American stunned by fast-serving Spaniard in three set tussle
Christina McHale, the half Cuban American 29-year-old, was another seed to tumble at the Nottingham Open, outwitted by the speedy serves of Barcelona ace Georgina Garcia Perez.
The New Jersey star, who has represented the US at the Olympics, fell in three sets of attrition to Garcia Perez in a tough tussle 7-6(7) 6-4 7-5.
McHale edged the opening set courtesy of a tight tiebreak, and the no.18 seed was neck-and-neck in the second set until the Spaniard piled on the pressure to be rewarded by requiring a third set.
It was a game of cat-and-mouse in the final set, but 6’ 2” Garcia Perez held her nerve to record a shock result especially taking into account that she has never even won a singles match at the qualifying round for Wimbledon at Roehampton.
The 29-year-old’s reward is a showdown in the last 16 with Czech Republic’s Tereza Martincova, who easily accounted for Florida-based American Caroline Dolehide 6-2 6-3.
Zarina Diyas, who has twice progressed to the 4th Round at Wimbledon, defeated Australian Lizette Cabrera 4-6 6-3 6-4 to book a last 16 clash with either world no46 Shuai Zheng of China or Australian veteran Arina Rodionova.
🇪🇸 Georgina Garcia Perez 🇺🇸 Christina McHale
