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Stefanos Tsitsipas enjoyed an incident-free path into the third round of the French Open with a straight sets win over Roberto Carballes Baena on Wednesday.
Chasing his first Grand Slam title Tsitsipas made a sluggish start to his campaign at Roland Garros against Jiri Vesely but the fifth seed looked back to his best against Carballes Baena, as he came through a mid-match test to beat the Spaniard 6-3 7-6(4) 6-2.
World number two Aryna Sabalenka, who will take over the top spot from Poland’s Iga Swiatek with victory at Paris, fought off a determined challenge from fellow Belarusian Iryna Shymanovich on Wednesday to move into the third round with a 7-5 6-2 victory as she eyes the world number one spot.
Anna Blinkova later dashed French hopes with a stunning 4-6 6-3 7-5 win over fifth seed Caroline Garcia, finally wrapping up the thrilling contest on her ninth matchpoint.
Meanwhile, three-times quarter-finalist Elina Svitolina took a leaf out of her husband Gael Monfils’ playbook following the local hero’s epic win over Sebastian Baez a day earlier to script her own comeback and down Australian Storm Hunter 2-6 6-3 6-1.
Former champion Jelena Ostapenko had not made second week at Roland Garros in her last five appearances and the 2017 winner’s disappointing run continued as unseeded American Peyton Stearns prevailed 6-3 1-6 6-2 in their second-round clash.
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The feisty Latvian’s exit along with 2021 champion Barbora Krejcikova’s defeat by Lesia Tsurenko a day earlier means holder Iga Swiatek is the only remaining winner of the Suzanne Lenglen Cup remaining in the women’s draw.
World number three Jessica Pegula, who is hoping to hoist her maiden Grand Slam trophy on the Parisian clay, advanced into the third round after her ailing Italian opponent Camila Giorgi retired after losing the opening set 6-2.
