French Open 2020 roundup: Djokovic into third round with easy win, Ostapenko sails through
October 2, 2020
Novak Djokovic’s biggest concern seemed to be dealing with a rare bit of sunshine during his second-round victory at Roland Garros.
The No. 1-ranked Djokovic got his team to procure him a hat so he could wear that while on the side of Court Philippe Chatier that was brightest during his 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 victory over Ricardas Berankis.
Djokovic has dropped a total of only 10 games so far on his way to the third round in Paris. He won the title at Roland Garros in 2016 to complete a career Grand Slam.
Djokovic says “I hope I can continue like this.”
He improved to 33-1 in 2020. His lone loss came when he was disqualified at the U.S. Open last month.
Carballes Baena reaches 3rd round for 1st time
Roberto Carballes Baena reached the third round at a Grand Slam tournament for the first time by beating ninth-seeded Denis Shapovalov 7-5, 6-7 (5), 6-3, 3-6, 8-6 in a French Open match that lasted five hours.
Shapovalov committed 106 unforced errors in the match compared to 42 for Carballes Baena and twice served for the match. The Canadian also had more winners than Carballes Baena with 65 to the unseeded Spaniard’s 31.
Carballes Baena sank to his knees after Shapovalov hit a forehand long and let out a loud shout of delight.
Carballes Baena will next play 18th-seeded Grigor Dimitrov.
Kenin, Ostapenko both reach 3rd round at French Open
Once Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin got going, she kept going — right into the third round of the French Open.
The fourth-seeded American started slowly Thursday under a closed roof on Court Philippe Chatrier before pulling out a 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory over Ana Bogdan.
“I knew I had to fight. She was playing well,” Kenin said on court moments after the match ended. “I just couldn’t find my rhythm in the beginning.”
She also nearly stumbled at the end, too.
Kenin held three match points with Bogdan serving at 5-1 but failed to convert them all. In the next game, Kenin had to save three break points before finally winning on her fourth match point.
The 21-year-old Kenin will next face either Irina Bara or Alison Van Uytvanck, and another victory will equal her best performance at Roland Garros. She reached the fourth round last year in her second appearance at the tournament.
Top-ranked Novak Djokovic followed on Chatrier, by which time the roof was open and sunshine was bathing the tournament’s biggest stadium after days of miserable weather.
The 17-time Grand Slam champion, who won his only title at Roland Garros in 2016, began against Ricardas Berankis shortly before 3 p.m. By then, conditions were relatively warm, at least compared to the previous few days of rain and wind.
Earlier, former champion Jelena Ostapenko advanced to the third round when she beat second-seeded Karolina Pliskova 6-4, 6-2.
Even though there were late-morning blue skies for their match, the roof stayed closed over Chatrier.
Ostapenko won her only major title in 2017 at Roland Garros. The unseeded Latvian will next face either 29th-seeded Sloane Stephens or Paula Badosa.
Pliskova’s twin sister, Kristyna, was also playing a former French Open champion. She was facing 2016 winner Garbiñe Muguruza.
In other women’s matches, two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova beat Jasmine Paolini 6-3, 6-3. The seventh-seeded Kvitova reached the semifinals at Roland Garros in 2012.
Also, No. 8 Aryna Sabalenka beat Daria Kasatkina 7-6 (6), 6-0, but Danish teen Clara Tauson’s surprise Roland Garros run ended when she lost to unseeded American Danielle Collins 6-2, 6-3.
Other than former Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki, the 17-year-old Tauson was the first Danish woman in the second round of any major tournament since 1989.
