Key events
Alcaraz beats Dzumhur! 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4
Tiafoe beats Korda 7-6 (8), 6-3, 6-4!
Paolini beats Starodubtseva: 6-4, 6-1
Rybakina beats Ostapenko! 6-2, 6-2
Rune beats Alys 4-6, 6-2, 5-7, 7-5, 6-2!
Swiatek beats Cristian 6-2, 7-5!
Mauresmo hits back at criticisms of men’s match only night sessions
Sabalenka beats Danilovic 6-2 6-3
Preamble
Now then, can Swiatek pounce? She gets up 15-30 before Cristian finds the net to cough up two break points. The first goes with a long forehand and on the second Cristian ups the power to snuff out the danger. Eventually Cristian gets the hold with a wonderful forehand down the line, which prompts a turn to the crowd and a request to pump up the volume. Swiatek 6-2, 4-4 Cristian.
On Simonne Mathieu, Khachanov has forced a fifth set against Paul, winning the fourth 6-3.
This one is more straightforward for Swiatek. After her previous two service games both went near or over the ten minute mark this time proceedings are wrapped up a little quicker as she drops just the single point. This set is already longer than the first, mind. Swiatek 6-2, 4-3 Cristian.
From down 15-30 Cristian ends up making a fairly routine hold. The crosscourt forehand to go up 40-30 in particular was a delight, wrong-footing Swiatek as she headed back to the centre of the baseline. Swiatek 6-2, 3-3 Cristian.
Cristian has really found her range on Swiatek’s second serve. An open stance drive down the line gives Cristian a 0-30 lead and when a loose forehand sails long she has two break points at 15-40. One is saved with a clever serve to Cristian’s backhand and Suzanne-Lenglen rises to its feet as Swiatek saves the second with the point of the match that saw both players sliding around to get the upper hand. The pressure is starting to show on Swiatek who yells at herself after handing Cristian a third break point. Another long rally ends in another save, before another long forehand hands the advantage back to Cristian with a fourth break point. Swiatek grinds out the hold in the game’s 11th minute but she is definitely the one looking less comfortable out there at the moment. Swiatek 6-2, 3-2 Cristian.
Swiatek gets a chance when Cristian draws her into the net at 30-30 but the Pole’s sliding backhand goes long. Surely the slice would have been the shot with Cristian out of the picture? Instead we are still on serve. Swiatek 6-2, 2-2 Cristian.
I assumed Rune had wrapped up the third set against Halys but the Frenchman has produced a stunner, winning three games in a row to snatch it away 7-5. Halys is back in front, up to 2-1 in sets.
Back on Swiatek’s serve and her forehand looks imperious but her backhand has not quite been as strong. It is one of those that goes wide down the line to give Cristian an 0-15 lead. Cristian then anticipates the wide serve, runs around it and powers a forehand cross-court to go up 0-30. Swiatek gets it back to 30-30 but then dumps a forehand long, what was I saying about how reliable that has been? Cristian’s first break point of the match doesn’t stick when she sends backhand long, but an errant backhand from Swiatek provides another chance. Again Swiatek is able to whip over a dangerous forehand and force an error.
The sun is clearly causing the Pole problems on her first serve as the game passes seven minutes. Swiatek digs deep, finally finds a first serve and when Cristian gets overly aggressive on the backhand the reigning champion gets her hold. Swiatek 6-2, 2-1 Cristian.
Swiatek gets an early break point on the Cristian serve at 30-40 but the Romanian finds some power to rally back, winning three consecutive points to shut the door. Swiatek 6-2, 1-1 Cristian.
Cristian forced Swiatek to go a little bit deeper on that first service game of the second set, but nothing the reigning champion could not handle, dropping just the single point. Swiatek 6-2, 1-0 Cristian.
