SACHIA Vickery continues to show that her recent crack into tennis’ top 100 female players in the world was no fluke, when she easily brushed aside Canadian Eugenie Bouchard in straight sets (6-3, 6-4) to advance to the round-of-64 at the Indian Wells.

While it was the first pro clash between the two, Vickery lost the previous two outings in the junior ranks in three sets, at the Pan American Closed Championships in 2009 and the Yucatan Cup in 2011, but this time, she comfortably claimed the 21st WTA main draw win and clinched the second round in Indian Wells for the second time, after losing to Varvara Lepchenko in 2015.

Vickery, 22, after the match, stated “Bouchard is very tough; there is no secret, that’s why she’s been such a successful player. She always keeps you aware and she’s so aggressive and tough to play. I just tried to play smart and take my chances when I had the opportunity.”

The win places Vickery in a position to face her toughest opponent to-date; world number three-ranked Garbiñe Muguruza.
Looking ahead to her clash against Muguruza, Vickery pointed out: “I’m just going to take in everything I can from today and try to be ready for the next match physically and mentally.”

Muguruza defeated Venus Williams to win the 2017 Wimbledon Championship and the 2016 French Open title. Muguruza first came into prominence by reaching the last 16 of the 2014 Australian Open, where she scored an upset over current world #2 ranked Caroline Wozniacki who had defeated Vickery in the semi-finals of the Auckland Classic in January.

She then defeated Serena Williams in the second round of the French Open that same year (2014), beating the-then world No. 1 in straight sets en route to the quarterfinals.
In 2015, at the Wimbledon Championships, she sailed to her first-ever Grand Slam final but lost to Serena Williams then went on to win her maiden premier-level crown by capturing the China Open title.