Second Top 10 seed exits Roland-Garros as giant-killer Kanepi upsets Muguruza

Kaia Kanepi edged out Garbine Muguruza in three sets for her 15th career Top 10 win, 10 of which have come at the Majors

Estonia’s Kaia Kanepi in action during her first round match against Spain’s Garbine Muguruza at Roland-Garros Image Credit: AI / Reuters / Panoramic

Tennis Majors

May 22, 2022

Estonian veteran Kaia Kanepi has made a habit of taking out big names at Grand Slams. On the opening day of the 2022 Roland-Garros Championships, the 36-year-old added another Top 10 scalp to her impressive list by beating 10th seed Garbine Muguruza, of Spain, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the first round of the French Open.

Ranked No 46 in the world, Kanepi needed two hours and six minutes for the win, her 15th career Top 10 win, 10 of which have come at the Slams.

The Grand Slam specialist does it again! 👀@KanepiKaia knocks out 2016 champion Garbine Muguruza 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 to advance to the second round.#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/XHscZbCH02
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 22, 2022

Kanepi, a former world No 15, is an experienced cookie at Roland-Garros, playing in the main draw for the 15th time in her career and has been a two-time quarter-finalist in Paris (she has also played in the qualifying draw at Roland-Garros twice and has been a junior singles champion here).

The Estonian also reached the quarter-finals at the Australian Open in January, the seventh time she has reached the last eight at a Major, to complete a career set of Grand Slam quarter-finals.

For Muguruza, the loss continues a poor run of form in 2022, After winning the WTA Finals in November to end the season as world No 3, the Spaniard is now only 7-8 for the season.

Kanepi will now take on Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia in the second round.

Paris (Grand Slam): Other first-round results (Stade Roland-Garros, clay):