getting visibly frustrated as her younger opponent dictated play. Yet the Japanese player broke again in the 11th game and forced a deciding set.
Nothing separated the pair early in the third set, trading breaks and producing some breath-taking shots in warm and windy conditions.
“My legs started to go a little bit in the third, but I really wanted to win so I found away,” Cabrera said.
“I don’t even know what I was thinking. I was like, ‘run, have fun, just get it in’.”
Again it was the 11th game that proved crucial. Cabrera held serve from 0-40 down, then broke Doi in the next game to secure the first top 40 win of her career. She clinched the victory on her first match point.
She next faces former Grand Slam champion Francesca Schiavone or qualifier Jana Fett, who are yet to play their first round match.
“I’m happy but definitely not satisfied. I want to keep going and ride the momentum,” Cabrera said.
https://twitter.com/lizzycabrera97/status/817978203176194048
> Finish this sentence…Lizette Cabrera
Earlier in the day Kazakh Galina Voskoboeva recorded her first WTA main draw win since January 2014, overcoming Frenchwoman Pauline Parmentier 6-4 6-3.
Voskoboeva’s career has been derailed by injuries in the past three years – but the 32-year-old is showing positive signs she is returning to her best form.
“When you didn’t play for so long, it is difficult coming back, so it means a lot. It was very tough to come back to this level, and I’m still coming back, so it’s very nice that I won,” she said.
Voskoboeva, who used a protected ranking to enter the draw, conceded she entered the tournament with little expectations.
“The level is so high now in WTA, so it is very difficult to expect anything,” she said.
Voskoboeva faces either top seed Kiki Bertens or German Annika Beck in the second round.