Caroline Garcia delivered one of her best performances of the year against Karolina Muchova but the 11th-seeded Czech still escaped with a 7-6 (3) 7-6 (0) Cincinnati second-round win.
The Frenchwoman, who is playing one of her last tournaments as a tennis pro, struggled heavily with her form earlier this year before earning her first victory since March by beating Sonay Kartal in the Cincinnati first round.
Against Muchova, Garcia entered as the heavy underdog – considering the circumstances. Although the Czech claimed an early break, the former world No. 4 refused to quit and ultimately managed to force a first-set tie-break – where they were tied to three points apiece before the No. 11 seed stepped up and took the next four points.
Down by a set, Garcia bounced back by earning a break in the very first game of the second set. While Muchova managed to get that break back, the Frenchwoman also saved three match points in the 10th game before forcing another tie-break. Unfortunately for the 2022 WTA Finals, that was all she could have done since the Czech absolutely dominated the tie-break to complete a two-set win.
Muchova plays next against Varvara Gracheva.
Garcia's candid admission on why she is retiring
The 31-year-old Frenchwoman, who is currently ranked at No. 201 in the world, admitted that she accepted that returning to the best wasn't possible for her.
"I’ve been at the top and what it takes to be at the top again, I don’t have the strength to do it anymore. And that’s fine. At one moment, you have to take another way and open another chapter of your life," the 2022 US Open semifinalist said in Cincinnati.
Caroline Garcia, on why she decided to stop her career:
"I’ve been at the top and what it takes to be at the top again, I don’t have the strength to do it anymore. And that’s fine. At one moment, you have to take another way and open another chapter of your life."
(via @tennis) pic.twitter.com/hC5fp5JrOm
— We Are Tennis (@WeAreTennis) August 10, 2025
Garcia still has at least one more tournament left to play since she received a main draw wildcard for the US Open.
