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Roland Garros Day 4: Serena withdraws, Azarenka out, Nadal cruises

  • Matt Trollope

Serena Williams’ bid for a record-equalling 24th major title will have to wait until 2021 after the American withdrew from the French Open on Wednesday, citing an Achilles injury.

And her section of the draw opened up even further when, shortly after her withdrawal, US Open finalist Victoria Azarenka went out of the event after winning just four games.

DRAW: French Open women's singles

Top seed Simona Halep restored some order with a straight-sets win, while there were few shocks on the men’s side as Rafael Nadal, Dominic Thiem, Alexander Zverev and Stan Wawrinka all progressed.

Williams withdraws, Halep advances

Three-time champion Williams revealed in a press conference that the Achilles injury she sustained in her US Open semifinal loss to Azarenka had not sufficiently healed, despite her rehab efforts.

As a result, her second-round opponent, wildcard Tsvetana Pironkova, moved through to the last 32 where she will meet Czech Barbora Krejcikova.

Halep got past fellow Romanian Irina-Camelia Begu to set up a rematch with No.25 seed Amanda Anisimova, who last year beat the then-defending champion in Paris to become the youngest major semifinalist in 12 years. 

SPOTLIGHT: Amanda Anisimova

The winner could face former world No.5 Eugenie Bouchard – the Canadian wildcard beat Daria Gavrilova in three sets – in the last 16, while third seed Elina Svitolina also reached the third round with a 6-3 0-6 6-2 win over Mexico’s Renata Zarazua. 

Coco Gauff was unable to join them; the 16-year-old American committed 19 double-faults in a 4-6 6-2 7-5 loss to Italian qualifier Martina Trevisan.

Upset of the day

Slovakia’s Anna Karolina Schmiedlova continued her resurgent run at Roland Garros, striking beautifully from the baseline to dismiss Azarenka in straight sets.

The world No.161, who entered the tournament on a protected ranking, was playing one of the game’s most in-form players – Azarenka, a US Open finalist, had won 15 of her past 17 matches – but she showed few nerves in completing a stunning 6-2 6-2 triumph. 

It was all the more impressive given she fell heavily on her knee midway through the match and required a medical timeout.

Former world No.26 Schmiedlova, who beat Venus Williams in round one, had lost 13 straight Grand Slam matches prior to Roland Garros, a streak dating back to 2015.

She next faces Argentinian qualifier Nadia Podoroska – who upset No.23 seed Yulia Putintseva – for a place in the fourth round at a Grand Slam tournament for the first time.

Nadal in cruise control

Twelve-time champion Nadal dropped just four games in a 6-1 6-0 6-3 drubbing of Mackenzie McDonald on Court Philippe Chatrier, a result which required just one hour and 40 minutes.

Nadal cannot face a seed until at least the quarterfinals; third-round opponent Stefano Travaglia knocked out former world No.4 Kei Nishikori while potential fourth-round opponent John Isner, the 21st seed, was stunned by qualifier Sebastian Korda, who next faces another qualifier in Pedro Martinez.

Nadal’s projected quarterfinal opponent, sixth seed Zverev, needed four hours to see off Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert 2-6 6-4 7-6(5) 4-6 6-4.

Zverev next faces 2018 Roland Garros semifinalist Marco Cecchinato – a qualifier who has now won five straight matches in Paris – while Cecchinato’s Italian countryman Jannik Sinner beat Benjamin Bonzi to reach the third round at a major for the first time.

Elsewhere, US Open champion Thiem saw off Jack Sock in straight sets and next plays the in-form No.28 seed Casper Ruud; beyond that he could face Wawrinka, who beat Dominik Koepfer in four.

Stat of the day

Zverev may be just 23 years of age, but the German has now played 20 matches at Grand Slam tournaments that have extended to five sets.

Coming off a five-set loss in the recent US Open final to Thiem, Zverev’s victory over Herbert improved his record in five-setters to an impressive 14-6; he has won 11 of his past 13.

DRAW: French Open men's singles

At Roland Garros, where he is a two-time quarterfinalist, Zverev has already played six five-set matches.

Zverev’s first ever Grand Slam main-draw match, at Wimbledon in 2015, was a five-set affair in which he defeated Teymuraz Gabashvili 6-3 1-6 6-3 3-6 9-7.

Match of the day

The tension of the five-set Zverev affair, or any match on Wednesday for that matter, could not surpass the drama that unfolded in the clash between Kiki Bertens and Sara Errani.

It was already one of the picks of the second round, given it pitted Bertens – the fifth seed and a former French Open semifinalist – against former world No.5 Errani, a French Open finalist in 2012.

Errani, now a 150th-ranked qualifier, served for the match three times and held a match point, yet couldn’t close out the Dutchwoman; so errant was her ball toss, which she repeatedly threw up yet caught to try again, that she received multiple time violations.

Bertens, cramping badly as the third set progressed, eventually won 7-6(5) 3-6 9-7, collapsing to the court in tears.

There was no handshake; Errani stormed off with a few choice words in Italian, while a stricken Bertens departed in a wheelchair.

Quotes of the day

“I treat myself after every winning and every losing, so it's not a difference. Every time I have a little bit of chocolate, but my life doesn't depend on the victory or losing, so I treat myself very well these days.”
- Simona Halep, who extended her winning streak to 16 matches after beating Irina-Camelia Begu 6-3 6-4.

“Honestly I think I'm quite fit. Sometimes I just feel like I find a way, like today. Today I was not the better player on court. I was not hitting my forehand better, not hitting my backhand better, not serving better. I was not doing anything better than he did. But I found a way.”
- Alexander Zverev, who beat Pierre-Hugues Herbert improve to 6-0 in five-set matches at the French Open.

“It was really bad because I don't want to leave the court in a wheelchair. So I said like, Okay, no, I'm going to walk. And the physios were like, No you're not, and I was like, Yes, I will. And then my whole left leg started cramping. So they were really like, no, you're going to sit down and we ride you off.”
- Kiki Bertens, who next faces Katerina Siniakova for a place in the fourth round.

“I'm still a little bit on the happy wave of New York, I would say. Of course, at one point I'm going to get super tired. I guess all the tension and focus on Roland Garros, it's hiding still the tiredness and everything. I hope I can push it as far as I can.”
- Dominic Thiem, who saved three set points in a 6-1 6-3 7-6(6) win over former world No.8 Jack Sock.

“I came in the court without thinking that I had to play with Coco Gauff, because everybody know that is … the best young player in the world. I think this is the key of the match. I play every point without thinking that Coco is better than me ranking, she has a lot of experience in this court than me.”
- Italian qualifier Martina Trevisan, who at 26 years of age has reached the third round at a Grand Slam for the first time.

Tweet of the day

Day 5: Ones to watch

A blockbuster second-round clash between No.2 seed Karolina Pliskova and 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko headlines the Day 5 schedule and kicks off the day’s play on Chatrier.

Pliskova’s sister Kristyna takes on another former champion, Garbine Muguruza, on Court Suzanne Lenglen.

ORDER OF PLAY: French Open Day 4

In other matches, world No.1 Novak Djokovic continues his quest for an 18th major title against Lithuanian Ricardas Berankis, while fellow AO 2020 champion Sofia Kenin precedes him on Chatrier.

Young guns Stefanos Tsitsipas, Denis Shapovalov, Matteo Berrettini and Andrey Rublev all feature across the main three show courts, while an entertaining clash between Aryna Sabalenka and Daria Kasatkina will take place on Court 7.