PARIS (AP) – Plethoric again with her serve, Serena Williams handled her match at will at the French Open until – suddenly – her serve was no longer as dominant and neither was she.
After being forced to play a third set by a rival who offered all kinds of changes of rhythm and angles, the American recovered her form and sentenced the victory.
Williams is back in the third round at Roland Garros, where she has won three of her 23 individual Grand Slam titles, after beating Romanian Mihaela Buzarnescu, 174th in the standings, 6-3, 5 on Wednesday. -7, 6-1 on the court Philippe Chatrier.
“I have been practicing a lot with my serve. He had been doing very well. The other night, it was ‘Wooow,’ ”she stated, rolling her eyes. “I’m glad it turned out better today. My coach told me that I was doing well, that I am doing well in training sessions and eventually I will be well in games ”-
Buzarnescu managed to take the measure of those powerful serves and plugged himself into the duel, with two breaks in a row.
“He has one of the best serves in the world. Its service is not easy to guess. Because it was the first time I faced her, it took me a while to adjust my position on the court to return the ball, “admitted Buzarnescu, who called it a” dream “to be able to face Williams.
Last year, Williams withdrew before the second round in Paris due to a left Achilles tendon injury. Now he has had no problems. The 39-year-old American covered the court well, although she used a strap on her right groin.
Next up in the seventh-seeded rival is compatriot Danielle Collins, who easily edged Anhelina Kalinina 6-0, 6-2.
It was a solid afternoon for the United States’ tennis players on the Paris clay, including victories in the women’s division of the Madison Keys, as well as those of John Isner, Reilly Opelka and Marco Girón in the men’s draw.
Another American, Tommy Paul, got off to a good start against Daniil Medvedev, a second-seeded and a two-time Grand Slam finalist.
But the Russian, who was 0-4 in his French Open career until this week, came back to eliminate Paul 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-3 in the night session.
Garín (22nd seed) reached that instance for the second year in a row. He did so by recovering after giving up the first two sets, winning 4-6, 4-6, 7-6 (9), 6-3 8-6 against American Mackenzie McDonald after almost 4 and a half hours of play. Garín will now face Girón, who defeated Argentine Guido Pella 7-6 (2), 6-1, 6-7 (3), 6-4.
Delbonis was installed for the first time in the third round of Roland Garros after beating the Spaniard Pablo Andújar 4-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.
“Being in the third round is an individual merit that I have been looking for,” Delbonis said after beating an opponent who had been toned by a recent victory over Roger Federer in Geneva and another over Dominic Thiem at his debut in Paris.
He will now have to deal with the Italian Fabio Fognini, who dispatched 7-6 (6), 6-1, 6-2 to the Hungarian Marton Fucsovics.
Alexander Zverev, who lost to Thiem in the final of the last US Open, opted to change tactics as he trailed 4-1 in the third set.
The German was determined to avoid another long five-set encounter as in the first round, so he applied pressure to Roman Safiullin, who was coming from the qualifying phase. The reward was a 7-6 (4), 6-3, 7-6 (1) win over the Russian.
The Swiss Henri Laaksonen, another player who made the qualifying tournament, also advanced. Laaksonen racked up 53 winners to surprise Spanish Roberto Bautista Agut (11th seeded) 6-3, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2. And the Japanese Kei Nishikori, finalist of the US Open 2014, played a five-set match for the second consecutive round before beating Russian Karen Khachanov 4-6, 6-2, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4. (GG) (AP)