Bianca Andreescu has lost her opening match at the French Open after being ousted by Tamara Zidansek 6-7, 7-6, 9-7 in a marathon encounter that lasted three hours and 20 minutes.
The former US Open champion entered the Grand Slam having only played two matches on the clay so far this year. Both of which was in Strasbourg last week. However, she was unable to find a way to tame Zidansek who had never won a match in Paris until this year. The Slovenian hit a total of 41 winners and won 60% of her service points.
It was in fact the Canadian who got off to a fast start as she earned three breakpoints in the opening game, sensing nerves from her opponent and broke to take an early 1-0 lead. Continuing to attack she managed to turn her lead into a double break before the Slovenian stormed back to win the next three games to level the first set.
The world number 85 had a chance to increase her lead and earned three more breakpoints in the following game but the Toronto native did a good job saving all three and holding serve. At 5-4 the Slovenian found herself at set point but again was denied again by the world No.7 and the first set would be decided by a tiebreaker.
Andreescu raced out to a 4-0 lead and that was enough to take the breaker 7-1 and the first set.
However, Zidansek was determined to stay in the match and at 1-1 in the second set she earned another breakpoint. Taking the early break before Andreescu would respond by breaking right back using her forehand to great effect.
The world number 7 once again failed to hold serve and double faulted on a breakpoint to give the break right back and it stayed on serve until 4-3 when the Canadian broke again with a stunning return winner on breakpoint to level the set at four.
After two holds of serve it was Zidansek’s turn to break and a chance to serve for the second set but again the number 6 seed would break right back to force another tiebreaker. This it was time the world number 85 who would jump out to a 3-0 lead and that was enough for her to win the breaker 7-2, thus sending the match in a third and deciding set.
The decider was very tight with the first three games staying on serve before the Slovenian had a chance for the early break earning three breakpoints but the Canadian would save all three and hold serve. It stayed on serve until 4-4 when Andreescu earned two more chances to break and she did just that giving her a chance to serve for the match but again was broken to make it 5-5.
At 6-5 the Slovenian had a match point but the Canadian would save it with a huge forehand and hold serve to go into extra games since third sets at the French Open don’t have tiebreakers. The match stayed on serve until 7-7 with the world number 85 serving and she would double fault to give the Canadian a chance to break but the Slovenian would save it and hold serve again. At 8-7 with Andreescu serving to stay in the match Zidansek earned two match points and only needed the first to secure the win.
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