Djokovic fights through at French Open, Rybakina dumped out

PARIS: Novak Djokovic extended his latest bid for a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title with a four-set victory over Valentin Royer in the French Open second round on Wednesday, but women’s second seed Elena Rybakina crashed out of the tournament.

Elsewhere, four-time champion Iga Swiatek and Elina Svitolina both eased into the last 32 with straight-sets wins.

Djokovic had to come from a set down in his opening match against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard and was pushed hard again by another Frenchman in Royer, before finally sealing a 6-3, 6-2, 6-7 (7/9), 6-3 win after three and three-quarter hours on Court Philippe Chatrier.

“I hope I won’t play any more French players for the rest of the tournament,” said the third seed, who has been tied on 24 Grand Slam titles with Margaret Court since winning the 2023 US Open, with a wry smile.

Djokovic, who beat world number one Jannik Sinner in the Australian Open last four earlier this year, cannot meet the red-hot title favourite until the final at Roland Garros.

Djokovic powered through the first two sets, although world number 74 Royer, born just 5km from Roland Garros, showed much more resistance in the third before extending the match in a brilliant tie-break.

The Serb, who twice failed to consolidate breaks of serve in the third set, made no such mistake in the fourth as he belatedly booked his place in the next round on his fifth match point.

Czech Jakub Mensik, the only player other than Djokovic to beat Sinner this year, needed eight match points before eventually downing Mariano Navone 6-3, 2-6, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (13/11).

Rising Spanish star Rafael Jodar reached the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time, seeing off James Duckworth 6-1, 6-7 (5/7), 6-4, 7-5.

Rybakina stunned by Starodubtseva

Australian Open champion Rybakina blew a one-set lead to exit in dramatic fashion, slumping to a 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (10/4) loss to Ukraine’s Yuliia Starodubtseva.

It is Rybakina’s earliest departure from any tour-level tournament since the 2025 Miami Open and first defeat in the opening two rounds of a major since the 2024 Australian Open.

“I couldn’t find the balance. I couldn’t find the right shot, and it was clearly just too many mistakes,” said the Kazakh world number two.

Starodubtseva will face China’s Wang Xiyu for a place in the last 16.

She has already matched her previous best run at a Grand Slam event, when she lost to Jasmine Paolini in the French Open third round as a lucky loser 12 months ago.

“Honestly, hard to describe, I’m super happy,” said world number 55 Starodubtseva after beating a top-10 opponent for the first time in her career.

“I’m super proud of myself that I was able to do this today. It was a tricky third set but I got it done in the end.”

Swiatek, Svitolina through

Swiatek, looking to regain the title she last won in 2024, saw off battling Czech youngster Sara Bejlek 6-2, 6-3 on Court Philippe Chatrier.

The third-seeded Pole will next face compatriot Magda Linette, who beat former winner Jelena Ostapenko in three sets, as she bids to preserve her record of having always reached the second week at Roland Garros.

“Usually the weather is quite different here, but it doesn’t matter,” said Swiatek after spending 93 minutes on court on another boiling hot day in Paris.

Swiatek is playing at a first Grand Slam tournament since linking up with Rafael Nadal’s former coach Francisco Roig.

Svitolina, who beat Swiatek en route to the Rome title, beat world number 126 Kaitlin Quevedo 6-0, 6-4.

The Ukrainian seventh seed ended an eight-year wait for her fifth WTA 1000 trophy at the Italian Open to underline her credentials as a contender in Paris.

She struggled through her first-round tie, edging out Hungary’s Anna Bondar in a deciding-set tie-break on Monday, before watching her husband Gael Monfils’ final French Open match in the night session.

But Svitolina raced out of the blocks this time, quickly taking control against Quevedo.

The Spaniard competed better in the second set until a break in the ninth game helped Svitolina wrap up victory.

Svitolina, who reached her fourth career Slam semi-final earlier this year at the Australian Open, will next play Germany’s Tamara Korpatsch.

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