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Back to Kostyuk, I\u2019d really fancy her to go deep with a different draw. Should she get to meet Swiatek, she\u2019ll be in rhythm given her likely opponents, but I don\u2019t think she\u2019s quite ready to beat her on this stage. At 23, though, she\u2019s got plenty time, and in a year\u2019s time I\u2019d hope to feel differently.<\/p>\n
Share<\/a><\/p>\n Davidovich Fokina has taken over against Dzumhur, leading 5-2 in the second having lost the first on a tiebreak, while Bencic has served out to lead Kraus, who\u2019s playing pretty well, 6-2.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n That being the case, I\u2019m back with Davidovich Fokina, who trails Dzumhur 6-7 3-2 on serve. And I\u2019m still on Chatrier, ready to take a closer look at Bencic, who leads Kraus 4-2 in the first.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Next on Mathieu: Katie Volynets v Clara Burel.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n It just goes to show, really \u2013 we wondered why she was struggling more than expected when it came to finish sets, and why she looked so emotional at the end. Well, now we know, and it\u2019s a reminder that you never know what\u2019s going on in someone\u2019s life beyond the obvious stuff that can be seen.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Kostyuk is really proud of herself, saying this was one of the most difficult matches of her career \u2013 and this is why. Earlier this morning, 100m away from her parents\u2019 house, a missile destroyed a building \u2013 Kostyuk is Ukrainian \u2013 and she didn\u2019t know how she\u2019d handle things having spent the morning crying. She doesn\u2019t want to talk about herself today, she says, holding back tears. She\u2019s pleased to be in the second round, but all her thoughts and all her heart goes to the people of Ukraine. It\u2019s important to keep going, though \u2013 her biggest inspiration is the Ukrainian people and she woke up today looking at them living their lives despite being in need. She knew there\u2019d be Ukrainians supporting her and she has friends in the crowd, so thanks them, then the rest of the crowd \u2013 it seems all interviewers are contractually obliged to force that.<\/p>\n Otherwise, she\u2019s off \u2013 what an excellent woman she is.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Marta Kostyuk (15) beats Oksana Selekhmetova 6-2 6-3<\/p>\n Sealed with a kiss an ace. Kostyuk, who beat Pegula, Noskova and Andreeva, among others, whole winning Madrid, moves on and looks more emotional than you\u2019d expect. Next for her: Volynets or Burel.<\/p>\n Marta Kostyuk celebrates after her victory. Photograph: Thibault Camus\/APShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a006.35 EDT<\/p>\n \u2026both saved, Selekhmetova finding decent second serves when she needs them and holindg; Lostyuk will no serve for the match again at 6-2 5-3. Back on Lenglen, meanwhile, Khachanov is forced to save a break point against the growing Gea, closing out a hold to lead 6-3 1-1.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Selekhmetova isn\u2019t going away, securing that break to trail 2-6 2-5 \u2026 then three unforced errors donate two match points.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Back on Mathieu, Kostyuk is racing away with set two, leading Selekhmetova 6-2 5-1. Again, though, she\u2019s struggling to serve out, finding a brutal backhand to save a break point and force deuce. On the one hand, this is a decent workout for her, playing herself into stroke without having to fear elimination; on the other, is she showing the same frailties that have held her back until now?<\/p>\n Kostyuk tries to cool off. Photograph: David Winter\/ShutterstockShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a006.34 EDT<\/p>\n Bencic, of course, reached the last four at Wimbledon, only to no-show against Swiatek \u2013 until the match was almost over. If she can manage her nerves, she can give anyone aggro \u2013 in the last eight, she binned Mirra Andreeva \u2013 but lacks the power and weapons to win majors.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n On 14, Dzumhur has taken the first set off Davidovich Fokina 7-3 in the tiebreak, a match I\u2019m no longer watching as I\u2019ve moved to Chatrier, where Belinda Bencic, seeded 11, meets the Austrian qualifier Sinja Kraus.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n In fairness to Gea, he improved significantly after going 4-0 down \u2013 which makes sense given this is his debut in the competition. He\u2019s starting to attack the ball and, though Khachanov has seen off better, this match isbn\u2019t over yet.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Khachanov has reached the last eight of this competition twice \u2013 Wimbledon likewise \u2013 and the last four of the other two slams. That tells us he\u2019s got an all-court game, with the eye-test advising that he lacks the power-augmenting finesse go further. He does, though, have Gea\u2019s number \u2026 so of course, as I type, the young Frenchman flat-bats an incredible pass cross-court to save set point. For all the difference it makes, Khachanov closing out from there to lead 6-3.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n It looks a lovely day in Paris, by the way \u2013 which isn\u2019t always the case. It\u2019s going to be seriously hard work for those involved in tight matches, given clay-court rallies and soaring tempteratures.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Going around the courts, Tomljanovic leads Mcnally 6-3; Bouzkova is up 6-3 on Bronzetti; Kecmanovic and Maroszan are level at 5-5; Wang leads Tagger 6-3; and Duckworth has taken the first set off Gallo, 6-3.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Davidovich Fokina is another who\u2019s come closer to finding his top level in recent times \u2013 though it\u2019s lower than Kostyuk\u2019s. He\u2019s just broken Dzumhur for 6-5 in the first, but now trails 0-30, while Kostyuk has broken Selekhmetova back and held to lead 6-2 2-1.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n On Lenglen, Gea has gone off for a bathroom break \u2013 it seems he\u2019s an upset stomach \u2013 with Khachnov poised to serve at 4-2 in the first. Meantime, Selekhmetova breaks Kostyuk immediately in set two to trail 2-6 1-0.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Kostyuk is one of those players I think can push into the top 10. She struggled with pressure earlier in her career, but has worked hard on herself and now looks ready to exploit her prodigious technical skill and athletic prowess. She does, though, have Swiatek in her eighth \u2013 the two are seeded to meet in round four \u2013 and there are some decent players standing between her and that, Leylah Fernandez and Jelena Ostapenko among them.<\/p>\n Marta Kostyuk reacts during her match against Oksana Selekhmeteva. Photograph: Beno\u00eet Tessier\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a005.55 EDT<\/p>\n Kostyuk doesn\u2019t convert, but then, on game point, Selekhmeteva misses a pass she ought to have made, and from there the set is taken from here. Kostyuk leads 6-2.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n OK, Selekhmeteva \u2013 who I can\u2019t say I\u2019ve seen play before, so that\u2019s exciting \u2013 nabs back a break off Kostyuk, but then finds herself down set point, on serve. Though she\u2019s found her lefty game the last few minutes, she\u2019s got to be more consistent and take more risks to tax a player as good as her opponent. Gosh, and a seventh double of the game means she\u2019s now down advantage.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n So what matches to watch? Let\u2019s start with Karen Khachanov, the no 13 seed, who leads Arthur Gea, a qualifier, 4-0; Marta Kostyuk (15), who leads Oksana Selekhmeteva 5-1; and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina\u2019s tussle with Damir Dzumhur, currently 3-4 on serve.<\/p>\n