World No 2 Aryna Sabalenka breezed previous Japanese qualifier Moyuka Uchijima in straight units on Thursday to succeed in the third spherical of the French Open.
Uchijima, enjoying within the second spherical of a Grand Slam event for the primary time, couldn’t address Sabalenka’s highly effective serve and groundstrokes as she succumbed 6-2 6-2 to the second seed.
Sabalenka gained six factors in a row initially of the match earlier than Uchijima lastly started to settle her nerves and gained her opening service recreation.
However, at 3-2, Uchijima can be damaged by the Belarusian, Sabalenka pouncing on a break level with a fierce winner earlier than taking the primary set in 29 minutes with out dropping one other recreation.
Uchijima wore a sombre expression throughout the changeover earlier than the second set and she or he merely had no solutions for the facility of Sabalenka, who additionally performed some telling drop photographs.
The Japanese No 1 afforded herself a smile when she obtained the higher of Sabalenka on a protracted rally to make it 4-2 within the second set, however the two-time Australian Open champion refocused to avoid wasting a break level earlier than breaking Uchijima’s serve as soon as extra to seal an emphatic victory.
Sabalenka will subsequent face both Paula Badosa or Yulia Putintseva within the third spherical at Roland Garros.
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