Paris, May 29 (UNI) Top seed Aryna Sabalenka continued her strong start to the French Open with
a confident win against Switzerland’s Jil Teichmann to reach the third round.
The Belarusian lost just one game in her Paris opener against Kamilla Rakhimova, but she surprisingly dropped serve early on against Teichmann on Wednesday.
However, the three-time major winner composed herself and recovered well from her sluggish start, winning five games in a row to grab the first set.
Sabalenka continued her charge in the second set with 17 winners to Teichmann’s two, and she wrapped up a 6-3 6-1 win after 79 minutes, the BBC reported.
“It doesn’t matter what the scoreboard says, she really made me work for every point. I’m really happy with this win,” Sabalenka said afterwards.
“It’s always a tough match against her, she is a very tricky opponent with great tennis.”
Sabalenka, one of the pre-tournament favourites, will face world number 34 Olga Danilovic after the Serb beat American Danielle Collins 6-4 3-6 6-4.
Earlier on Wednesday, last year’s runner-up Jasmine Paolini moved past Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic with a routine 6-3 6-3 victory.
Fresh from from lifting a WTA 1,000 title in Rome earlier this month, the victory was Paolini’s eighth in a row.
The Italian enjoyed a memorable 2024 season, soaring up the WTA rankings after reaching the finals of both the French Open and Wimbledon, while she also won Olympic gold in the women’s doubles in Paris with compatriot Sara Errani.
Asked if she felt calmer playing on Court Philippe Chatrier this year, Paolini replied: “It’s a different feel I guess because last year I played a few matches here, and then again at the Olympics, so I am a bit more used to this court. Before, I had never played here.
“I like this court, I have great memories here and it is great to be back in Paris in front of this crowd.”
Paolini will face Ukraine’s Yuliia Starodubtseva next.
