Author: Barkha Roy
Japan’s 27th seed Yoshihito Nishioka came from the brink of defeat to secure an impressive victory over Brazil’s Thiago Seyboth Wild in a thrilling five-set battle in the men’s singles at the French Open. The match showed the resilience and determination of Nishioka, who overcame a slow start to win 3-6, 7-6, 2-6, 6-4 and 6-0. Both players showed their skill on the serve, with Nishioka firing 2 aces against 10 from Seyboth Wild, while Nishioka also showed better control, with only 3 double faults against 9 from his opponent.
Nishioka’s consistency paid off, as he won an impressive 70% of his first serves, and his determination on the court was evident in his ability to convert break points, with 6 out of 16. In the end, Nishioka’s spirited performance saw him emerge victorious, winning 150 points to Seyboth Wild’s 157 and securing his place in the fourth round of the French Open.
In a tight women’s singles match in the third round of the French Open, 23rd-ranked Ekaterina Alexandrova suffered a narrow defeat at the hands of 14th-ranked Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia. The match showed intense back and forth action, with Haddad Maia winning 7-5, 4-6, 5-7.
Despite the loss, Alexandrova showed her prowess on the serve by hitting 12 aces, although she struggled with double faults, committing five throughout the match. Both players showed their consistency, with similar first serve percentages of 65% for Alexandrova and 64% for Haddad Maia. However, Haddad Maia had a slight advantage in winning points on both the first and second serves.
Although Alexandrova fought hard, converting 7 out of 16 break point opportunities, Haddad Maia’s resilience on crucial points allowed her to win 8 out of 13 break points. In terms of reception, Haddad Maia excelled by winning 55 points compared to Alexandrova’s 49. In the end, Haddad Maia’s determination and ability to capitalize on key moments saw her secure a hard-fought victory and advance to the next round of the tournament.
The all-Brazilian duo of Rafael Matos and Luisa Stefani put in a dominant performance in the second round of mixed doubles at the French Open, beating Croatian-Chinese pair Ivan Dodig and Zhang Shuai, seeded eighth, in straight sets 6-2, 6-2. Matos and Stefani showed a solid serving game, serving with precision and efficiency. Matos hit three aces, while Dodig and Zhang failed to hit any. Both pairs committed a few double faults, with Matos and Stefani committing 2 and Dodig and Zhang 3.
Matos and Stefani were exceptional in their first serve accuracy, with a remarkable 96% compared to Dodig and Zhang’s 93%. In addition, Matos and Stefani capitalised on their first serves, winning 74% of those points. Unfortunately, statistics on the winning percentage of the second serve were not provided. The Brazilian pair demonstrated their prowess in converting break point opportunities, succeeding in 4 out of 9 attempts, while Dodig and Zhang failed to convert any of their 4 opportunities.
Matos and Stefani’s strong reception game was evident, winning 22 reception points against 13 from Dodig and Zhang. Overall, Matos and Stefani’s impressive performance allowed them to win 54 points and 12 games, including a run of 5 consecutive games. They secured victory, progressing to the next round with a convincing demonstration of their skills and teamwork.