PARIS — U.S. Open runner-up Madison Keys overcame some late-match shakiness to reach the fourth round at Roland Garros for the second time in three years.
The 13th-seeded American built a big lead then barely avoided getting pushed to a third set before beating 21st-seeded Naomi Osaka of Japan, 6-1, 7-6 (7), in a matchup of powerful baseliners.
Keys compiled a 30-8 edge in winners and started quickly, going up by a set and a break at 3-1 in the second. But she began making more and more mistakes, allowing Osaka to take 10 consecutive points and three games in a row during one stretch.
Still, Keys served for the victory at 5-4, and held a match point at 40-30, when she pushed a backhand long and wound up getting broken.
In the tiebreaker, Osaka went ahead 4-1, and held set points at 6-5 and 7-6. Keys held steady, though, and was able to convert her second match point when Osaka double-faulted.
Serena comeback
Meanwhile, Serena Williams beat 17th-seeded Ashleigh Barty of Australia, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, to make it to the third round late Thursday.
“I lost the first set, and I thought, `I’ve got to try harder. I’ve got to just try harder,’ she told the crowd afterward. “And Serena came out.”
Well put.
Williams had all sorts of trouble in the opening set, compiling 12 unforced errors. By the time the second set was merely one game old, she had been broken twice in the match, each time at love, a rather surprising development for the owner of one of her sport’s most dangerous serves.
Disclaimer: The comments uploaded on this site do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of management and owner of Cebudailynews. We reserve the right to exclude comments that we deem to be inconsistent with our editorial standards.
