French Open: Wildcard Jeanjean routs Pliskova; Badosa, Pegula survive three-setters

Paris, May 26 (SocialNews.XYZ) Wildcard Leolia Jeanjean upset No.8 seed Karolina Pliskova in the second round, while No.3 seed Paula Badosa, who overcame Kaja Juvan 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 in 2 hours and 17 minutes, and No.11 seed Jessica Pegula, who defeated Anhelina Kalinina 6-1, 5-7, 6-4 in 2 hours and 26 minutes, avoided upsets in the French Open here on Thursday.

No.227-ranked wildcard Leolia Jeanjean thrilled her home crowd with a 6-2, 6-2 upset of No.8 seed Karolina Pliskova in 75 minutes to move into the Roland Garros third round.

Jeanjean, 26, had neither contested a tour-level main draw nor played a Top 50 player before this week. But she took out No.45-ranked Nuria Parrizas Diaz in the first round and claimed her first Top 10 win on Court Simonne-Mathieu in a display of flair and creativity.

The result continues a series of excellent performances from lower-ranked Frenchwomen at Roland Garros. Jeanjean joins Diane Parry, who ousted defending champion Barbora Krejcikova in her opener, in the third round.

A college tennis standout at Lynn University, from where she graduated with an MBA in finance in 2019, Jeanjean played her first full pro season in 2021. That year, she rocketed from No.1180 to No.380 after compiling a 52-22 record.

Jeanjean will next play Irina-Camelia Begu, who scored her fourth win in as many meetings over No.30 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-7(3), 6-3, 6-4.

Badosa will next play No.29 seed Veronika Kudermetova, who eased past qualifier Aleksandra Krunic 6-3, 6-3, for the third time in 2022. Kudermetova had won all three of their meetings prior to this season, but Badosa has lost just eight games combined across their matches in Indian Wells and Madrid.

Pegula will face No.24 seed Tamara Zidansek, the only one of last year's semifinalists to reach the third round this year. The Slovenian advanced via walkover after a foot injury forced Mayar Sherif to pull out.

Source: IANS