Only one round on the clay court in Paris was enough for Serena Williams to realize she must retire from the Roland Garros tournament • Margaret Court's record comparison will likely be postponed to next year • Men: Rafael Nadal made no effort on the way to the third round
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The decision to continue the tennis season despite the Corona virus has given Serena Williams two more chances to win her 24th Grand Slam in 2020. However, the proximity between the last two tournaments of the year has made this task impossible for her.
A two-and-a-half-week rest between the U.S. Open and the September-moved Roland Garros was little for the 39-year-old American.
"I can not walk, so it seems to me that it is a sign that I need rest," said the world number 6, "I need 4 to 6 weeks of sitting without doing anything. This means: Williams will probably not return to play tennis this year. Towards next year , In which she will once again try to equal Margaret Kurt's 24-win record, Serena will need a great deal of help from her body.
Serena's injury was not the only one on the fourth game day of the tournament.
Kiki Bartens, ranked 5, was evacuated from the field in a wheelchair after a 6: 7, 6: 3, 7: 9 victory in a tense and hot-tempered game against the Italian Sarah Ernie.
After saving a game point in a battle that included 24 breaks on serve and lasted more than three hours, Dutch side Bartens suffered muscle cramps and collapsed on the pitch after completing the win.
Arani's response was to hit a ball into the stands and filter juicy curses at Bartens.
The one who did not survive the second round is the tenth-ranked Victoria Azarenka.
The Belarusian, who only two and a half weeks ago played in the final in the USA, lost 6: 2, 6: 2 to Anna Karolina Shmidlova of Slovakia (161). Also up: Simona Halp (1), Alina Svitolina (3) and Alice Martens (16).
In the men’s, Rafael Nadal advanced to the third round losing just four games in a 1-6, 0-6, 3-6 win over American Mackenzie McDonald.
The champion's next opponent in the last three years will be Italian Stefano Travalia (74), who ousted Japanese Kay Nishikori in five sets.
2015 champion Stan Wawarinka will also be in the third round.
The 35-year-old Swiss defeated German Dominic Cooper and marked a 150th victory in the Grand Slam tournaments.
Also advanced to the third round: Dominic Tim (3), Alexander Zebrav (6) and Diego Schwartzman (12).