French Open, day 4 women’s wrap: Stephens, Pliskova win, Muguruza to face Svitolina, Bertens retires

Ukrainian Elina Svitolina will face 2016 champion Garbine Muguruza in the women’s third round after the ninth seed’s compatriot Kateryna Kozlova pulled out of the tournament before their second round French Open match with a viral infection on Wednesday.

Spain’s Muguruza, seeded 19th this year, eased to a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Swede Johanna Larsson to advance. Svitolina, a two-time French Open quarter-finalist, had beaten seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams in her opening tie.

However, Dutch fourth seed Kiki Bertens, one of the favourites for the French Open, retired from her second round match through illness.

Last year’s runner-up Sloane Stephens also eased through with a 6-1, 7-6 (7/3) win over Sara Sorribes Tormo on Court Philippe Chatrier.

The former US Open champion, who lost to Simona Halep in the 2018 French Open final, will play Slovenia’s Polona Hercog next after she edged out American Jennifer Brady 6-3, 6-7 (8/10), 6-4.

Seventh seed Stephens has now reached at least the third round at Roland Garros on each of her last seven visits to the French capital.

Second seed Karolina Pliskova cruised into the third round with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Slovakian qualifier Kristina Kucova.

The Czech will next face either Croatian 31st seed Petra Martic or home hope Kristina Mladenovic for a spot in the second week.

Pliskova, a former Roland Garros semi-finalist, arrived in Paris full of confidence after lifting the Italian Open title less than two weeks ago and she wasted no time in swatting aside Kucova in under an hour.

Bertens was seen as a potential champion in Paris having won the Madrid title without dropping a set, the first woman to achieve the feat.

“I felt fine yesterday in practice but this morning I woke up at three o’clock. I was vomiting and had diarrhea all day,” said Bertens.

“I was a little bit better before the match but it started again when I was warming up. There was no energy left.”

She added: “It’s bad timing, it’s been a great few weeks.”

Kuzmova goes on to face either Britain’s Johanna Konta, the runner-up in Rome, or Lauren Davis of the United States for a place in the last 16.

World number 46 Kuzmova had already defeated Bertens in Dubai this year before the Dutchwoman gained revenge in Miami.

She has now made the last 32 of a Grand Slam for the first time.