A quick glance over to Philippe-Chatrier, where Rune is now serving for the third set against Halys, the Dane is 5-4 up. Paul has won the third set of his match against Khachanov on Simonne Mathieu. It went to a tie-break but the American edged that 9-7 to take a 2-1 lead in sets.
Another break of serve will give Swiatek the set. The fifth seed gets up 0-15, then a two points later wayward Cristian forehand takes it to 15-30. After a strong first serve ties it up at 30-30, Cristian’s first double fault of the match gives Swiatek a break point. No mistake here as Swiatek pounces on a second serve, powering a forehand deep which Cristian cannot deal with, sending it long. Swiatek wins the first set 6-2!
Swiatek is fully in control here. It’s a hold to love that’s finished off with Swiatek picking up a forehand off her toes then battering two huge forehands than ends the rally with Cristian trying to force it over the high part of the net from out wide. Swiatek 5-2 Cristian.
Cristian seems to be finding her feet on her serve now and gets out to a 40-0 lead thanks to a couple of overzealous returns but even then Swiatek isn’t lying down. The Pole gets it back to 40-30 but then goes long on what was not the most difficult of second serves from Cristian. Swiatek 4-2 Cristian.
For the first time Swiatek comes under pressure on her serve. An errant Swiatek backhand gives Cristian a sniff at 30-30 but then the door is swiftly shut. Swiatek lands a couple of big first serves that leave little avenue for reply from her opponent. Swiatek 4-1 Cristian.
An epic second-set tie-break in the Borges v Popyrin match has finally concluded. The Australian missed out on the chance to serve for the set but has won the tie-break 13-11.
Swiatek is taking her returns on the Cristian serve very early. When it comes off it’s virtually unplayable but fortunately for the Romanian the radar slips a couple of times and she is able to get her first game on the board. Swiatek 3-1 Cristian.
On Philippe-Chatrier, Rune has won the second set 6-2, so he is tied at 1-1 now with Haly and they are on serve in the third.
The steep bounce of Swiatek’s groundstrokes is forcing Cristian to play on the up, which is proving difficult. That’s another rapid hold and Cristian has won just two points in those opening three games. Swiatek 3-0 Cristian.
This is worrying for Cristian. There was very little to indicate that the Romanian was even serving as Swiatek took complete control of the rallies from the baseline and pushed her opponent around. That’s a rapid break to love and if it carries on like this it will be over quickly. Swiatek 2-0 Cristian.
No problems for Swiatek in the first game. She quickly gets 40-0 up on the back of some solid serving and power from the back of the court. It’s not a hold to love thanks to a forehand error but that’s a routine hold. Swiatek 1-0 Cristian.
Swiatek won the toss and will serve first. Cristian is coming into Roland Garros off the back of her second appearance in the final of a WTA Tour event. The Romanian was denied the Morocco Open title by Maya Joint.
Rune is still a break up in the second against Halys and Paul v Khachanov remains on serve in the third.
Cristian and Swiatek are just heading out on to Suzanne-Lenglen now. The Polish star is currently on a 23-match unbeaten run at the French Open.
The other men’s singles match taking place currently is on Court 14, with Portuguese Nuno Borges playing Alexei Popyrin. The Australian 25th seed is serving for the second set.
Rune has hit back early in the second set against Halys, taking break in the Frenchman’s first service game and then consolidating with an solid hold.
It’s all over on Suzanne-Lenglen where Musetti has wrapped up a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 win over Navone. Next up there is Jaqueline Cristian of Romania taking on four-time French Open winner Iga Swiatek. When that gets underway I’ll be focus on providing game-by-game updates.
Tommy Paul, the 12th seed, is playing 24th seed Karen Khachanov on Simonne Mathieu. They are currently tied at one set apiece, with the American Paul leading 2-1 on serve in the third.
Musetti has taken complete control on Suzanne-Lenglen. The Italian is serving for the match at 5-2 up.
On that last update, I have a solution that may open up a can of worms, but why not just make women’s matches best of five?
