Absolute maximum penalty

Julia Grabher teaches Canadian a lesson

Julia Grabher was delighted.(Bild: GEPA pictures)

At the Billie Jean King Cup, Julia Grabher and the ÖTV team suffered an extremely bitter 2:3 defeat against Ukraine. At the ITF tournament in Boca Raton (US), however, the 28-year-old from Vorarlberg had every reason to be happy at the start. 

It took just 54 minutes before Julia Grabher's working day on the clay court was over. Against the 15-year-old Canadian Selin Vakalapudi (WTA no. 1362), who had slipped into the main draw of the ITF W50 tournament in Florida thanks to a wild card, the Dornbirn native didn't give herself the slightest chance and gave her opponent a lesson.

Vakalapudi only managed five points in the first set and just one in the first three games. It only took 20 minutes for the Vorarlberg player to win the first set 6:0.

Rebellion only lasted a short time
The Canadian started the second set in fighting form and even had a break point. But Grabher - currently ranked 524th in the WTA rankings - was not impressed, routinely kept the upper hand, pulled her game through and sent Vakalapudi to the showers after just under an hour of play with the maximum penalty of 0:6 and 0:6.

Now the number one awaits
The top seed from Spain, Carlota Martinez Cirez, now awaits Austria's former number one in the round of 16. The 203rd-ranked player in the world won her opening match against US qualifier Rhiann Newborn 6:1 and 6:1.