Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka reach fourth round at French Open
Swiatek, who has won four of her five major titles at Roland-Garros, defeated Jaqueline Cristian, 6-2, 7-5, on Court Suzanne-Lenglen to extend her French Open winning streak to 23 matches. A second set lasting 1 hour, 16 minutes, tested the Pole, who yelled in relief after winning on her second match point. Swiatek had 20 winners and 21 unforced errors.
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'She used her chances and just went for it,' said Swiatek, who enjoyed temperatures which reached 84 degrees. 'For sure I don't mind. On clay it gives the balls the extra bounce.'
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Sabalenka and Swiatek have been in contrasting form.
Sabalenka has reached six singles finals this year, the most for a woman entering Roland-Garros since Serena Williams in 2013.
But Swiatek is looking to reach her first final anywhere since winning her third straight French Open title, and fourth overall, a year ago. No woman has won four straight French Opens in the Open era.
Asked who was under the most pressure to win this year — her or Swiatek — Sabalenka said, jokingly: 'Let's just leave it on Iga since she won it, what, three times in a row?'
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Defending men's champion Carlos Alcaraz of Spain was in action later Friday. The No. 2-ranked Alcaraz faced Damir Dzumhur, who hurt his left knee during a fall in his second-round win.
What else happened at the French Open on Friday?
Fourth-seeded Jasmine Paolini, last year's runner-up, beat Ukrainian Yuliia Starodubtseva, 6-4, 6-1, and No. 12 Elena Rybakina won against 2017 champion Jelena Ostapenko.
Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen beat 18-year-old qualifier Victoria Mboko, 6-3, 6-4, while No. 16 Amanda Anisimova and Liudmila Samsonova also advanced.
In men's third-round play, No. 8 Lorenzo Musetti of Italy beat Mariano Navone; No. 10 Holger Rune of Denmark beat Frenchman Quentin Halys in five sets; and 12th-seeded American Tommy Paul did the same against No. 24 Karen Khachanov.
No. 15 Frances Tiafoe beat No. 23 Sebastian Korda, 7-6 (8-6), 6-3, 6-4, in an all-American matchup, joining Paul and No. 13 Ben Shelton to give the US three men in the French Open fourth round for the first time since 1995.
If qualifier Ethan Quinn wins on Saturday, there would be four American men in Week 2 in Paris for the first time since 1991. Shelton won against Matteo Gigante, 6-3, 6-3, 6-4.
No. 25 Alexei Popyrin of Australia also advanced.
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