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Ottawa’s Gabriela Dabrowski and Brazilian partner Luisa Stefani are moving on to the third round of the French Open after a three-set win on Friday in Paris.
The duo defeated Russia’s Elena Pridakina and Tang Qianhui of China 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 to book a spot in the third round.
Dabrowski and Stefani, the No. 4 seeded team in Paris, had five aces and had three successful break points in the victory.
They will next face the winner of the match between Czechia’s Anastasia Detiuc and Russia’s Irina Khromacheva vs. Ulrikke Eikeri of Norway and American Quinn Gleason.
Seventh-seeded Elina Svitolina was another Ukrainian woman to advance. She beat Tamara Korpatsch 6-2, 6-3.
Also advancing to the fourth round was Wang Xiyu of China, who beat Ukrainian Yuliia Starodubtseva 6-3, 7-5. The Chinese qualifier has still not dropped a set in her campaign.
Minus top players, men’s draw up for grabs
Novak Djokovic’s latest quest for a record 25th Grand Slam ended with a defeat to Joao Fonseca in the third round.
The 39-year-old Serb, a three-time champion at Roland Garros, lost to the 19-year-old Brazilian 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 7-5 as temperatures again reached 33 C.
Djokovic looked exhausted in the fifth set but soldiered on and his exit leaves the men’s draw even more open following Jannik Sinner’s second-round exit on Thursday.
“Tough one for me to lose,” Djokovic said. “I was barely standing on my legs toward the end of the match.”
Facing Fonseca for the first time, Djokovic mixed trademark defence with stunning winners and delicate drop shots to win the first two sets.
“I was playing good tennis, very good tennis,” Djokovic said. “Taking everything into consideration and all the circumstances, my level was very good.”
But Fonseca proved resilient and the tied the match on sets. In the final game, Djokovic had a break point for 6-6 but Fonseca served out with three consecutive aces.
“I just enjoyed being on court and what a pleasure it was. It’s my first stepping on court against him,” Fonseca said. “I was just trying to hit the ball as fast I could. Djokovic don’t miss, we still think he’s 20. At the end of the match I think he was more fit than me, that’s crazy.”
About his flurry of aces, he joked: “I felt like [big server] John Isner. I never did this before.”
Then he wished his mother in the crowd happy birthday and thanked all the Brazilians in the crowd.
Djokovic put ice packs on both sides of his face during changeovers. Still, he looked to be in command when he clinched the second set with a forehand volley at the net.
Djokovic came to Roland Garros with doubts. After he lost the Australian Open final to Carlos Alcaraz, a shoulder injury limited his clay-court buildup to one competitive match. He laboured for at least three hours in each of his previous two rounds but would have thought his chances of adding to his 2016, 2021 and 2023 French Open titles improved after Sinner’s exit.
But Fonseca, who kept pushing Djokovic back with his big forehand, broke early in the third set and held on to it.
In the fifth set, Djokovic frantically tried to find ways to recover some energy against an opponent 20 years younger but he couldn’t hide his fatigue: He hunched over the advertising boards, his forearms dangling; slumped back in his chair with a towel on his head; grabbed his head with his hands.
After the final point at the net, Djokovic was impressed and generous of Fonseca’s fighting spirit, something he has displayed in abundance over the years.
Second-seeded Alexander Zverev, chasing a first major title in Paris, continues his quest for his first major trophy against Frenchman Quentin Halys during the evening session. Andrey Rublev meets Nuno Borges and Casper Ruud faces Tommy Paul.
Kostyuk keeps clay streak going
Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine beat Viktorija Golubic 6-4, 6-3 Friday to reach the fourth round at the French Open for the second time, setting up a big match against four-time champion Iga Swiatek.
The 15th-ranked player is in an excellent run of form and extended her winning streak on clay to 15 matches. Ahead of Roland Garros, she won in Madrid — the biggest title of her career — after she claimed another clay-court title in Rouen, France.
She previously reached the fourth round in Paris in 2021, when she lost to Swiatek. A rematch is coming up next after Swiatek defeated fellow Polish player Magda Linette 6-4, 6-4.