The French Open delivered high drama on Saturday as China's seventh seed, Zheng Qinwen, was ousted by Russia's Elina Avanesyan in a rain-affected third-round showdown.
Zheng started strong, claiming the first set 6-3 with an early break, demonstrating her prowess on the clay courts. She continued her momentum into the second set, breaking Avanesyan once more to take a commanding 6-3 lead.
However, Avanesyan, currently on an impressive 5-0 streak against Top 15 players, mounted a fierce comeback. She leveled the match by winning the second set 6-3 just as the rain forced a temporary halt to the play.
The third set saw Zheng battling from a 5-2 deficit, managing to win four consecutive games and push the match to a tense 10-point tiebreaker. Despite her efforts, Avanesyan held her nerve to secure the tiebreak 10-6, advancing to the last 16 at Roland Garros for the second consecutive year.
Zheng, who reached her career high by finishing as a finalist in the Australian Open earlier this year, has yet to progress beyond the round of 16 at the French Open, a milestone she first achieved two years ago in her Paris debut.
Looking ahead, Avanesyan is set to face Italian Jamine Paolini, who triumphed over Canada's Bianca Andreesca with a score of 6-1, 3-6, 6-0.
Reference(s):
China's Zheng falls to Avnesyan in rain-hit French Open 3rd round
cgtn.com
