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| Elina Svitolina celebrates a point during her second round match with Storm Hunter at the French Open. |
Elina Svitolina had her hands full but came through the second round victorious at the French Open. The Ukrainian improved to 2-0 against Australia’s Storm Hunter, winning 2-6, 6-3, 6-1 on Court Simone Mathieu on the grounds of Roland Garros. It marked her eighth consecutive second-round victory and the first since 2021.
The two met three years ago in a low-ranked tournament, with the Ukrainian winning the competition. Coming back to Roland Garros for the first time since becoming a mother, Svitolina put on a performance to prove her worth in the opening round. Taking out last year’s semifinalist was a big ask, and doing so in straight sets said a lot.
Sitting on a six-match winning streak, the former world number four wanted to stay in the hunt for a maiden title. The Aussie snapped an 0-7 record at slams, going the distance in her opening match. She came from 2-4 down in the third to take the next four straight. Carrying plenty of tenacity was good for Sanders, who would see a new side of the Ukrainian.
Hunter managed to break Svitolina in the opening service, bringing up a shot to dictate early. On serve in the second, the Aussie fell behind but forced deuce that spanned five breaks. After saving three chances by Svitolina, she got into position for the AD point for a 2-0 lead. Sanders was focused and had her offense in gear, breaking Svitolina in the third. She went back to work, beating down the Ukrainian to consolidate the double break.
The 28-year found a way to serve Hunter to love in the fifth, snapping her winning streak on a statement. She tallied a second straight in the shape of a break and tested her service to see if another was in the cards. Hunter denied the former world number four a double break, pushing her margin to three games, with the door open to serve for the set. Hunter had a chance but watched Svitolina force deuce on a terrific return winner. It wasn’t enough for the Ukrainian to turn off her opponent’s momentum, as Hunter was gifted an error and a second to take the first in 39 minutes.
Hunter had her opponent beaten on points won from the first serve, producing far more winners that propelled her well. Svitolina knew she had to be consistent going forward, locking up the service to begin the second set. Hunter kept up her gameplay, holding serve smoothly in the following game.
The Aussie converted a break in the third, regaining the lead only to see her serve tested in the fourth. Svitolina threw everything she had to force deuce against the Aussie, intent on capturing the break. It took more than eight minutes to get the job done and even the score. She consolidated the break, holding serve in the fifth by keeping Hunter to a point. The Aussie suffered a break in the sixth but broke back to stay within reach of the Ukrainian going into the business end.
Svitolina took an important step forward, breaking Hunter in the eighth to serve out the set. The Ukrainian used her good foot movement and court position to dictate the rallies to bring up a set point. Svitolina smashed the ball near the net to close the second in 41 minutes. Hunter’s second serve fell apart, allowing the Ukrainian to use what she had run from her end to get her past the Aussie.
Svitolina rolled that into the deciding set, breaking Hunter and consolidating it by holding serve in the second. She scored the double break on the momentum built up to be in fine form. She continued to hold Hunter back from scoring a game in the set, taking a four game streak along with her.
Hunter snapped the losing streak in the fifth but watched her opponent remain locked in to take it all. After holding serve, Svitolina pressured the Aussie to falter, giving her a match point that came on a winner to Hunter’s left, ending a hard-fought victory in 1 hour and 49 minutes. With a place in the round of 32, the 28-year-old awaited the winner between Carolina Garcia or her Strasbourg final opponent, Anna Blinkova.
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