Serena fights back as Nadal, Maria cruise
PARIS – Serena Williams battled back from a set and break down to defeat Australia’s Ashleigh Barty, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, to reach the French Open third round on Thursday.
The three-time champion and former world No. 1, dressed again in her all-black catsuit, is playing her first Slam since winning the 2017 Australian Open while two months pregnant.
The 36-year-old, seeking a 24th Grand Slam title, will face Germany’s Julia Goerges for a place in the last 16.
If she gets past the third round, Williams could face old rival Maria Sharapova for a place in the quarter-finals.
Williams, playing in her first Slam since winning the 2017 Australian Open while two months pregnant, had cruised through her opening round match against Kristyna Pliskova in what was a record 317th win at the Slams.
But Thursday was a tougher proposition for the 36-year-old American who was playing just her sixth match of 2018.
Sharapova, the champion in Paris in 2012 and 2014, saw off Donna Vekic 7-5, 6-4 in a tie which featured 10 breaks of serve and secured on a fifth match point.
Former world number one Sharapova, seeded 28 this year, will face Czech sixth seed Karolina Pliskova for a place in the fourth round.
Ten-time champion Rafael Nadal breezed into the third round and a clash against childhood friend Richard Gasquet.
Top seed and world number one Nadal, chasing an 11th title, swept past Argentinian Guido Pella 6-2, 6-1, 6-1, showing no signs of the brief struggles he faced in the first round against lucky loser Simone Bolelli.
Top seed Simona Halep reached the third round with a comfortable 6-3, 6-1 win over Taylor Townsend of the United States.
Halep, twice a runner-up in Paris, will face Germany’s Andrea Petkovic for a place in the last 16.
Spanish third seed Garbine Muguruza, the 2016 champion, was too strong for France’s number 257 Fiona Ferro 6-4, 6-3.
Title challengers Marin Cilic and Dominic Thiem struggled into the last 32.
Third seed Cilic reached the third round for the eighth time with a 6-2, 6-2, 6-7 (3/7), 7-5 win over Polish qualifier and world number 188 Hubert Hurkacz. (Agence France-Presse)