French Open 2019 women's round-up: Second seed Karolina Pliskova crashes out to Martic
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Updated 31/05/2019 at 18:33 GMT
Second seed Karolina Pliskova crashed out of the French Open in a surprise 6-3, 6-3 defeat to Croatia's Petra Martic.
Karolina Pliskova
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Martic broke first to go 4-3 up in the first set, responding well to Pliskova's serve-and-volley tactic, and broke again to take the set, with a perfect lob over her opponent's head the stand-out shot in that game.
Pliskova was rattled, and began the second set with errors, missing a smash close to the net which drew gasps from the crowd.
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Highlights - Martic stuns Pliskova
Though the Czech managed to level at 2-2 in the second set, the world number 31 was not to be denied.Twelfth seed Anastasija Sevastova won an entertaining match against Elise Mertens, seeded 20th, 6-7(3), 6-4, 11-9.
Both players wheeled out an enthralling array of shots, treating the Suzanne Lenglen crowd to a showcase - but it was the Latvian who saved five match points and then took her own first chance to wrap up the victory.
"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 the Philippe-Chatrier court 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 came to Paris having won in Rome.
Martic, who will play an unseeded player next, either Estonia's Kaia Kanepi or Russian Veronika Kudermetova, tried to dominate Pliskova and mostly the tactic worked.
"The key was to focus on my game and try to dictate instead of letting her dictate, which is her biggest strength," said the Croat.
"I had to kind of try to take it away from her, and at times it was difficult, especially when she broke me and when she got a few winners, which she's known for.
"And I'm just happy that I managed in the end to hold my nerves and to finish it off."
There was better news for Pliskova's fellow Czech Marketa Vondrousova as the 19-year-old reached the last 16 with a 6-4 6-4 defeat of Spanish 28th seed Carla Suarez Navarro.
American Sloane Stephens continued her good run with a 6-3 5-7 6-4 victory over Polona Hercog, while Jo Konta was in ruthless mood as she dispatched Viktoria Kuzmova 6-2 6-1.
Day 6 results
- Petra Martic (CRO) [31] def. Karolina Pliskova (CZE) [2] 6-3, 6-3
- Marketa Vondrousova (CZE) def. Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP) [28] 6-4, 6-4
- Madison Keys (USA) [14] def. Priscilla Hon (AUS) 7-5, 5-7, 6-3
- Lesia Tsurenko (UKR) [27] def. Aleksandra Krunic 5-7, 7-5, 11-9
- Anastasija Sevastova (LAT) [12] def. Elise Mertens (BEL) 6-7(3), 6-4, 11-9
- Kaia Kanepi (EST) def. Veronika Kudermetova (RUS) 4-6, 6-3, 6-0
- Garbine Muguruza (ESP)[19] def. Ekaterina Svitolina (UKR)[9[] 6-3 6-3
- Sloane Stephens (USA)[7] def. P. Hercog (SVN) 6-3 5-7 6-4
- Jo Konta (GBR)[26] def. Viktoria Kuzmova (UKR) 6-2 6-1
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