Key events
*Gauff 1-2 Yastremska (*denotes next server)
The 2023 women’s US Open champion is under way on Philippe Chatrier so I’ll switch focus to that match now … At 1-1 and 30-30, Yastremska double faults, then hits wide to hand Gauff a break of serve.
*Samsonova 6-7 (4), 0-1 Cocciaretto (*denotes next server)
A double fault from the Italian makes it 30-30. But she keeps attacking with her trusty forehand on the next point and forces game point after some spirited defence from the Russian. As the sun appears from behind the clouds, Samsonova hits long to hand Cocciaretto a hold to begin the second set.
“Shadows on the court,” says one of the commentators of this unfamiliar sunshine. “Amazing to see.”
Coco Gauff is warming up on Philippe-Chatrier.
Cocciaretto wins the first set against Samsonova: 7-6 (4)
Another error from Samsonova makes it 5-3 in the Italian’s favour. A massive serve and drop shot combination from Samsonova brings it back to 5-4 – that was a seriously impressive play from the 25-year-old under quite some pressure.
Cocciaretto gets right back in her face with a big serve down the middle – Samsonova returns with interest but long. Set point for the Italian, Samsonova dumps another mistake into the net, and that’s the set.
Considering how Samsonova improved throughout that first set, that’s a superb effort from Cocciaretto to stay positive and seal the set having thrown away a 4-0 lead.
First-set tiebreak: Samsonova 6-6 Cocciaretto
At 1-1 Cocciaretto keeps coming forward, as always, but hits long to give up a mini break. Samsonova then climbs into a big forehand from the baseline but nets it for 2-2. Cocciaretto now winds up a big forehand of her own and bravely attempts an angled winner but it lands fractionally wide. That’s 3-2 to the Russian but Cocciaretto wrestles it back to all square at the change of ends …
Samsonova 6-6 Cocciaretto
We’ll have a tiebreak to settle this first set, Samsonova having battled back from 4-0 down.
On Simonne-Mathieu, Danilovic is fighting back in the second set against Vekic, and leads 3-2. It’s with serve in the second set.
Samsonova 6-5 *Cocciaretto (*denotes next server)
Cocciaretto has a glimmer of a chance at 15-30. She stays light on her feet while waiting to return serve and tells herself: “Allez, allez …” The Italian buys two break points but they soon evaporate, the second due to a forehand winner from Samsonova, who opens her body up and crunches a commanding stroke cross-court. Samsonova then prevails in a thrilling rally, running her opponent all around and finally patting a volley to the open court to force a game point. She rounds it off when a Cocciaretto shot balloons up off the net cord and out. Samsonova shakes her first at her coach in triumph. She’s moved beyond that distinctly shaky start.
*Samsonova 5-5 Cocciaretto (*denotes next server)
Cocciaretto feathers a serve down the middle to start and Samsonova is all over it, hitting powerfully to the corner twice and wrong-footing her opponent on the slippery clay. Then Cocciaretto hits long and it’s suddenly 0-30 … then 0-40 when she hits a forehand wide. A relatively protracted rally up next and Samsonova pumps her fist and roars when Cocciaretto nets from the back of the court. The Russian has a second break back and it’s all square at 5-5.
Samsonova 4-5 *Cocciaretto (*denotes next server)
A tidy hold from Samsonova to 15. But Cocciaretto can serve for the first set, which would be a massive step on the road to her first appearance in the fourth round of a grand slam.
Vekic won the first set against Danilovic 6-0. The dreaded bagel.
*Samsonova 3-5 Cocciaretto (*denotes next server)
A lovely backhand winner angled down the line brings up 40-0 for the Italian. Facing three games points, Samsonova tries to attack her opponent’s second serve, but only dumps a backhand of her own in the net. Cocciaretto is a game away from taking the first set and Samsonova must serve to stay in it.
Samsonova 3-4 *Cocciaretto (*denotes next server)
Better, much better from Samsonova. There is still an unforced error – she’s up to 12 now, to just one for her opponent in the match. But she’s also struck four aces to none, and one of those brings her to within a game at 4-3, still a break down.
*Samsonova 2-4 Cocciaretto (*denotes next server)
From 30-30 Samsonova has a look at break point … and seals the game with a smooth winner to the corner. The Russian is finding her range now but Cocciaretto, judging by her positive body language, will keep coming forward and going for her shots.
On Court Simonne-Mathieu, Donna Vekic leads Olga Danilovic 4-0 in their first set.
Samsonova 1-4 *Cocciaretto (*denotes next server)
Cocciaretto’s forehand is a serious weapon. She opens her shoulders and cracks a powerful winner, again going cross-court, her opponent left motionless and helpless at the back of the court. But Samsonova suddenly comes to life and belts down four straight aces for 40-15! Impressive. A slightly longer rally on what proves to be the concluding point, Samsonova finding an accurate winner that kisses the line on Cocciaretto’s forehand side. Samsonova is on the board thanks mainly to some elite serving.
*Samsonova 0-4 Cocciaretto (*denotes next server)
Cocciaretto whips a tremendous cross-court forehand past Samsonova for 15-0. The Russian then goes to the drop shot again but again Cocciaretto runs it down. That’s 30-0, and Samsonova tries yet another drop shot that collapses limply into the net. She hits long when returning serve, next up, and that’s a ludicrously easy hold for the Italian.
Samsonova 0-3 *Cocciaretto (*denotes next server)
Again, it’s sloppy stuff from Samsonova. At 30-30 she carelessly steers a backhand into the tramlines and it’s another break point for Cocciaretto … Samsonova tries a drop shot but the Italian runs it down – and she’s stormed into a 3-0 lead with a double break.
*Samsonova 0-2 Cocciaretto (*denotes next server)
A speedy hold for the Italian to start. She is aiming to make the fourth round of a grand slam for the first time. Samsonova has been past this point at a grand slam twice – Wimbleon 2021 and the US Open 2022 – but she is playing error-strewn tennis at the moment and is handing the initiative to her 23-year-old opponent.
Samsonova 0-1 *Cocciaretto (*denotes next server)
A couple of sweet forehands from the Russian, one particularly artful stroke down the line, sets up a game point at 40-30. But there were a couple of mishits too, and Samsonova hits long for deuce, then nets a backhand and it’s quickly break point for the Italian … Cocciaretto hits long to waste a first opportunity at an immediate break, but a couple more errors from Samsonova hands the early break to her opponent.
Liudmila Samsonova (17) v Elisabetta Cocciaretto is first up on Suzanne Lenglen. They are warming up now. Samsonova, as a Russian, is playing under a neutral flag and dispatched Amanda Anisimova in straight sets yesterday. Cocciaretto is ranked 51 in the world and beat Cristina Bucsa of Romania in the previous round.
Preamble
Persistent Parisian rain has seen organisers scrambling to make up for lost time this week. In the event, all the second-round singles matches were completed last night, so today’s play did not start as early as some of us thought it might. But there is still a packed third-round schedule in Paris today.
Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Ons Jabeur and Marketa Vondrousova will all be on court in the women’s singles, while in the men’s draw Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Hubert Hurkacz and Grigor Dimitrov are among the notable names in action.
Gauff, seeded No 3, will kick things off on Court Philippe-Chatrier against Dayana Yastremska of Ukraine (ranked 32) from 11am BST/12pm CET. In the men’s singles Andrey Rublev, the sixth seed, is scheduled to begin against Matteo Arnaldi of Italy (ranked 35) on Court Suzanne Lenglen from 11.15 BST.
Exciting times await, not to mention a dizzying number of matches to try and keep up with. Allez!
