PARIS: Iga Swiatek booked her place in the last 16 of the French Open on Friday, beating Magda Linette 6-4, 6-4 to begin play on Court Philippe Chatrier.

Third seed Swiatek dug herself out of an early 2-0 hole against the 35th-ranked Linette, who won their most recent meeting at Miami in March.

Swiatek broke three times in the opening set to nose ahead, and then surged into a 4-1 lead in the second set.

She overcame a stumble as she tried to close it out, before sealing victory to set up an intriguing match-up with the in-form Marta Kostyuk.

“It was a good match. I played much better than Miami,” said Swiatek, who moved to appoint Francisco Roig, a longtime coach of Rafael Nadal, in the wake of her loss to Linette two months ago.

Kostyuk, the 15th seed, continued her fine run with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Switzerland’s Viktorija Golubic.

She is unbeaten in 15 matches on clay this season following titles in Madrid and Rouen.

“Marta is having a great season. She always had a game to play well,” said Swiatek.

“So good for her. But I’m going to focus on myself, prepare tactically, as before any other match, and we’ll see.”

Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva swept into the last 16 with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Czech 27th seed Marie Bouzkova.

The eighth-seeded Andreeva goes on to face either 2023 French Open runner-up Karolina Muchova or Jil Teichmann on Sunday for a place in the quarter-finals.

SINNER OUT

Jannik Sinner succumbed to illness and a remarkable Juan Manuel Cerundolo comeback to crash out of the French Open on Thursday, blowing the men’s tournament wide open, as Aryna Sabalenka safely avoided a similar fate to progress.

Men’s world number one Sinner was cruising when leading by two sets and 5-1 in the third set before suddenly struggling with his movement as he lost 18 points in a row.

Sinner took a medical time-out, complained of feeling “dizzy” and left a sweltering Court Philippe Chatrier for treatment, but after returning still slipped to a 3-6, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1, 6-1 second-round loss to world number 56 Cerundolo.

The top seed was in total control and romping towards the most routine of victories before he suddenly started to struggle physically, losing three consecutive games to love.

He asked the chair umpire what his options were when 0-40 down in the next game, before being evaluated by a physio, saying he felt dizzy and needed to vomit.

Sinner gingerly returned to the court after treatment to applause from the crowd but continued to melt in the 32C heat as Cerundolo took the set.

Unheralded Argentinian Cerundolo appeared inspired by the unexpected opportunity and raced to victory against his deflated opponent, who was left bent over double after every lengthy rally.

Canadian fourth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime reached the third round for only the second time in his last eight Grand Slam events, beating Roman Andres Burruchaga in four sets.

SABALENKA, GAUFF THROUGH

Women’s world number one Sabalenka ground down a battling Elsa Jacquemot to win 7-5, 6-2. The 67th-ranked home hope Jacquemot pushed Sabalenka for long periods on Chatrier but ultimately could not live with the Belarusian’s power.

Sabalenka, chasing a fifth Grand Slam title and first at Roland Garros, will next take on Daria Kasatkina.

Reigning champion Coco Gauff also booked her place in the last 32, seeing off Egyptian qualifier Mayar Sherif 6-3, 6-2.

Naomi Osaka edged closer to a possible last-16 meeting with Sabalenka after reaching the third round for the first time in seven years by beating Croatia’s Donna Vekic 7-6 (7/1), 6-4.

Sixth seed Amanda Anisimova, who lost the Wimbledon and US Open finals last year, progressed when her opponent Julia Grabher retired after losing the first set 6-0.

On Wednesday, Australian Open champion Elena 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.

Published in Dawn, May 30th, 2026