Garcia struggled with ‘feelings’ in Australian Open defeat

Title contender Caroline Garcia stated she “shot herself within the foot” as nerves acquired the higher of her in a last-16 defeat on the Australian Open on Monday.

The fourth seed was one of many favourites for the primary Grand Slam of the yr however was bundled out by Forty fifth-ranked Magda Linette 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 within the final 16.

France’s Garcia, who was ranked 74th a yr in the past however rose to fourth by the top of 2022, managed to land solely 49 % of her first serves, which she put all the way down to nerves.

As the stress grew, it left her having “a tough time holding my feelings below management, placing my sport in place and releasing myself ahead”, she advised French reporters at Melbourne Park.

The writing had been on the wall for Garcia within the earlier spherical, when she wanted 2hr 10min to keep away from a large upset towards world quantity 158 Laura Siegemund after dropping the primary set 6-1.

“What was not fluid in my sport value me dearly,” she stated in feedback in French, after making 33 unforced errors towards Linette, who solely tallied 14.

“What’s annoying is that I can not free myself, I can not put my sport collectively,” stated Garcia, who gained the 2022 season-ending WTA Tour finals.

“I did not go to the online a lot, and that is what I am most upset about.”

Requested if being one of many favourites for the title had been an excessive amount of to deal with, she replied: “Sure, I believe so.

“It is one of many issues I am not snug with.

“I’ve to work on it to handle it higher. There may be the strain that you just placed on your self in relation to what you wish to do.

“Usually, when the rating goes up, it goes up with it.

“My very own expectations are fairly excessive and perhaps I am capturing myself within the foot.”

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