Stosur rallies for a victory in first round of qualifying

NEW HAVEN —Samantha Stosur couldn’t be happier that the summer of 2017 is in the rearview mirror after missing the entire summer recovering from a fractured right hand, including having to withdraw from playing at the Connecticut Open and U.S. Open.

Stosur returned to action in the fall of 2017 but said she didn’t start feeling 100 percent until March.

She has been enjoying the summer of 2018 and on Friday, despite a 30-minute delay during her match with American Christina McHale, the summer got a little bit sweeter with a comeback victory in the first round of qualifying at the Connecticut Open tennis tournament.

Falling behind 3-1 in the first set, Stosur used her power game, including eight aces, to rebound for a 6-3, 6-2 win over McHale.

“Christina came out playing aggressive; she’s ridiculously strong,” Stosur said. “But during the break it allowed me to think about a few things in the match.”

With Stosur trailing 2-1 in the first set, the match was stopped when a Connecticut Open usher in the bleachers passed out. It was due to lack of food and water, according to tournament director Anne Worcester.

There was a nearly 30minute delay while the usher, alert and responsive, was being tended to, and he was eventually taken by ambulance to Yale New Haven Hospital for precautionary measures.

“During the break I thought to myself that I should be playing better,” Stosur said. “I needed to play more freely. It was humid so the balls weren’t flying super quick. I told myself I have a big serve, I should use it, and I started serving better.”

After winning the first set, Stosur took a 4-0 lead in the second set and cruised to her two-set match victory.

“I’ve had some rough losses the past few weeks, but it’s been a much better summer than last year,” Stosur said. “I’m 100 percent now. At Indian Wells in March I started getting my swing back; I changed racquets and tinkered with some things.

“Now, I’m playing better tennis.”

16-YEAR-OLD OSUIGWE CRUISES

Staying positive and giving opponents different looks on the court are two factors that have contributed to 16-year-old Whitney Osuigwe’s success as the

No. 1 junior in the world and reigning French Open junior champion.

Both qualities served her well in the first round of qualifying at the Connecticut Open.

Osuigwe cruised to a 6-3, 6-3 win over fellow American Asia Muhammad .

After winning the first set Osuigwe, playing in her second WTA event, took advantage of the rule that allows players to talk to their coach between sets.

“Talking to my coach helped me in the second set,” Osuigwe said. “I needed someone to remind me what I needed to do, to keep me focused.”

After the talk, Osuigwe went on to win the first four games in the second set. But Muhammad — who recently earned a wild-card entry into the U.S. Open after winning the sevenevent U.S. Open Wild Card Challenge — responded by winning three of the next four games.

“She started playing well and serving good,”

Osuigwe said. “I just stayed positive. She has a strong serve and when I face someone with a strong serve I give them different looks to throw off their serve.”