Sisters Chan Hao-ching and Latisha Chan yesterday fell to a tight defeat in the second round of the women’s doubles at the French Open, one day after fellow Taiwanese Hsieh Su-wei crashed out of the women’s singles in the second round.
The eighth-seeded Chan sisters fell to a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 defeat to Daria Kasatkina and Anett Kontaveit in 2 hours, 7 minutes in Paris.
The Russian-Estonian duo saved four of eight break points and converted five of 12, sending down five aces to knock out the Taiwanese siblings and advance to the third round.
In the singles on Thursday, 25th seed Hsieh was edged 4-6, 6-3, 8-6 by Andrea Petkovic in 2 hours, 24 minutes on Court 14.
The German world No. 69 saved nine of 14 break points and converted six of nine, hitting 36 winners to win her first clash with Hsieh on the tour and advance to a third-round clash with Australian eighth seed Ashleigh Barty, who defeated Danielle Collins of the US 7-5, 6-1 in 1 hour, 18 minutes on Court 1.
Yesterday, Karolina Pliskova’s quest for a maiden Grand Slam title came to an end as the second seed lost 6-3, 6-3 to Croatia’s Petra Martic.
The powerful Czech struggled throughout to find the range on her feared serve and forehand as 31st-seeded Martic matched her best performance by reaching the last 16.
Martic broke in the seventh game and then again two games later as Pliskova hit a backhand long to drop the opener.
A lackluster Pliskova then dropped serve again at the start of the second set before hitting back with a flurry of winners to break her 28-year-old opponent twice in a row.
However, the fightback did not last and Martic regained control with two more breaks before serving it out at 5-3.
“I think the score was closer than it looked in the end,” a disappointed Pliskova told reporters. “I had chances in a couple of games, but it was difficult for me today.”
The 27-year-old Czech made twice as many unforced errors as Martic and complained that Court Philippe-Chatrier was slow, and therefore did not suit her game.
“She [Martic] played clever. She was patient, too. I just made too many mistakes,” added Pliskova, who entered Paris after winning in Rome.
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