Christina McHale has had a year to forget, but she’s hoping her 2013 U.S. Open experience will be one to remember.
She took the first step yesterday with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Julia Goerges to advance to the second round — her first win in almost four months. The 21-year old Teaneck native had an awful summer, losing in the first or qualifying round of four Open tuneups, but didn’t blame it on her health, saying she was fully recovered from a bout with mononucleosis.
“I started the year and I was over the mono, but I still didn’t feel like physically I was back to my full strength,” McHale said. “I would say a couple months into the year, I felt like I was physically fine.”
McHale was sharp yesterday, looking nothing like the player who had slipped to No. 114 in the world and more like the one who was ranked No. 24 a year ago after making the third round at the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon. McHale said she knows she can return to form.
“It’s been hard to stay positive throughout the whole year with definitely some low points,” she said. “But I think I have always felt like I could get my game back. It was just a matter of when it was going to be.”
McHale held all nine of her service games, had just 13 unforced errors for her first victory since the first round at Wimbledon in June and won all seven points at net. Next up is Elina Svitolina in the second round.
“I think a match like today really will help me, and hopefully I can continue to build on this for the rest of the year,” she said. “I think I’m heading in the right direction, but I just have to keep working hard.”
McHale’s best U.S. Open performance came two years ago, when she reached the third round. Having the tournament in her own backyard is also a huge advantage. She even beat the traffic, arriving at the Billie Jean King Tennis Center yesterday in 30 minutes.
“I still live in New Jersey, I stay at home during the tournament,” she said. “This does really feel like home for me, this tournament. I think it definitely helps to have that [crowd] support.”