Paris (AFP)
The recent US Open finalist Victoria Azarenka (14th) was stopped dead in the second round of Roland Garros by the Slovakian Anna-Karolina Schmiedlova (161st) in straight sets 6-2, 6-2 on Wednesday.
The Belarusian may have paid the price for her efforts during her last particularly auspicious month: title in Cincinnati (relocated to New York), final at the US Open and quarter-finals in Rome.
Performances that allowed him to re-establish himself in the top 15.
On the Simonne-Mathieu court on Wednesday, Azarenka was penalized by his too many unforced errors, 38 precisely.
The ex-world No. 1 and double Grand Slam winner, aged 31, has returned to the fore this summer.
She had put her career on hold to give birth at the end of 2016, then a fight for the custody of her son had kept her away from the circuit for many months.
The eagerly awaited round of 16 between Azarenka and Serena Williams will therefore not take place.
Earlier, the American had withdrawn before her match in the second round because of her Achilles tendon affected since the US Open, precisely during her semi-final lost against Azarenka.
Schmiedlova will face the Kazakhe Yulia Puntintseva (27th) or the Argentinian qualifier Nadia Podoroska for a place in the round of 16.
© 2020 AFP