The biggest upset of the tournament to date was created by [31] Petra Martic (CRO). She calmly disposed of the number two seed, Karolina Pliskova, in straight sets. It was a bit surprising given Pliskova’s recent form on clay; however, Martic led their head-to-head 3:1, so perhaps not really an upset. Yet, the Czech won their recent encounter, but it was not enough against the in-form Croatian who won 6-3, 6-3. Pliskova lost the opportunity to become number one at the end of this tournament with her loss today.
[19] Garbine Muguruza (ESP) upset the ninth seed, Elina Svitolina. It was a match filled with service breaks until the Spaniard took control and won 6-3, 6-3.
[23] Donna Vekic (CRO) upset [15] Belinda Bencic (SUI) 6-4, 6-1.
[55] Martin Klizan (SVK) upset [22] Lucas Pouille (FRA) 7-6(4), 2-6, 6-3, 3-6, 9-7.
Nineteen-year-old Marketa Vondrousova upset the twenty-eighth seed, Carla Suarez Navarro, in straight sets: 6-4, 6-4.
AMERICANS WHO PLAYED TODAY
[7] Sloane Stephens served for the match; however, [71] Polona Hercog (SLO) was not ready to say goodbye to Paris. She broke back and then broke again to force a deciding set. Stephens had to use her wits to secure the 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 victory.
[14] Madison Keys completed her second-round match with a victory over [132] Priscilla Hon (AUS); she won 7-5, 5-7, 6-3.
The bottom half of the draw has opened up nicely for Stephens, will she take advantage of the opportunity to get back to the final again?
SPECIAL MENTION
SPECIAL MENTION
Thirty-three-year-old Kaia Kanepi is quietly making her way through the draw. The eighty-eighth ranked Estonian continues to dispatch of her younger opponents and today was no different as she defeated the twenty-two-year-old Russian, [68] Veronika Kudermetova, 4-6, 6-3, 6-0. Kanepi took out the eighteenth seed in the first round, Julia Goerges.
[2] Rafael Nadal (ESP) dropped the third set before righting the ship. [27] David Goffin (BEL) did everything he could to rattle the Spaniard; yet, it still was not enough and Nadal won 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.
SOURCE OF IMAGES: Zimbio.com (main image: Julian Finney/Getty Images AsiaPac-Petra Martic)
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