Kirilenko to Face Azarenka in Roland Garros Quarters

June 3, 2013 | By Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
Maria_Kirilenko_2
Photo credit: Kenneth B. Goldberg

The 12th-seeded Maria Kirilenko has reached her first French Open quarterfinal after defeating Bethanie Mattek-Sands, 7-5, 6-4. In both 2010 and 2011, Kirilenko lost in the fourth round at Roland Garros. While Mattek-Sands was ahead 5-4, she called for medical attention. After that, Kirilenko won four straight games.

Up next for Kirilenko is the number three seeded Victoria Azarenka who advanced to the quarterfinals after beating former Roland Garros champion Francesca Schiavone, 6-3, 6-0. Azarenka is now in her third French Open quarterfinal, having reached the quarters in 2009 (losing to Dinara Safina) and 2011 (losing to Li Na).

"I think the last time we played was at the Olympics," Azarenka said of Kirilenko. "She’s definitely improved a lot over the last couple years. She’s a very motivated player, and a good friend of mine, also."

Second-seeded Maria Sharapova of Russia advanced to the quarterfinals by defeating 17th-seeded Sloane Stephens of the U.S., 6-4, 6-3. Sharapova collected 12 break points and converted four. This is the second year in a row that Stephens, a semifinalist in the Australian Open in January, has lost in the fourth round of the French Open.

Sharapova took home the winning trophy at Roland Garros in 2012. She also has a collection of winning trophies from Wimbledon in 2004, the U.S. Open in 2006, and the Australian Open in 2008.

Next, Sharapova will face either 18th-seeded Jelena Jankovic or 54th-seeded Jamie Hampton in the quarterfinals. So far this year, Sharapova has won all eight sets that she has played.

Serena Williams also advanced to the quarters, extending here winning streak to 28 consecutive matches after disposing of Itally’s Roberta Vinci, 6-1, 6-3. Next up for Serena is Svetlana Kuznetsova, who upset the number eight seed Angelique Kerber 6-4, 4-6, 6-3. Serena leads Kuznetsova in their head-to-head series, 6-2, but Kuznetsova won the pair’s only French Open meeting in the 2009 quarterfinals.

Agnieszka Radwanska punched her ticket to the Roland Garros quarters as well, defeating the number 14 seed, Ana Ivanovic, 6-2, 6-4. It is the fourth-seeded Radwanska’s first trip to the French Open quarters. Up next up for Radwanska is the fifth-seeded Sara Errani, a 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 winner over the number 20 seed Carla Suárez Navarro. Radwanska has a very dominant lead over Errani in their head-to-head matchup, 6-1.

 


Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
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