PARIS: Ons Jabeur got a do-over on Court Philippe Chatrier at the French Open and won this time.
A year after her first-round exit, the No. 7 seed Jabeur beat Lucia Bronzetti 6-4, 6-1 to help erase some bad memories and answer questions about a recent calf injury.
The Tunisian, a crowd favorite in Paris, smiled and expressed relief in not repeating last year’s mistake, when she lost to Magda Linette of Poland.
“I’m very happy to win my first match on Philippe Chatrier — because I’ve never won here,” Jabeur said on court about the clay-court tournament’s main stadium.
Now she can focus on trying to win her first major. She was runner-up at Wimbledon and the US Open last year.
The 28-year-old Jabeur has also battled injuries this season. She had knee surgery after the Australian Open, and was then sidelined with a calf injury. She had stopped playing against top-ranked Iga Swiatek at the clay-court tournament in Stuttgart, Germany, in late April and then pulled out of the Madrid Open.
“It was a very difficult period for me after Stuttgart,” said Jabeur, adding that she’s beginning to find her rhythm.
Jabeur struck 27 winner’s to Bronzetti’s seven, though with 24 unforced errors she’ll have room to improve.
Also Tuesday, 16-year-old Russian Mirra Andreeva had a memorable Grand Slam debut by dominating Alison Riske-Amritraj 6-2, 6-1. Andreeva’s older sister — 18-year-old Erika — was facing Emma Navarro later in the day.
Later, Swiatek gets her French Open title defense started against Cristina Bucsa, who is ranked 70th.
On the men’s side, No. 4 seed Casper Ruud beat qualifier Elias Ymer 6-4, 6-3, 6-2, to remind the higher-profile tournament favorites that he was runner-up to Rafael Nadal last year at Roland Garros.
Jabeur bounces back at French Open, Ruud and Russian teenager advance
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Jabeur bounces back at French Open, Ruud and Russian teenager advance
- A year after her first-round exit, the No. 7 seed Jabeur beat Lucia Bronzetti 6-4, 6-1 to help erase some bad memories
- "I’m very happy to win my first match on Philippe Chatrier — because I’ve never won here,” Jabeur said on court about the clay-court tournament's main stadium
Sabalenka returns to Brisbane final, faces Kostyuk for title
- In Sunday’s title clash, the Belarusian will face Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk
- World number one Sabalenka has been in similarly superb form in her first tournament of the season
BRISBANE: Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka outclassed Karolina Muchova to seal a 6-3 6-4 win at the Brisbane International on Saturday and reach the final of the Australian Open tune-up tournament for the third straight year.
In Sunday’s title clash, the Belarusian will face Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk, who cruised past world number six Jessica Pegula 6-0 6-3 for her third straight top-10 win after also defeating Amanda Anisimova and Mirra Andreeva in her last two rounds.
World number one Sabalenka has been in similarly superb form in her first tournament of the season, and arrived for her match against Muchova having defeated reigning Melbourne Park champion Madison Keys in straight sets in the quarter-finals.
Things were expected to be trickier against Muchova, who is known for her inventive brand of tennis and had racked up a 3-1 career head-to-head record over Sabalenka, including victories in their previous three meetings.
Sabalenka shrugged off that statistic to take full control of the semifinal clash with a break in the second game, before she displayed deft touches and power from the baseline to take the first set, which she finished with a huge backhand winner.
The four-times Grand Slam champion, who is eyeing her third Australian Open trophy when the tournament begins on January 18 at Melbourne Park, was pushed harder in the next set but edged ahead again at 5-4 to wrap up the win on serve.
“There were a lot of close misses at the end of the second set but I’m super happy to close this match in straight sets,” said Sabalenka, who prevailed on her fourth match point.
“She’s a great opponent and I knew that if I gave her that opportunity in the last games, she would take it, and it would be a bit trickier to play. I’m super happy I got the win.”
Three Americans were in action in the Brisbane men’s event semifinals, where Brandon Nakashima beat Aleksandar Kovacevic 7-6(4) 6-4 before their compatriot Alex Michelsen went down 6-4 6-2 to top seed Daniil Medvedev of Russia.
In the Auckland Classic, Filipino Alexandra Eala squandered a match point to allow China’s Wang Xinyu to secure a 5-7 7-5 6-4 win. Up next for Wang is Elina Svitolina, who beat Iva Jovic 7-6(5) 6-2 in the second semifinal.
Top seed Lorenzo Musetti reached the final of the Hong Kong Open, beating Andrey Rublev 6-7(3) 7-5 6-4 in a last-four clash. Alexander Bublik beat Marcos Giron 3-6 6-4 6-2 in the second semifinal, setting up a title clash with Musetti.
