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French Open 2022: Korda sets Alcaraz rematch; Anisimova, Gauff, Stephens reach Round 3

Victoria Chiesa | May 26, 2022

Youth was served for Americans in the second round of the French Open. In all, 10 U.S. players booked their spots in Round 3 in both the men's and women's singles draws with victories on Wednesday and Thursday, with age-21-and-under stars Amanda Anisimova, Coco Gauff, Sebastian Korda and Brandon Nakashima leading the way. 

Korda, seeded No. 27, was a 7-6(5), 6-3, 6-3 winner over French veteran Richard Gasquet, setting up a tantilizing third round clash against No. 6 seed and fellow wunderkind Carlos Alcaraz of Spain. Alcaraz saved a match point in a marathon 6-1, 6-7(7), 5-7, 7-6(2), 6-4 victory over his compatriot Albert Ramos-Vinolas, and has now won 18 of his last 19 matches. His only loss in that span came to Korda in Monte Carlo, but the two have split two career meetings: Alcaraz was victorious in the championship match of the Next Gen ATP Finals last fall.

 

Twenty-year-old Brandon Nakashima's breakout French Open run continued with a straight-sets win over Tallon Griekspoor, 7-6(6), 6-4, 6-2. After coming from two-sets-to-one down in his first round to win his first Grand Slam tournament match away from the US Open, he's through to the third round of a major for the first time.

Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

Nakashima next faces No.3 seed Alexander Zverev, who saved a match point in a five-set win against Argentina's Sebastian Baez in his second round.

 

Only three of the 10 American women remaining in the singles draw were in action on Wednesday, and they were all victorious. Amanda Anisimova and Coco Gauff were straight-sets winners, while Sloane Stephens had an impressive comeback against No. 26 seed Sorana Cirstea. Down a set and a break, the 2017 US Open champion won 12 straight games to reach Round 3, 3-6, 6-2, 6-0.

 

Stephens, a former finalist in Paris, has come from a set down in each of her first two matches. She's now earned back-to-back wins for the first time since she won the WTA 250 event in Guadalajara, Mexico in February.

 

On Thursday, Jessica Pegula had a similar three-set thriller. Leading Ukraine's Anhelina Kalinina 6-1, 5-1, Pegula was eventually stretched to three sets and needed eight points to win, 6-1, 5-7, 6-4. She previously needed 10 match points to close out a 6-2, 6-4 opening win against China's Wang Qiang. The only all-American match in either draw took place on Thursday, too, where Shelby Rogers upset No.9 seed Danielle Collins, 6-4, 6-3. 

Photo by Adam Pretty/Getty Images

To earn her sixth career win against a Top 10 player, Rogers held on after opening leads of 4-0 in the first set and 5-1 in the second. 


"It's always good to move through without too much drama ... there were little momentum shifts today, but not too much drama," Rogers told Tennis Channel in victory. "I felt like she started serving a little bit better [at 4-0.] I made a couple of mistakes and felt like my energy dropped a little bit. I made it a point to get some positive self-talk going, jump around a little bit, get myself into the match again.

 

"She starts so strong and brings the energy from the very first point. If she's on top of the ball, she can hit a winner from just about anywhere if she wants. I knew I had to counter that today. It was nice to get a quick start in both sets, but holding onto it was a different thing."

In doubles, Rajeev Ram—one-half of the top-seeded doubles team in the men's field with Great Britain's Joe Salisbury—won his first round; the pair beat another American, Marcos Giron, and his South Korean partner Kwon Soonwoo, 6-3, 6-2. American women through to Round 2 in doubles include Caty McNally, who's seeded fourth with China's Zhang Shuai; Desirae Krawczyk, seeded No. 5 with Demi Schuurs of the Netherlands; Caroline Dolehide, seeded No. 7 with Australia's Storm Sanders; and Asia Muhammad, seeded No. 9 with Japan's Ena Shibahara.

 

Dolehide and Sanders will face the all-American pair of Madison Keys and Taylor Townsend in Round 2, the last of whom is competing in her first Grand Slam after her maternity leave. Gauff and Pegula, seeded No.8, also won their first-round match on Thursday.

TEAM USA RESULTS | FRENCH OPEN 2022, ROUND TWO | AS OF THURSDAY, MAY 26

 

WOMEN

  1. Shelby Rogers def. (9) Danielle Collins 6-4, 6-3

  2. (11) Jessica Pegula def. Anhelina Kalinina (UKR) 6-1, 5-7, 6-4

  3. (18) Coco Gauff def. Alison van Uytvanck (BEL) 6-1, 7-6(4)

  4. (22) Madison Keys def. Caroline Garcia (FRA) 6-4, 7-6(3)

  5. (27) Amanda Animisova def. Donna Vekic (CRO) 6-4, 6-1

  6. (1) Iga Swiatek (POL) def. Alison Riske 6-0, 6-2

  7. (7) Aryna Sabalenka def. Madison Brengle 6-1, 6-3

  8. Sloane Stephens def. (26) Sorana Cirstea (ROU) 3-6, 6-2, 6-0

  9. (16) Elena Rybakina (KAZ) def. (WC) Katie Volynets 6-4, 6-0

 

MEN

  1. (Q) Bernabe Zapata Miralles (ESP) def. (13) Taylor Fritz 3-6, 6-2, 6-2, 6-3

  2. (23) John Isner def. (WC) Gregoire Barrere (FRA) 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(5)

  3. David Goffin (BEL) def. (24) Frances Tiafoe 3-6, 7-6(1), 6-2, 6-4

  4. (27) Sebastian Korda def. Richard Gasquet (FRA) 7-6(5), 6-3, 6-3 

  5. Brandon Nakashima def. Tallon Griekspoor (NED) 7-6(6), 6-4, 6-2

  6. Mackenzie McDonald def. (22) Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO) 6-3, 6-1, 6-4

  7. (WC) Gilles Simon (FRA) def. Steve Johnson 7-5, 6-1, 7-6(6)

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