Simona Halep avenged last year’s French Open loss to Amanda Anisimova by thrashing the American teenager 6-0, 6-1 in only 54 minutes on Friday to reach the last 16 at Roland Garros.
The reigning Wimbledon champion made only seven unforced errors as she stretched her career-best winning run to 17 matches.
“I think I played a really good match. I was very aggressive and I knew from last year I had to change something and I did that today,” said Halep. “I took the game in my hands.”
Halep meets another 19-year-old opponent, Poland’s Iga Swiatek, for a place in the quarter-finals. She dropped just one game when the pair met here in the last 16 a year ago.
Polish teenager Swiatek dismissed former Wimbledon finalist Eugenie Bouchard 6-3, 6-2 to seal a return to the last 16, matching her best result at a Grand Slam.
Qualifiers Martina Trevisan and Nadia Podoroska made the fourth round while doubles specialist Barbora Krejcikova beat US Open quarter-finalist Tsvetana Pironkova as surprise names lit up the previously stacked draw of Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka.
Two-time quarter-finalist Elina Svitolina ensured she will stick around for the second week in Paris with a 6-4, 7-5 win over Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova, the 27th seed.
Ukrainian third seed Svitolina is full of confidence after capturing her 15th career WTA at Strasbourg last weekend.
“It’s always really nice to have another chance to go deep in the tournament,” said Svitolina. “It’s a little bit different without the crowd, so you start to treasure every match and every Grand Slam you play.”
Svitolina will next play home hope Caroline Garcia, who upset 16th seed Elise Mertens 1-6, 6-4, 7-5.
Fifth seed Kiki Bertens eased aside Katerina Siniakova 6-2, 6-2, moving swiftly on from her stormy win over Sara Errani in the previous round.
Results
Third round
Simona Halep (ROU x1) bt Amanda Anisimova (USA x25) 6-0, 6-1
Iga Swiatek (POL) bt Eugenie Bouchard (CAN) 6-3, 6-2
Martina Trevisan (ITA) bt Maria Sakkari (GRE x20) 1-6, 7-6 (8/6), 6-3
Kiki Bertens (NED x5) bt Katerina Siniakova (CZE) 6-2, 6-2
Elina Svitolina (UKR x3) bt Ekaterina Alexandrova (RUS x27) 6-4, 7-5
Caroline Garcia (FRA) bt Elise Mertens (BEL x16) 1-6, 6-4, 7-5
Nadia Podoroska (ARG) bt Anna Karolina Schmiedlova (SVK) 6-3, 6-2
Barbora Krejcikova (CZE) bt Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) 5-7, 6-4, 6-3
With AFP Inputs
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