PARIS (Reuters) -Tunisian Ons Jabeur grew to become the primary main casualty on the opening day of the French Open on Sunday when the in-form sixth seed crashed out with a 3-6 7-6(4) 7-5 loss to Poland’s Magda Linette.
Jabeur, seen as one of many large threats to world primary Iga Swiatek on the claycourt Grand Slam, got here to Paris at a career-high rating and with a tour-leading 17 wins on the floor this season.
“I needed to go so far as I might within the match as a result of I performed properly on clay in Madrid and in Rome, and it is troublesome to take that one in,” Jabeur instructed reporters.
“But that is what sport is like and it’s worthwhile to be good sufficient to maneuver ahead and get again on courtroom. So perhaps it was a very good factor to lose right now.
“I might somewhat say this and be actually robust with myself than waste all the nice vitality that I obtained from Madrid and Rome.”
With her win in Madrid and runner-up finishes in Rome and Charleston, it appeared like Jabeur would have a simple outing towards Linette when she made a robust begin on Court Philippe Chatrier below overcast skies.
The 27-year-old suffered an early break of serve earlier than breezing by the opening set in 37 minutes earlier than Linette, who was ranked 56th earlier than the beginning of the second main of the 12 months, raised her sport.
Linette, 30, had solely defeated Jabeur within the first of their 4 conferences again in 2013 however she staged an impressed fightback within the second set, saving 4 breakpoints to degree the match within the tiebreak.
As drops of rain fell on the primary showcourt, Jabeur’s degree additionally dipped and her unforced errors climbed and she or he made her frustration evident by kicking balls away after dropping factors.
Linette, who misplaced to Jabeur within the third spherical final 12 months, went up 4-2 within the third set however noticed her benefit slip away when Jabeur broke her serve again to remain alive.
But the Pole sealed the match when the Tunisian wasted a 40-0 lead within the twelfth sport and located the online on match level to be damaged for the second time within the set.
“I misplaced to her final 12 months right here, after which this 12 months in Miami, and so I form of knew what to anticipate,” Linette instructed reporters.
“I knew that she was actually on hearth this time and I might really want to play level by level, be actually mentally robust. I’m actually joyful that I managed to remain actually calm and robust.”
Linette will subsequent play Martina Trevisan of Italy or Briton Harriet Dart.
(Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly; modifying by Ed Osmond, Kirsten Donovan)
