It was a battle of offense against defense on Court Suzanne Lenglen, and defense prevailed. No. 9 seed Agnieszka Radwanska was victorious in three sets over world No. 113 Alison Van Uytvanck, 6(3)-7, 6-2, 6-3.
On she fights…
No.9 seed Radwanska needs nearly 2.5 hours to battle past former quarterfinalist Van Uytvanck 6-7(3) 6-2 6-3. #RG17 pic.twitter.com/oo5NZsW62d
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 1, 2017
Van Uytvanck broke Radwankska’s serve in the first game of the match on an inside-out forehand winner. She then consolidated with a fake-out drop shot winner to go up 2-0.
Radwanska finally got on the board in her next service game, holding to love. Van Uytvanck returned the favor, holding to love herself by hitting back-to-back drop shot winners that died in the clay for a 3-1 lead.
In the marathon game that followed, Van Uytvanck had three break points, but Radwanska managed to hold anyway, containing Van Uytvanck’s lead to one break at 3-2. During the changeover, Radwanska received treatment from the trainer on her right middle finger.
When play resumed, Van Uytvanck netted two forehands, allowing Randwanska to even the set at 3 apiece. But the Belgian then broke Radwanska at love on a forehand winner, going up 4-3 with the ball in hand.
After the players exchanged holds, Radwanska broke Van Uytvanck’s serve with a backhand return winner down the line to bring the set to 5-5.
The set wound up going to a tiebreak, in which Radwanska got mini-broken on the first point by missing a forehand wide. Van Uytvanck went on to put the set away with an overhead, winning the tiebreak 7-3.
To start the second, Van Uytvanck served her way out of two break points to take the first game.
Van Uytvanck, down break point at 1-1, missed a crosscourt forehand long. Radwanska then consolidated for 3-1.
In the next game, Radwanska hit a forehand volley winner to set up a break point, which she converted to go up a second break 4-1. Radwanska later held to 30 to win the set 6-2.
Radwanska got the first break of the third set for 2-1. She then consolidated for 3-1. “The Professor” later got one final break for 6-3 to win the match.
Radwanska, in the third round, will face Frenchwoman Alize Cornet, who got past 20th seed Barbora Strycova 6-4, 6-1 Thursday.
