ROLAND GARROS, FRANCE

It is the second major of the year and everyone gets pumped at the opportunity of hitting gold. The prospect of winning a major is one of the driving forces in the minds of every tennis player and each person steps on court with that belief. While the probability of winning is significantly increased the higher ranked you are, there is still a chance that anyone can win and that is why we see upsets.

Each major has thirty-two seeds in both the men and women draws. It is considered an upset when a lower ranked player beats one of the seeds; however, there are upsets and then there are upsets.

[5] Angelique Kerber (GER)loses to [81] Anastasia Potapova (RUS). The eighty-one ranked player defeating the number five seed is a significant upset. While I did not get a chance to watch, I wonder if Kerber was injured; however, you can take nothing away from the teenage Russian, she had to win it (6-4, 6-2).

[253] Nicolas Mahut (FRA) upends the sixteenth seed, Marco Cecchinato (ITA). The Italian made noise last year when he defeated Novak Djokovic in four sets to get to his first major semifinals. Unfortunately for him he will lose all those ranking points after losing today. I would consider this a minor upset despite the significant discrepancy in their rankings because Mahut was once a talented singles player, who still can produce quality tennis. Cecchinato had a two-set lead and somehow managed to lose 6-2, 7-6(6), 4-6, 2-6, 4-6; this will hurt.

How did the Americans fare?

Six of the seventeen American women played today and only one of them won, that was the seventh seed, Sloane Stephens. She defeated [108] Misaki Doi (JPN) in straight sets: 6-3, 7-6(4).

Venus Williams lost in straight sets to [9] Elina Svitolina (UKR): 3-6, 3-6.

Bernarda Pera lost in straight sets to [67] Kateryna Kozlova (UKR): 2-6, 6-7(5).

Madison Brengle lost in straight sets to [2] Karolina Pliskova (CZE): 2-6, 3-6.

Taylor Townsend lost in three sets to [19] Garbine Muguruza (ESP): 7-5, 2-6, 2-6.

[80] Jennifer Brady (USA) will have to complete her match tomorrow against [103] Ivana Jorovic (SRB); they are tied at one set apiece.

SOURCE OF IMAGES: Zimbio.com (Getty Images Europe); main image by Julian Finney- Anastasia Potapova.