“Caro” has launched her 2023 Australian Open well. Caroline Garcia met the Canadian qualifier Katherine Sebov (190th) on Tuesday. Without surprise, the Lyon native dictated her law and proved to be ruthless. A very authoritative success, 6-3, 6-0 in just over an hour. A great show of strength with 22 winners and only one lost point behind the first ball. The Canadian could only manage one small winning shot in the match… The second round will be much more complex against a former US Open finalist, Leylah Fernandez.
In a press conference, the Lyon native was satisfied with her performance. “A first round is always stressful. Playing on the Central, the girl I did not know … It was hot, the ball is fast, so controlling it is not easy. I had to find my rhythm and the right intensity. I stayed positive to see in the medium term and progress throughout the match.”
Of course, everything changed around Caro Garcia. In the deadlock for long between 2021 and 2022, the Tricolor found the tops during the summer of 2022. The offers of partners are much more numerous. This is also one of the aspects of success in sport. “The most important thing is to let the athlete speak for himself. If people are hooked, that’s the most important thing. There have been a few opportunities, a few people knocking on the door. That’s good. As long as the values are the same, that’s the main thing. Business is tough right now. We feel that Covid has gone through and everyone is negotiating hard (smile),” she said.
Moreover, “Caro” has admitted to have been approached by Netflix, creator of the series Break Point, which shows the backstage of tennis. For the moment, the Lyonnaise does not seem to have been convinced. “My agent had a meeting with Netflix. They asked to see us. You have to weigh the pros and cons. It’s pretty intrusive so if you’re not comfortable, there’s no point in doing it. My team has watched the episodes, I’m waiting for Australia to watch. It’s not easy to judge. The Tricolor in the program of a season 2? Obviously possible.
Finally, the Frenchwoman projected herself on her future target: Leylah Fernandez. “I don’t know her that well,” Garcia admitted. “She has played well in Grand Slams. If she beat Alizé, it’s because she’s pretty solid. These are good challenges and you have to go through that. The fact that she’s left-handed, it takes a little bit of time to adapt. She uses the outside slice a lot. We will work on it to find a good adjustment. Those are adaptations you have to be able to make because there are some good lefties on the circuit.” Duel scheduled for Thursday. First clash between the two women.