Hailey Baptiste tried everything she could think of — a behind-the-back volley, a running tweener, a blazing 121-mph second serve.
None of it shook the implacable Emma Navarro.
With a hometown crowd cheering her on at Credit One Stadium on Daniel Island, the 11th-ranked Navarro opened her sixth Credit One Charleston Open with a 6-4, 6-3 win over the 90th-ranked Baptiste on April 2.
In the next round, the fourth-seeded Navarro will face American Ashlyn Krueger, the No. 15 seed who defeated Katie Volynets 6-3, 7-6 (4) ven though Baptiste isn’t rated highly, just 90th, she has huge ground strokes. The only trouble is she can’t consistently keep enough of those type shots on the court to run up the rankings.
“It feels good to get a win under my belt here in Charleston,” Navarro said. “First rounds (or first matches in this case) are never easy, and especially playing in your hometown you want to do as well as you can in front of the fans and family and friends.
“So, I definitely felt a little bit of pressure today.”
Baptiste appeared to have Navarro a little on an untied rope when she took Navarro’s serve to love-40 in the ninth game of the second set. But then Navarro obviously took the situation very seriously and won the next five points with the aid of a pair of backhand drop shots to close out the midday match.
THINGS COULD GET TOUGH IN ROUND OF 16
Things could get a little tougher for Navarro in the round of 16 against 15th seed Ashlyn Krueger, a 20-year-old American who has been ranked as high as No. 34.
Navarro admitted that her opponents are now trying to hit her off the court with powerful shots, such as Baptiste attempted.
None of it shook the implacable Emma Navarro.
With a hometown crowd cheering her on at Credit One Stadium on Daniel Island, the 11th-ranked Navarro opened her sixth Credit One Charleston Open with a 6-4, 6-3 win over the 90th-ranked Baptiste on April 2.
In the next round, the fourth-seeded Navarro will face American Ashlyn Krueger, the No. 15 seed who defeated Katie Volynets 6-3, 7-6 (4) ven though Baptiste isn’t rated highly, just 90th, she has huge ground strokes. The only trouble is she can’t consistently keep enough of those type shots on the court to run up the rankings.
“It feels good to get a win under my belt here in Charleston,” Navarro said. “First rounds (or first matches in this case) are never easy, and especially playing in your hometown you want to do as well as you can in front of the fans and family and friends.
“So, I definitely felt a little bit of pressure today.”
Baptiste appeared to have Navarro a little on an untied rope when she took Navarro’s serve to love-40 in the ninth game of the second set. But then Navarro obviously took the situation very seriously and won the next five points with the aid of a pair of backhand drop shots to close out the midday match.
THINGS COULD GET TOUGH IN ROUND OF 16
Things could get a little tougher for Navarro in the round of 16 against 15th seed Ashlyn Krueger, a 20-year-old American who has been ranked as high as No. 34.
Navarro admitted that her opponents are now trying to hit her off the court with powerful shots, such as Baptiste attempted.
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