French Open 2023: Elena Rybakina beats Noskova, reaches third round

Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina reached the 2023 French Open third round after beating Linda Noskova on June 1. The former claimed a 6-3, 6-3 win in the second-round clash that panned out for over an hour. Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, has qualified for the third round at Roland Garros for the third consecutive year. She also won her 10th match at the clay-court major.

The women's singles second-round clash ran for an hour and 26 minutes. Rybakina won a total of 78 points and 30 winners in the match. She fired five aces compared to Noskova's two. Rybakina won 44% of receiving points and 61% of net points. Noskova recorded as many as six double faults. The former smashed the fastest serve of the match (192 KPH).

As mentioned, Rybakina has reached the third round at the French Open for the third successive year. She had a third-round exit in 2022 and reached her maiden Roland Garros quarter-final the previous year. The Kazakhstan star has 10 wins at the French Open, the third Grand Slam wherein she touched this mark. Rybakina owns as many wins at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.

At the start of 2023, Rybakina defeated Jelena Ostapenko to reach her maiden Australian Open semi-finals. In the semis, she downed former world number one, Victoria Azarenka, in straight sets. Rybakina, who reached her second Grand Slam final and a first at the Australian Open, lost to Aryna Sabalenka in the summit clash. The former entered the top 10 of the WTA Rankings.

Earlier this year, Rybakina defeated Sabalenka in the Indian Wells final to win her maiden WTA 1000 title. The former then won the Italian Open to record a second WTA 1000 title. Rybakina became the third player (Open Era) to reach the final at the Australian Open, Indian Wells, Miami, and Rome in the same season. She now has 30 wins this season.