Garbine Muguruza produced an improved performance as she confidently dispatched Krystyna Pliskova 6-3 6-2 to secure a place in the last 32 at the 2020 French Open.
The Spaniard, 26, was not at her best in the first round. This meant she had to work very hard to see off Tamara Zidansek in three sets. But today it was a different story. Muguruza served well, hit 21 winners, and only made 13 unforced errors (a low number for her).
These excellent standards enabled the 2016 champion to wrap up a comfortable win in just 68 minutes. She will now face Danielle Collins in the third round. The big-hitting American beat exciting Danish prospect Clara Tauson 6-2 6-3.
“I’m very happy and very excited to be back in Paris because I won here a few years ago,” Muguruza said in her on-court interview. “That was a dream for me and my next dream will be to have a chance to win the tournament again.”
Sabalenka to face Jabeur
The winner of the clash between Muguruza and Collins may have to tackle a very tough fourth round as they will play either Aryna Sabalenka or Ons Jabeur.
Huge-hitter Sabalenka just edged out Daria Kasatkina in a extremely tight first set and then raced to victory in the second set to wrap up a 7-6(6) 6-0 win. Meanwhile, the ever-inventive Jabeur overcame Nao Hibino 7-6(4) 6-4.
Kvitova marches on
Petra Kvitova advanced to the third round of the French Open for the ninth time in her career courtesy of a comfortable 6-3 6-3 victory over Jasmine Paolini.
The Czech, 30, has had a solid if unspectacular season so far. But she has a great chance to go far at Roland Garros because she is now the only seed left in her quarter of the draw.
Kvitova’s next opponent will be 2019 French Open junior champion Leylah Fernandez. The Canadian teenager beat Polona Hercog 6-4 3-6 6-1 in the second round.
Whoever comes out on top in the Kvitova-Fernandez match will face either Clara Burel or Zhang Shuai in the last 16. The French teenager beat Angelique Kerber’s conqueror Kaja Juvan 7-6(6) 6-2. Meanwhile, the experienced Chinese player edged out Alize Cornet 6-4 7-6(4).
Kenin survives scare
Sofia Kenin fought back from a set down to defeat Ana Bogdan 3-6 6-3 6-2 on Court Philippe Chatrier.
The reigning Australian Open champion also faced two break points in the opening game of the second set. But she knuckled down and turned the match around to seal her place in the last 32.
Intriguingly, Kenin will now take on another Romanian in round three after the draw placed several in the same quarter. This time it will be Irina Bara across the net from the American. Bara led Alison Van Uytvanck 6-1 4-0 when the Belgian retired due to illness.
The winner of the Kenin-Bara match will face either Patricia Maria Tig or Fiona Ferro. The Romanian beat Christina McHale 6-4 6-3. Meanwhile, the Frenchwoman knocked out 14th seed Elena Rybakina 6-3 4-6 6-2.
Badosa achieves career milestone
It is a big day in the life of Paula Badosa. She upset 29th seed Sloane Stephens 6-4 4-6 6-2 to reach the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time in her career.
The Spaniard, 22, won the French Open as a junior in 2015. And she will undoubtedly be excited to make it through to the last 32 at senior level.
Badosa’s rewards for her achievement are a career-high world ranking of 78 and a third-round encounter with 2017 champion Jelena Ostapenko. The Latvian earned the most eye-catching result of the tournament so far when she beat Karolina Pliskova in straight sets. And she is starting to show the kind of form that could make her a real danger to everybody in the draw.
Whoever is victorious in the Ostapenko-Badosa match will take on either Laura Siegemund or Petra Martic in the last 16. Siegemund overcame Julia Goerges 1-6 6-1 6-3 in the all-German clash. Meanwhile, 13th seed Martic battled back from a set down to beat Veronika Kudermetova 6-7(1) 7-5 6-3.
