Flushing Meadows, NY – All is going well for Christina McHale once again. In fact, so well, she is actually saving money this year going to the US Open, to the tune of about 30 dollars per day.
“I have been playing this tournament for so many years now, and every year we have driven,” said McHale, who won her first match against Julia Goerges, 6-4 6-3. “Then this year we decided to ask. Let’s see if transport will take us. We fit within the radius they go, so it’s really nice.”
With that she saves $15 dollars for the George Washington Bridge and $15.00 for the Triboro. And that’s not even figuring in gas.
But transportation aside, McHale is making some sort of comeback this year. After taking sick with mononucleosis last year, McHale has to take a step back. It took her months to get better and ultimately get back to the level she was last year when she was the No. 21 seed in Flushing Meadows.
“Yeah, I got sick at the end of last year, and then, you know, I lacked a lot of match play in the beginning of the year,” McHale said. “It’s hard to ‑‑ without a lot of matches, it’s hard to gain some confidence. And I lost some tight matches.
“It’s definitely been a struggle this year, but I think, you know, I’m working really hard in practice. I’m doing the right things, so I think like a match like today really will help me, and hopefully I can continue to build on this for the rest of the year.”
The 21 year-old from Englewood Cliff, NJ is become played everyone expected last year – a girl with a big serve, who can ultimately become the next great American. Unfortunately the mono forced her to go backwards and return to her original coaches for a big. But McHale said, she is starting to feel normal again and hopes she can get back to the form she shed at the London Olympics last year.
“This is just one match, so I don’t want to get too ahead of myself.,” she said. “I have a tough next match. I think I’m heading in the right direction.
“And, yeah, I think I’m getting back to the basics of my game more. I felt like my consistency was a lot better than previous matches this past summer.
“I think I’m headed in the right direction, but I just have to keep working hard, I think.”
Well, at least she doesn’t have to worry about the tolls.
McHale plays Elina Svitolina in the second round.
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