Canadian World No. 197 Carson Branstine overcame French Open semifinalist Lois Boisson 6-2 6-7 6-4 in an error-strewn but exciting Wimbledon first qualifying round to set up a tantalising all-Canadian encounter against 2019 US Open champion and doubles partner Bianca Andreescu.
Branstine, who has been plagued by injuries in recent years, stood firm at the end of a chaotic final set to claim her second big win in as many weeks after defeating defending champion Liudmila Samsonova in the Libéma Open Round of 32.
Boisson Fails To Replicate Roland Garros Magic on Grass
Boisson, who failed to secure a Wimbledon wild card despite a magical run to the semifinals at Roland Garros, was playing her first career match on grass–and at times, it showed, especially in a first set where Branstine was swinging freely and causing her opponent all sorts of problems.
Boisson did not look fazed at losing the first set and started to find her range on the grass in the second, securing a break to go 4-2 up. From this point the match descended into a tense, error-filled affair, with Boisson losing serve from set point up, before Branstine forced the set into a tie-break, then capitulated to lose it 7-1.
Although there were patches of good play in the deciding set, it almost fell into a side event of unforced errors bingo, with Boisson completely losing focus to gift Branstine a 3-0 lead, before the nerves kicked in for the Canadian, whose forehand and slice completely evaporated, giving Boisson an easy route back to 4-4. With composure and nerves gone in both players, it was the Canadian who found some consistency to hold serve, then get over the line, breaking the Boisson serve on match point at the first time of asking.
Boisson will surely be disappointed with the number of errors she handed out today but will learn from this experience ahead of next year and, despite a massive wobble, Branstine was the deserving winner.
Clinical Andreescu Glides Through To Second Round With No Fuss
Unlike her occasional doubles partner Branstine, Andreescu was given a stress free path into the second round of qualifying against Brazilian Laura Pigossi. She started the match with a break of serve, which she consolidated quickly for a 2-0 lead. From there, Pigossi was unable to make the Canadian unsettled, eventually getting broken again to see the first set slip away 6-2.
The killer blow came in an epic third game of the second set. Andreescu, who had already broken Pigossi’s serve in the first game of the set, was forced to deuce after earning a double-break point. She carved out three further break points, which the Brazilian held off stoically, but when Pigossi failed to take any of her chances to seal the game, Andresscu earned a fifth and decisive break point to take a 3-0 lead.
Although Pigossi got on the board at 4-1, Andreescu finished off in style, and with the match endingjust shy of 70 minutes, she will have plenty left in the barrel going into the exciting second-round showdown with her good friend.
Main Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
