Sabalenka, third favorite, is stamped against Pavlyuchenkova

The Roland Garros women's team has lost its three main favorites in recent days. First, Naomi Osaka, number two, decided to leave the tournament after being fined for refusing to speak to the media. Later, the leader of the ranking, Ashleigh Barty, had to withdraw due to injury in her second-round match against the Polish Linette. And this Friday, Aryna Sabalenka, third in contention, lost in three sets against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (31st). The Russian defeated the tennis player 6-4, 2-6 and 6-0, who was to take the baton as a great candidate for the title after the elimination of Barty.

Sabalenka, this year's champion of the Mutua Madrid Open, her first clay court title, where she precisely beat Pavlyuchenkova in the semifinals, is the second player with the most wins (27) so far this season, behind Barty (28). And he had everything to win the championship at the Grand Slam in Paris, which is now very open in the women's team.

Pavlyuchenkova, who was a quarter-finalist in 2011, will face another Belarusian, Victoria Azarenka, in the round of 16, who was able (double 6-2) with the American Madison Keys, semi-finalist in 2018. Vika had only played one match on clay this year until her arrival in the French capital, But it was far superior when push came to shove against an opponent who has not had two victories since the 2020 US Open.

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