"It's hard to digest," laments Caroline Garcia after her defeat in the 2nd round of Roland-Garros

Jean-Baptiste Sarrazin, with AFP / Photo credit: Ibrahim Ezzat / NurPhoto / NurPhoto via AFP 19:50 p.m., May 31, 2023

Caroline Garcia, world number 5 and best French chance of the Parisian fortnight, was eliminated Wednesday in the second round of Roland-Garros by the Russian Anna Blinkova (56th) 4-6, 6-3, 7-5. "It's a game that makes mistakes and makes winning shots, but produces so much. I live it to the fullest and I love playing like that. But it's true that sometimes, when I'm on the court, I'm there and I don't dare to go, I don't dare to follow to the net, I don't dare to hit her, I don't dare to change her direction and it plays tricks on me, "regretted the French after her match lost in the show Europe 1 Sport (every night from 20 hours to 23 hours live on Europe 1).

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Almost three hours of match time

After the crazy Parisian night of the day before, with the incredible victory of Gaël Monfils who was led 4 games to 0 in the fifth set, the public inevitably began to believe when, on the same Central Court, Garcia returned to 5 games everywhere in the decisive set after saving three match balls, then that she dismissed five more at 6 games to 5 in favor of Blinkova. But, despite two chances to stick to six games everywhere, Garcia finally cracked, after almost three hours of match, at the ninth chance to conclude of his opponent.

Before that, the Lyonnaise had started the game very well, despite the wind that was still rushing into the stadium, until counting a set, concluded on an ace at 191 km / h - and a break ahead (1-0). But Blinkova rallied immediately and even lined up five games, to escape 5-1 in the second set, Garcia collapsing on serve. In the decisive set, it was the world number 5 who, in the second game, got the first break opportunity. But it was the 24-year-old Russian who converted hers in the next game, to lead 2-1. And, at the end of an unbreathable game of more than eleven minutes, it is she again, even with all the pain in the world, who escaped thanks to a final winning serve.

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"Not thoroughly"

For Caroline Garcia, "the biggest regret is not going all out in this style of play." "At worst, I lose my match. At least have the feeling that I played my game to the fullest and tried to seize every opportunity. But no. It's a bit hard to digest," she said. Blinkova, recent finalist in Strasbourg, beaten by Elina Svitolina, will meet the Ukrainian in the third round of Roland-Garros.

Having reached the top 5 thanks to a hair-raising second half of the season in 2022, including a title in Cincinnati, a semifinal at the US Open, her first Grand Slam, and a triumph at the Masters at the end of the season, Garcia (29), lost confidence, struggles to live up to her new status since the beginning of the year.