Top-seeded Iga Swiatek and No. 4 Elena Rybakina didn’t leave much to chance on Thursday, cruising into the third round of the French Open in Paris.
Swiatek of Poland defeated Claire Liu 6-4, 6-0 in one hour and 29 minutes while Rybakina of Kazakhstan ousted Czech Linda Noskova 6-3, 6-3 in one hour, 26 minutes.
Swiatek converted 6 of 8 break opportunities and hit 24 winners in an efficient showing.
Meanwhile, Rybakina improved to 11-2 on clay this season and 9-4 for her career at Roland Garros. She blasted five aces, converted 79 percent of her first serves and posted 30 winners as she continues to get more comfortable on clay.
“My first WTA win was on clay, so from that point I thought I actually can play on clay,” Rybakina told reporters in her post-match press conference. “I think it depends where, the conditions, how is the weather, balls. I think it’s just for me different and longer preparations physically just because you need to slide a lot,” she added. “Physically the rallies are longer, more patient. But I think that I can play good. Just with experience over the years and matches I can get just better and better.”
No. 20 Madison Keys dropped a three-set decision to fellow American Kayla Day. No. 22 Donna Vekic fell as Bernarda Pera rallied for a 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory.
No. 14 Beatriz Haddad Maia needed two hours and 43 minutes to get past Diana Shnaider 6-2, 5-7, 6-4. No. 23 Ekaterina Alexandrova advanced with a 6-2, 6-0 win over German Anna-Lena Friedsam.
The day’s other early winners included Mirra Andreeva, Elisabetta Cocciaretto, Sara Sorribes Tormo, Anna Karolina Schmiedlova and Xinyu Wang.
Andreeva, 16, became the youngest player to reach the third round in Paris since 2005.
–Field Level Media
