Tomljanović saves five match points to silence pro-Mexican crowd

(Getty/Hector Vivas)

Despite serving 13 double faults, Ajla Tomljanović has survived a crazy late-night epic in Monterrey after saving five match points.

The 32-year-old broke in the very first game of the match against the tenacious Mexican Renata Zarazúa, but conceded the opening set in a coin flip.

Searching for back-to-back victories for the first time since the end of June, Tomljanović forced the contest into a decider after being rewarded for accurate and powerful hitting in a seesawing affair.

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Up 4-1 in the third set, the Aussie was one point away from conceding five straight games and the match altogether, but somehow managed to fend off a total of five match points spread across two Zarazúa service games, including a 5-4, 40-15 lead for the latter.

With nothing to lose after breaking to earn a third set tiebreak, Tomljanović came out on top to win 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(1) in exactly three hours, silencing the Mexican crowd.

"I'm just really happy that I won... I don't know how many match points she had, but I've known her for a long time, and we practice together when we're home, so I always know it's going to be a tough battle," Tomljanović said of her opponent on court.

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Second seed Ekaterina Alexandrova awaits her in the round of 16, scheduled for no earlier than 12:45pm AEST on Thursday.

Tomljanović rises six places in the live WTA rankings to world No.78, as the 2022 US Open quarter-finalist aims to prepare for the final Grand Slam of the year in New York.

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