Swiatek survives match point to edge out Osaka in Paris

Iga Swiatek came through a titanic second-round clash with fellow four-time grand slam champion Naomi Osaka to reach the French Open third round.

Osaka looked set to pull off her biggest win in years when she led the world number one and defending champion 5-2 in the third set.

But the 26-year-old from Japan will have nightmares about a missed forehand as Swiatek survived a match point to come from brink of defeat and win 7-6 (1) 1-6 7-5.

It was a remarkable effort from Osaka, the former world number one who only returned to action after maternity leave in January.

It was only three years ago that she pulled out of the French Open, suffering from depression, and put her tennis career on hold.

She has never particularly liked playing on the clay, either, having not progressed past the third round in Paris, and is now ranked 134 in the world.

Swiatek, by contrast, has looked invincible on her best surface this season, winning her last 13 matches including titles in Madrid and Rome, and was a red-hot favourite for a third successive Roland Garros title, and a fourth in five years.

Osaka’s start was not very encouraging but, broken in the first game, she settled as the opening set wore on and hit back for 4-4 and forced a set point on Swiatek’s serve.

Swiatek averted that crisis and, when she took a one-sided tie-break, the game looked up for Osaka.

But the 2021 US Open champion began swinging and Swiatek started scrambling.

Roland Garros chiefs come in for criticism for not holding enough women’s matched in the prime-time night session – they have not picked one so far this year – but they missed a trick with this one.

Such has been Swiatek’s dominance at the tournament she had only previously dropped seven sets in five years at Roland Garros.

But at times she looked on in bewilderment as Osaka pummelled winner after winner – she hit 54 in all – past her to level the match.

In the decider Osaka hit an astonishing five winners in one game, even standing and admiring the backhand which fizzed across Swiatek to clinch another break.

Osaka had a match point on her racket but Swiatek repelled it with a fine return and instead a forehand into an open court that floated millimetres too long allowed the 22-year-old from Poland to break back.

The pressure was telling on both players, with Swiatek berating a spectator for calling out during a point.

Yet, when Osaka tightened up badly and double-faulted Swiatek, who had trailed 5-2, served for the match and an enthralling contest of immense quality ended when the Osaka’s backhand drifted wide.

Swiatek had not forgotten the scream from the crowd which cost her a point afterwards and told them: “I am sorry to bring this up. I have huge respect for you guys and I know we are playing for you. This is entertainment.

“But sometimes under a lot of pressure when you scream something during the rally or right before the return, it’s really, really hard to be focused.”

Coco Gauff (pictured above) rolled past Slovenian Tamara Zidansek 6-3 6-4, harnessing her mighty forehand in front of a crowd squarely on her side.

The US Open winner sent over nearly two dozen winners and overcame issues with her serve, including six double faults, to set up a meeting with the winner of a match between China’s Wang Yafan and Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska.

“I’m very happy with how I played. Conditions (were) very slow and muggy but I got through it,” said Gauff.

The world number three showed early signs of nerves as former semi-finalist Zidansek broke her serve in the opening game of the match.

But Gauff, a finalist in 2022, broke back in the sixth and eighth games, and got the decisive second-set break in the ninth game before pumping her fist with satisfaction as Zidansek sent the ball out of bounds on match point.