Anett Kontaveit had to dig deep to secure a first-round victory over Jil Teichmann at the WTA 500 tournament in Russia. As the tournament's No. 2 seed, trailing only Maria Sakkari, Kontaveit overcame the Swiss opponent in a rollercoaster three-set match, finishing 6-3, 1-6, 6-3. This win was vital for the Estonian, who arrived in Russia seeking redemption after a disappointing Australian Open campaign that ended prematurely in the second round via a straight-sets loss to Clara Tauson.
Anett Kontaveit was made to dig deep to defeat Jil Teichmann in the first round of the WTA 500 ladies’ tournament in Russia. Anett Kontaveit, who is seeded No. 2 behind Maria Sakkari, defeated the Swiss player in a three-set game 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 on the opening day of the tournament. The Estonian player came into the tournament after a disappointing show in the Australian Open. She crashed out in straight sets to 19-year-old Clara Tauson in round two.
Looking at their history, Kontaveit had won both of their matchups the year before, one of which was a decisive straight-sets victory at the U.S. Open. Their recent encounter was much more grueling, stretching across nearly two hours of play. Kontaveit recorded three aces but was hampered by seven double faults, while both players showed resilience by saving six of nine break points each.
The match didn't start in Kontaveit's favor; a sluggish start led to an early break of serve, putting her down 1-2. However, she managed to shift the momentum, fighting back to level the score at 2-2. After successfully defending another break point in the subsequent game, the Estonian took command of the set, eventually winning it 6-3.
The second set saw a complete reversal of fortune as Jil Teichmann stepped up her game. The Swiss player dominated from the start, racing to a 3-0 lead and maintaining that control throughout. Teichmann was relentless, breaking Kontaveit twice and shutting down any attempt at a comeback. The difference in precision was stark: Kontaveit struggled with 22 unforced errors, while Teichmann remained composed with only six. This dominance allowed the Swiss star to breeze through the set 6-1.
After the second set, Kontaveit appeared visibly shaken, as her game seemed to have fallen apart. However, she managed to reset her focus for the deciding set, adopting a much more aggressive, attacking strategy. By breaking Teichmann's second serve, she quickly built a comfortable 5-2 lead. Although the eighth game became a protracted struggle and Teichmann managed to hold her serve, Kontaveit remained in control. She dominated the following service game to seal the match with a 6-3 victory in the third.
Moving into the second round, Anett Kontaveit will face either the Czech Republic's Marketa Vondrousova or Romania's Sorana Cirstea. If she meets Vondrousova, she'll be fighting an uphill battle, as the Czech player leads their head-to-head 2-1. On the other hand, a matchup with Cirstea would be more favorable for Kontaveit, who has a perfect record of five wins from five matches against her.