Roland Garros: Mertens surprisingly crashes Pegula

The Belgian eliminates the American seeded n.3. Ahead Kasatkina and Sabalenka

Antonio Cefalu

The start of the third rounds took away the third seed of the Roland Garros women’s draw. Jessica Pegula, number 3 in the world, surrendered to the solidity and shrewdness of Elise Mertens (n.28 WTA). The Belgian tennis player, her former doubles partner, won 6-1 6-3 in 1h22 ‘, always giving the American one more shot to work and inducing her, with her variations, to commit many, too many mistakes (28 free). For Mertens, whom we will see again in the second week, it is the second eighth in a row on the Parisian red, while Pegula, once again disappointing in a Grand Slam, becomes the highest seed to fall in this edition.

OK SABALENKA AND KASATKINA

No stress, however, for the No. 2 seed, Aryna Sabalenka, who by reaching the round of 16 has already found her best result ever at Roland Garros, the only Grand Slam where she hasn’t reached the semifinal yet. Her third round, against the n.86 Kamilla Rakhimova, went smoothly as predicted: 6-2 6-2 victory, never in discussion for its entire duration (1h7 ‘). Daria Kasatkina has already reached the semifinals here a year ago. The Russian tennis player, 9th favorite on the scoreboard, was even more ruthless than her Belarusian colleague, having left only one game to the American Peyton Stearns (n.69 WTA), nailed by awe at 6-0 6-1 in just 55’. Less than a workout.



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