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Defending champion Iga Swiatek saved a match point before beating Naomi Osaka to avoid the earliest French Open exit of her career in a second-round thriller in Paris.<\/b><\/p>\n
The 22-year-old Pole, who is bidding for a third successive title, fought back to win 7-6 (7-1) 1-6 7-5.<\/p>\n
Former world number one Osaka only returned to the sport four months ago after having daughter Shai and has previously struggled on clay.<\/p>\n
However, the 26-year-old from Japan pushed top seed Swiatek all the way in an absorbing encounter under the Court Philippe Chatrier roof \u2013 but paid the price for not converting her chance.<\/p>\n
“That was intense, more intense than I expected for a second-round match,” said Swiatek.<\/p>\n
“We played some amazing tennis.”<\/p>\n
Swiatek has developed into the WTA Tour’s most dominant player since Serena Williams and her record on clay is particularly formidable.<\/p>\n
Escaping defeat against Osaka – whose four major titles all came on hard courts – means Swiatek has lost just two of her 32 matches at Roland Garros.<\/p>\n
She has only lost once on clay this season, having won back-to-back titles in Madrid and Rome before heading to Paris.<\/p>\n
In contrast, Osaka has never been the most comfortable on the surface and described herself last month as still being a “baby giraffe” on it.<\/p>\n
However Osaka, who grew up playing on hard courts in New York and Florida, has been wholeheartedly embracing the challenge of adapting her game to the clay.<\/p>\n
This was an example of how the world number 134 still possesses a hard-hitting game which can test the best.<\/p>\n
“I was watching Iga win this tournament last year and I was pregnant. It was just my dream to be able to play her,” said Osaka.<\/p>\n
“When I kind of think of it like that, I think I’m doing pretty well. I’m also just trying not to be too hard on myself. <\/p>\n
“I feel like I played her on her better surface. I’m a hard-court kid, so I would love to play her on my surface and see what happens.”<\/p>\n
Osaka bamboozled Swiatek with her sheer power and fearless returning, cracking winners off both wings with ease.<\/p>\n
She was a point away from a 5-1 lead in the deciding set and, despite being unable to take that by putting a backhand into the net, still retained a commanding position as she closed in on a memorable victory.<\/p>\n
But she became tight when serving out for the match at 5-3, missing three short balls on the way to handing back the break with a long backhand.<\/p>\n
The edginess continued when a double fault on break point allowed Swiatek the opportunity to serve out victory.<\/p>\n
Swiatek executed her shots when it mattered and was visibly relieved to avoid her first exit before the fourth round.<\/p>\n
It preserves her bid to become only the third woman to win three successive French Open titles in the Open era after Monica Seles (1990-92) and Justine Henin (2005-07).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n