Victorious Americans On Day 3

Americans have struggled at Roland Garros, perhaps it’s better to say Americans have struggled on clay. However, this year, hopes are much higher with the crop of young American players, who appear to have figured out how to play better on the terre battue. No pressure, but all eyes are on young Cori Gauff’s shoulders.

[13] Jennifer Brady defeated [48] Anastasija Sevastova 6-3, 6-3.

[24] Cori Gauff defeated [213] Alexandria Krunic 7-6(11), 6-4.

[59] Sloane Stephens defeated [118] Carla Suarez Navarro 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-4. Nice to see Suarez Navarro back on the tennis court after her battle with Hodgkin Lymphoma. Valiant effort considering it was her first match since September 2020.

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[75] Ann Li defeated [100] Margarita Gasparyan 6-0, 6-1.

American qualifier, [171] Varvara Lepchenko, defeats [46] Shuai Zhang 6-3, 6-4.  Lepchenko’s career was interrupted because of a drug suspension. At thirty-five with such a low career ranking and no WTA title to her name, what is her objective? Win that first title before retirement?

Day 3 American Casualties

[66] Tennys Sandgren bit the dust in round one, losing 2-6, 4-6, 2-6 to [1] Novak Djokovic.

[70] Bernarda Pera had the unfortunate task of trying to defeat the number one seed, Ashleigh Barty.  It was a good effort, but it was not good enough.  Pera lost 4-6, 6-3, 2-6.

[104] Venus Williams continues her slide into obscurity with another early round loss. [32] Ekaterina Alexandrova easily dispatched the American 6-3, 6-1.

American qualifier, [163] Jenson Brooksby, after working so hard in qualifying rounds, lost his first round match 3-6, 4-6, 4-6 to the red hot [24] Aslan Karatsev. The twenty-year-old will have to wait for the next major to get his second tour level match victory.

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Seeds That Stumbled Along The Way

[7] Andrey Rublev lost in five sets to  [42] Jan-Lennard Struff. Credit to the big serving German who fought off the resistance in the third and fourth sets to win 6-3, 7-6(6), 4-6, 3-6, 6-4.

[11] Petra Kvitova has withdrawn from Roland Garros due to an ankle injury sustained after a fall during her first-round post-match interview. Another reason perhaps why they may need to re-think post-match media obligations.

[20] Felix Auger-Aliassime’s struggles in the majors continue.  [98] Andreas Seppi got the hard-fought victory, defeating the Canadian 6-3, 7-6(8), 4-6, 6-4.

[29] Ugo Humbert lost 4-6, 4-6, 6-2, 4-6 to [93] Ricardas Berankis.

Rafael Nadal, Tested But Still Standing

[3] Rafael Nadal made it through in straight sets; however, it was touch and go in the third set.  Nadal fought off two set points. The Spaniard may have another battle on his hands in the second round against Richard Gasquet. He is not only fighting the opponent across the net. Nadal is also battling the weight of expectation and the self-imposed pressure to win another Roland Garros title to take the lead in the greatest number of major titles won. More history is on the line for the king of clay.

ALL IMAGES: Getty Images [main image Cori Gauff by Adam Pretty]