Elise Mertens wins the final of the Caen Open, after a painful double fault

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The spectators of theOpen the tennis de Caen (Calvados) could expect a tough match in the final of the women's table, this Monday, December 9, 2024, at the Palais des Sports. It was. If Elise Mertens (34th player in the world) was able to win (7/5, 6/4), she had to show arguments to undermine the game of her opponent, the American Bernarda Pera (74th).

A tight first set

The fifth game of the first set clearly illustrated the general state of mind. The players went blow for blow. Tied after the first exchanges, the advantages to bend the game alternated from one camp to the other, before Elise Mertens had the last word (3-2). She then seemed launched, breaking, then confirming on her serve (5-2). But his opponent refused to let go of the sleeve slip away and came back into contact (5-5).

It was enough to re-mobilize Elise Mertens who signed a shutout (6-5), before breaking his opponent to take the first set. She could then raise her arms to ask for encouragement from the audience.

A double fault that hurts

In difficulty on her second service game, the Belgian remained focused as when she began to fend off a break point from her opponent at 1-1 in the first set, before taking the game (2-1). Confident in her tennis, she took control of the game (4-1). However, Bernarda Pera put up resistance (4-3).

She even came back tied (4-4), despite a good defense offered by the Belgian player, eighth finalist at the last US Open. To outsmart her opponent, she then had to show cunning like this brilliant lift to regain the advantage at 4-4, followed behind by a direct error from the American (5-4). On the decisive game, the American committed a double fault who offered a match point to his opponent. It was enough for Elise Mertens to win (6-4).

The Belgian is offering her first Caen Open. She succeeds Varvara Gracheva who won in the final in this same room, against Sarah Iliev.

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