World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka got off to a slow start Wednesday before downing Switzerland’s Jil Teichmann 6-3, 6-1 to reach the third round at the French Open
Sabalenka began her bid for a maiden Paris crown by dropping only one game against Kamilla Rakhimova in the opening round but the 27-year-old from Belarus faced far more resistance against Teichmann, who grabbed an early break to pile on the pressure.
The tricky left-hander troubled Sabalenka throughout the early part of the opening set but the top seed composed herself and pulled level at 3-3 before breaking her unseeded opponent again in the eighth game and taking control of the match.
“She started really well and played her best game. It’s always tricky against her,” Sabalenka said.
“Her variety is crazy. … I was trying to find the rhythm and I’m glad I held my serve from 3-1 down. I got more energy. It was a tough match, she made me work for every point and I’m very happy for this win.”
After going up a set, Sabalenka struck a stinging backhand winner to grab another break in the opening game of the second set and there was no doubt she would continue her imperious march through the French Open draw after she went 4-0 up.
She delivered the final blow in the form of a break in the seventh game, finishing when Teichmann sent a shot long to set up a meeting with another left-hander in Olga Danilovic, who downed Danielle Collins 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.
Meanwhile, defending champion Iga Swiatek dispatched 2021 U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu 6-1, 6-2 to extend her French Open winning streak to 23 straight matches.
Other women’s winners included 2024 runner-up Jasmine Paolini, Olympic gold medalist Zheng Qinwen and 18-year-old Canadian qualifier Victoria Mboko, while Olympic silver medalist and Wimbledon semifinalist Donna Vekic lost to unseeded American Bernarda Pera 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (10-3).
Information from Reuters and The Associated Press was used in this report.
