Men and women combined, French tennis has already lost its only seed of the fortnight. Caroline Garcia, the No. 5 seed, was beaten in the second round, as in 2021 and 2022. Russia's Anna Blinkova won 4-6, 6-3, 7-5. Until now, the 24-year-old Muscovite, ranked 56th in the world, had never gone beyond one round in 7 participations. Last year, she didn't even make it past the qualifying stage.
Already struggling in the first round against China's Xiya Wang (7-6, 4-6, 6-4), the Lyonnaise had started well by normally winning the first set 6-4. All dressed in pink as 48 hours earlier, Garcia suffered more afterwards. The wind that lifted the earth invited itself into the duel. He embarrassed the Frenchwoman who wiped her eyes several times. Blinkova, who trains year-round on the Côte d'Azur, seemed to suffer less. She won the second set 6-3.
🎾 #RolandGarros | Caroline Garcia is eliminated ❌
Despite a battle of titans, the Frenchwoman loses to Anna Blinkova and leaves to the cheers of the public.
▶ Follow the matches live on: https://t.co/XXBXdgXfGf pic.twitter.com/UW7vFUdfUL
— francetvsport (@francetvsport) May 31, 2023
Doubt then settled in Garcia's mind, deeper and deeper. The Frenchwoman failed to chase him away. Blinkova took control of the match and never let it go before winning 7-5. Garcia still saved eight match balls after 2:45 of duel. "I don't predict anything," said Caroline Garcia before the tournament opened. I have only one ambition: to focus on myself and move forward lap by lap. She only passed one. At Roland-Garros, she has never gone higher than in the quarterfinals, a level reached once in 2017. In 13 participations, Caroline Garcia fell Porte d'Auteuil in the 2nd round 6 times.
