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Patience the key for Swiatek as Rybakina finds comfort on clay

Last year's runner-up Casper Ruud turns on the style to quell the challenge of Italian qualifier Giulio Zeppieri 6-3 6-2 4-6 7-5

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Poland's Iga Swiatek in action during her second round match against Claire Liu of the U.S. - Reuters

By AP

Published: Thu 1 Jun 2023, 6:42 PM

Last updated: Thu 1 Jun 2023, 9:28 PM

Defending champion Iga Swiatek overcame a minor blip to secure her spot in the third round of the French Open with a 6-4 6-0 victory over American Claire Liu on Thursday.

The world number one, looking to lift the Suzanne Lenglen Cup for the third time in four years, started strongly before briefly struggling on Court Philippe Chatrier.

With several sponsors seats empty in the middle of the afternoon, the Pole picked herself up quickly to end Liu's campaign in brutal fashion.

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"It' not easy when you play with the wind and change sides to play against it. I'm happy I raised my level in the second set," said Swiatek, who turned 22 on Wednesday.

"Patience is important, especially on clay."

Elena Rybakina's comfort on clay improved as she eased into the third round beating another Czech teenager on Thursday.

The Wimbledon champion, the No. 4 seed at Roland Garros, beat 18-year-old Linda Noskova 6-3, 6-3 on Court Suzanne Lenglen.

“I cannot say that here it’s easy for me. It’s still every match getting better and better,” Rybakina said on court. “It was a bit slippery for me today, I don’t know why.”

She ought to be feeling cosy on dirt after winning the Italian Open, but the 6-foot (1.8-meter) Kazakh is banking most of her confidence on her height advantage.

“This is my good weapon,” she said, “but, at the same time, to move on clay it’s not easy. It’s always I need more to prepare and, of course, be more patient during the rallies.”

The Australian Open runner-up hit 30 winners to Noskova's 16, though both players had 26 unforced errors.

“I was struggling a lot on her serves,” the Moscow-born Rybakina said.

No. 20 Madison Keys committed a whopping 74 unforced errors in her 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 loss to fellow American player Kayla Day on Court Simonne Mathieu.

The 23-year-old Day, who won the girls' title at the 2016 U.S. Open, is ranked 138th and came through qualifying to make her Roland Garros main-draw debut. She beat French wild card Kristina Mladenovic in the first round.

Norway's Casper Ruud showed steel to overpower Italian qualifier Giulio Zeppieri 6-3 6-2 4-6 7-5. - AFP

In men's action Last year's runner-up Casper Ruud turned on the style at the French Open before the fourth seed showed steel to quell Italian qualifier Giulio Zeppieri 6-3 6-2 4-6 7-5 and move into the third round.

The Norwegian brought a touch of flair to Court Philippe Chatrier in classy blue pinstriped shorts and barely fluffed his lines early on, forcing an inexperienced Zeppieri into a corner by badgering him from the baseline.

Ruud's performance on clay this year has ebbed and flowed but the Estoril champion made quick work of the first set under the Parisian sun after being gifted the decisive break when Zeppieri blasted a forehand long.

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The world number four raced through the next set to double his advantage as the left-handed Zeppieri sprayed the errors in a nervy display before regaining composure to peg Ruud back.

Ruud's superb court coverage ensured he broke for a 3-2 lead in the fourth set but Zeppieri struck back to level at 5-5 with a fiery inside-out winner, only to surrender serve immediately and allow Ruud to close out the victory.

AP

Published: Thu 1 Jun 2023, 6:42 PM

Last updated: Thu 1 Jun 2023, 9:28 PM

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