Roland-Garros: Rybakina takes out Ostapenko, faces Swiatek next

Kazakh Elena Rybakina, the No 12 seed, defeated Latvian Jelena Ostapenko, the No 21 seed, 6-2, 6-2 to advance to the last 16 of Roland-Garros.

Rybakina, ranked No 11, will play Pole Iga Swiatek, the No 5 seed, next.

Swiatek may be a little relieved – she has never beaten Ostapenko on tour. Asked in her press conference about who her favoured opponent would be, she found it tough to dissimulate: “Am I a good liar? Let’s say it doesn’t matter, really. Oh, my God. I couldn’t play poker!”

The Kazakh edged out Argentinian qualifier Julia Riera (6-1, 4-6, 6-4) and won against American wildcard Iva Jovic (6-3, 6-3) ahead of her victory.

Earlier in the tournament, Ostapenko, ranked No 21, beat Russian Polina Kudermetova (5-7, 6-0, 6-2) and American Caroline Dolehide (5-7, 6-3, 6-3).

Paris (Grand Slam), other third-round results (Roland-Garros, clay, EUR 56.352.000, most recent results first):

• Madison Keys vs. Sofia Kenin
• Marie Bouzkova vs. Coco Gauff
• Hailey Baptiste vs. Jessica Bouzas Maneiro
• Veronika Kudermetova vs. Ekaterina Alexandrova
• Elsa Jacquemot vs. Lois Boisson
• Marketa Vondrousova vs. Jessica Pegula
• Daria Kasatkina vs. Paula Badosa
• Mirra Andreeva vs. Yulia Putintseva
• Bernarda Pera vs. Elina Svitolina
• Jasmine Paolini vs. Yuliia Starodubtseva: friday
• Iga Swiatek beat Jaqueline Cristian: 6-2, 7-5
• Liudmila Samsonova (19) beat Dayana Yastremska: 6-2, 6-3
• Aryna Sabalenka (1) beat Olga Danilovic: 6-2, 6-3
• Qinwen Zheng (8) beat Victoria Mboko (Q): 6-3, 6-4
• Amanda Anisimova (16) beat Clara Tauson (22): 7-6 (4), 6-4