Tauson boots Brady out of tournament, Pliskova survives first-round scare
All the breaking news and results from Day 3 of the women’s singles at Roland Garros, including a scare for second seed Karolina Pliskova and a big upset engineered by Clara Tauson.
Pliskova Roland Garros 2020
The results we expected
Jelena Ostapenko announced herself to the tennis world by upsetting Simona Halep to win the French Open in 2017. Although Ostapenko has endured a topsy-turvy run of success and failure in more recent years, much is still expected of her. She was a considerable favorite at Roland-Garros on Tuesday and had no problems in breezing past Madison Brengle 6-2, 6-1 in an hour and two minutes. 1
Meanwhile, 14th-seeded Elena Rybakina was also in cruise control while sweeping aside Sorana Cirstea 6-0, 6-3. No 26 seed Donna Vekic eased past qualifier Irina Bara 6-3, 6-4.
Australian Open champion and No 4 seed Sofia Kenin held off Ludmilla Samsonova 5-4, 3-6, 6-3. Kenin is joined in the second round by fellow American and former French Open runner-up Sloane Stephens, who dismissed Vitalia Diatchenko 6-2, 6-2.
The surprises of the day
The big surprise early in the day came on Court Simonne-Mathieu, as Danish qualifier Clara Tauson upset US Open semi-finalist and 21st-seeded Jennifer Brady 6-4, 3-6, 9-7.
Great Dane 🇩🇰
17-year-old qualifier Clara Tauson earns a first Grand Slam main draw win upsetting No. 21 Brady 4-6 6-3 9-7.#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/FuPSufsvtH
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) September 29, 2020
There was almost an even bigger shock before that, as No 2 seed Karolina Pliskova had to battle hard from a set down to overcome another qualifier — Egyptian Mayar Sherif.
Pliskova ended up surviving 6-7(9), 6-2, 6-4.
No easy matches 😅
No. 2 Pliskova survives a grueling encounter with Sherif 6-7(9) 6-2 6-4 to reach the second round.#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/JTCkbkIz7G
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) September 29, 2020
On paper, it looked a fairly even matchup when Kristina Mladenovic met Laura Siegemund. But at 5-1 up in the opening set, Mladenovic seemed to be cruising. After five set points came and went and a bizarre incident saw her lose one of those set points after a double-bounce wasn’t spotted, the Frenchwoman again capitulated and went down 7-5, 6-3.
The hard-fought battles of the day
There were many hard-fought battles on Day 3 of the tournament, none more so than the Brady vs. Tauson epic that lasted two hours and 45 minutes. Sherif and Pliskova weren’t far behind that in a match lasting two hours and 15 minutes.
Another notable three-set victor was American Danielle Collins, who fought from a set down to beat Monica Niculescu. Meanwhile, Belgian Alison van Uytvanck also came from a set behind to defeat Rebecca Peterson 2-6, 6-3, 6-1.
In her comeback win, Collins was especially thriller when she returned an underarm serve by Niculescu for a winner.
Some asked for the audio. #RG20 pic.twitter.com/padD2TFbGJ
— tennis gifs 🎾🎥 (@tennis_gifs) September 29, 2020
- Also read: Berrettini blasts Pospisil off the court, Humbert out in first round
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- Also read: Sinner sends Goffin packing from Paris, Isner and Fritz advance
- Also read: Covid-19, rain, cold, heavy balls: A Roland-Garros like no other
