The fourth day of the French Open featured the start of the second round with 16 matches on the women’s side. Second seed Karolina Pliskova looked sharp in a 6-2, 6-2 rout of qualifier Kristina Kucova. The 2017 Roland Garros semifinalist needed just 56 minutes to dispatch the Slovak, firing 29 winners and landing 76% of her first serves in play. Pliskova advances to face 31st seed Petra Martic in the third round after the Croat stormed past home favorite Kristina Mladenovic 6-2 , 6-1.
Last year’s runner-up Sloane Stephens is also into the last 32 after a 6-1, 7-6 (3) victory over Sara Sorribes Tormo. The pair had played a grinding two tiebreak affair in Charleston earlier this year that last almost two and a half hours. It looked to be heading in almost the opposite direction as the seventh seed wrapped up a quick first set before rallying from a break down three times in the second to eventually clinch the match in a tiebreaker.
Fourth seed Kiki Bertens suffered heartbreak in her second round encounter with 21-year-old Viktoria Kuzmova. The Slovak led 3-1, 40-15 before the tournament favorite was forced to retire with a gastrointestinal illness. Kuzmova advances to the third round of a Major for the first time in her young career and will square off with 26th seed Johanna Konta, who overcame American wild card Lauren Davis 6-3, 1-6, 6-3.
Garbine Muguruza had a relatively easy time with Johanna Larsson, winning 6-4, 6-1 in just 66 minutes. The 2016 French Open champion faces ninth seed Elina Svitolina, who got a walkover from countrywoman Kateryna Kozlova after the World #67 suffered a rib injury. Elise Mertens and Anastasija Sevastova booked a third round clash with easy wins, the 20th seeded Belgian routing French wild card Diane Parry and the 12th seeded Latvian taking care of Mandy Minella 6-2, 6-4.
Carla Suarez Navarro was made to work for her victory, getting past Shelby Rogers 6-1, 6-7 (4), 6-3. The 28th seed advances to face Marketa Vondrousova after the Czech won an all-teenage battle against Anastasia Potapova 6-4, 6-0. Another American to fall was Jennifer Brady who, despite saving a handful of match points in the second set, ultimately lost to Lugano champion Polona Hercog 6-3, 6-7 (8), 6-4.
In a pair of unseeded matches, Veronika Kudermetova, who upset 13th seed Caroline Wozniacki in the first round, beat Zarina Diyas 7-5, 6-1 while Kaia Kanepi needed three sets to see off Shuai Zhang 6-7 (4), 6-0, 7-5. The Russian and Estonian will now face each other for a spot in the Round of 16.
Finally, 23rd seed Donna Vekic shook off a rough first set to beat Rebecca Peterson 1-6, 6-1, 6-2. Her third round opponent has not been determined yet as 15th seed Belinda Bencic and Laura Siegemund were deadlocked at 4-4 in the third set before darkness halted play following 6-4 sets being split, the German winning the first, the Swiss taking the second from a break down.
