Swiatek, Svitolina cruise into French Open 3rd round

Four-time champion Iga Swiatek and Elina Svitolina both eased into the French Open third round with straight-sets wins yesterday.

Swiatek, looking to regain the title she last won in 2024, saw off battling Czech youngster Sara Bejlek 6-2, 6-3 on Court Philippe Chatrier.

The third-seeded Pole will next face either fellow former winner Jelena Ostapenko or compatriot Magda Linette as she bids to preserve her record of having always reached the second week at Roland Garros.

Swiatek is playing at a first Grand Slam tournament since linking up with Rafael Nadal’s former coach Francisco Roig.

She is among the favourites for a seventh major title after impressing in a run to the Italian Open semifinals earlier this month.

But she could next be facing a serious test in Latvian Ostapenko, against whom she has lost in all six of their previous meetings.

Svitolina, who beat Swiatek en route to the Rome title, beat world number 126 Kaitlin Quevedo 6-0, 6-4.

The Ukrainian seventh seed ended an eight-year wait for her fifth WTA 1000 trophy at the Italian Open to underline her credentials as a contender in Paris.

She struggled through her first-round tie, edging out Hungary’s Anna Bondar in a deciding-set tie-break on Monday, before watching her husband Gael Monfils’ final French Open match in the night session.

But Svitolina raced out of the blocks this time, quickly taking control against Quevedo.

The Spaniard competed better in the second set until a break in the ninth game helped Svitolina wrap up victory.

Svitolina, who reached her fourth career Slam semifinal earlier this year at the Australian Open, will next play Germany’s Tamara Korpatsch, who made a major third round for the first time at the age of 31 by beating Chinese 32nd seed Wang Xinyu.

Former Olympic champion Belinda Bencic eased into the last 32 for the third time, brushing aside Caty McNally 6-4, 6-0.-AFP

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