Second seed Karolina Pliskova encountered a stern opening test at the French Open after outlasting Egyptian qualifier Mayar Sherif in a two-hour roller-coaster.
The former world No.1 was forced to battle back from a set down to prevail 6-7(8), 6-2, 6-4, in what was an historic occasion for her rival. 24-year-old Sherif is the first female player from her country to ever contest a Grand Slam main draw match. During the marathon 135-minute encounter, Pliskova looked tentative at times as she produced 45 unforced errors alongside 46 winners. Furthermore she could only convert five out of 15 break point opportunities due to some fierce play from Sherif.
“It was super tough. Especially after losing the first set where I had a couple set points,” said Pliskova.
“I think I was not playing my game during the first set but my level got up a little bit higher in the next two.’
“She played a great game. Especially on this surface in these conditions. She is very tough.”
Pliskova entered the match as the undisputed favourite being ranked over 170 places higher than her opponent. However, the Czech struggled to find consistency in her shot-making early on. Eight times Pliskova had a set point opportunity at two different stages of the opener but she failed to concert all of them. At one stage the frustration got too much for her after she received a code violation for smashing her racket on the court. Meanwhile, underdog Sherif continued to weather the storm by playing inspired tennis as with a mixture of delicate drop shots and deep hitting. The determination of the Egyptian paid off after a tentative smash from Pliskova sailed long to award her the 7-6 lead.
The opener served as a wake up call for Pliskova who finally managed to regain rhythm in her game that paved the way for a rapid resurgence. During the second frame she dictated proceedings with the help of a four-game winning streak as she swiftly drew level in the match.
Besides Sherif, Pliskova also had to contend with the damp conditions and was seen at one stage rubbing her shoulder. This year’s tournament has also changed their ball brand with some players saying it is slower and heavier to hit than usual.
As the rain started to intensify both players continued battling on Court Philippe Chartier until the very end. Pliskova still looked to be below-par on the court and even lethargic after some points. Still, she wouldn’t be denied the victory. The pivotal break occurred during a marathon game at 3-3 that consisted of seven deuces. A backhand shot into the net from Sherif gifted the break as Pliskova neared towards the finish line. Serving for a place in round two, she sealed the win with the help of an ace down the centre of the court.
“The conditions are so different compared to Rome. It was 35 degrees and here (in Paris) it is close to 20,” said Pliskova. “ I’m just happy to be through because these matches can only move me forward and I can feel better after them. Hopefully I am going to have a little bit of a better feeling in the next one.”
In the next round Pliskova will play former champion Jelena Ostapenko. The Latvian experienced little difficulty in her opening match as she swept aside Madison Brengle 6-2, 6-1.
