GSTAAD, Switzerland - Tereza Martincova score the biggest upset of the tournament - and her career - by outlasting top seed Caroline Garcia, 7-5, 7-6(1) to reach the quarterfinals of the Ladies Championship Gstaad.
“It’s amazing for me, really, because it was such a tough match," Martincova said after the match. "She’s a really good player. I played every single point and when we started, I was so nervous. But I really like her and her game; for me, I don’t know what to say.”
The 22-year-old last played Garcia in the fall, winning just three games at the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open, and appeared on course for a similar defeat on Thursday as the Frenchwoman broke serve to start the match and held a whopping five set points in the tenth game.
“We played before on hardcourts, which is my favorite surface, but we played in the evening and I had some problems with my eyes. I wasn’t as nervous this time, but come on, she’s still Top 20.”
Martincova saved all five and and had set points of her own two games later, taking taking the set out from under Garcia on her fourth opportunity.
The second set was nearly a mirror image of the first, as the unseeded Czech broke early and raced to a 5-2 lead.
“The altitude isn't too much for me. When you put in a good serve, it works, and between points it’s not too bad because we’re not as high up as we are in Bogota or something. It’s so-so.”
Garcia surged back from the brink of defeat to force a tiebreak, but couldn't repeat the Houdini act in the sudden death, losing the first six points as Martincova clinched the win just ove the two hour mark.
Into her third WTA quarterfinal, she next plays either qualifier Antonia Lottner or former World No.7 Patty Schnyder, who won her first tour-level main draw match since 2011 after returning to tennis two years ago.
“I didn’t see the draw, so I don’t know who I’m playing next! I’m just playing every point, and it doesn’t matter if it’s a first round, second round or final for me. It’s really just every single match.”
