In a super match to round out Tuesday’s schedule at the 2015 Porsche Grand Prix in Stuttgart, Ekaterina Makarova edged Bethanie Mattek-Sands in a tight two setter, 6-4 7-6(3) in one hour and 39 minutes.  It is these kind of matches why I love Stuttgart…

Both players were in good form and there was very little separate to the pair on the winners and unforced errors front; Mattek-Sands hit 24 winners to 25 unforced errors while Makarova posted almost identical figures with 25 winners to 23 unforced errors.  Makarova just played the big points a bit better in this match.  She served for the match at 6-4 *6-5, getting up to a high ball and crunching a forehand winner down-the-line to seal her second break of serve in the match.  She was two points from the match when serving for it but some wayward hitting saw Mattek-Sands come back and push the match into a tiebreak.  Makarova’s temper threatened to boil over, but she got the job done in straight sets.

I can’t remember ever seeing Makarova so vocal and agitated on court.  In her last few matches she has looked pissed, particularly against Timea Bacsinszky in Indian Wells and to an extent, against Andrea Petkovic in Miami, but today she was really emotional on court and looked closed to a meltdown…

I agree with @CarosWrist… As a top ten player, there is a lot more pressure on Makarova’s shoulders and it certainly seems to be showing out on court.  For the most part, she played a really decent match, but I don’t see how those negative emotions are going to help her.  Of course, it’s not as easy just to stop venting if that’s how you feel inside.  Makarova’s results have dipped since Melbourne although she has a prime opportunity to reach the quarter-finals in Stuttgart where she will play the world number 194, Marina Melnikova in the second round.

I feel a bit for Mattek-Sands because she played well.  She kept her intensity going throughout the match, but failed to take a few opportunities at the start of the second set that may have given her the momentum to go on and take the second set.  Beth has played some good ball in her last three matches (l. to Townsend in Indian Wells and l. to Stephens in Charleston).  I feel like Beth is due a deep run in a tournament soon.  She has had some excellent results on the clay in the past few years, most notably in 2013 when she reached the semi-finals of Stuttgart and last 16 at Roland Garros.  It’s still surprising to see her ranked at #182 in the world but with performances like this, she’s bound to start climbing the rankings again soon…

Photo in this post by Jimmie48 Tennis Phototgraphy