- Third seed Sabalenka loses to Pavlyuchenkova
- Williams only top ten player in her half of draw
Serena Williams is now the only top ten player left in the bottom half of the women’s Roland Garros draw, a scenario that in almost all other years would mark her as a clear title favourite, no questions asked. At 39 years old, five years removed from her last successful clay season and as she tries to scrape off three-month old cobwebs in time, answers are needed. With her 6-3, 6-4 third-round win over Danielle Collins on Friday, some were indeed provided.
The match itself was high quality from all parts of the court and it pitted Williams against one of the more fascinating players. Florida-born Collins is an excellent athlete and her two-handed backhand is a stunning shot. Throughout the encounter, she lasered it from every part of the court. She is also loud and combative, known for shaking stadiums with the force of her cheers.
