Kuznetsova upsets formbook

AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE

PARIS: Former champion Svetlana Kuznetsova made a mockery of the seedings by outclassing third seed Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland 6-1, 6-2 in the third round of the French Open today.

Radwanska was the highest seed to fall in the tournament so far as she had no answer to the all-court game of Kuznetsova, who won at Roland Garros in 2009, five years after she won the US Open, her only other Grand Slam title.

Former World No 1 Serbian Ana Ivanovic was upset by Italian claycourt specialist Sara Errani 1-6, 7-5, 6-3 winner. Errani, who has won three claycourt titles this year already, will next take on Kuznetsova with the prize for the winner being a place in the quarter-finals.

Also through, but playing in the previous round, was second-seeded Maria Sharapova. The Russian pulled off a routine 6-1, 6-1 win over Ayumi Morita of Japan in a match that was held over from Thursday because of the marathon clash between Paul-Henri Mathieu and John Isner.

Teenager Sloane Stephens kept the Stars and Stripes flying in the tournament with a third round 6-3, 6-2 win over Mathilde Johansson, the last Frenchwoman left in the draw. The Florida youngster was one of just three Americans to make it into the third round along with Christina McHale and Uzbekistan-born Varvara Lepchenko, following the early exits of Serena and Venus Williams.

On Thursday, the American hopes in men’s draw were extinguished as marathon man Isner was once

again involved in an epic duel, the fourth longest in Grand Slam history, which this time he lost. Isner found himself as the last American standing out of eight starters but after what turned out to be, at five hours 41 minutes, the second longest match in French Open history, Isner lost 6-7 (2/7), 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 18-16 to French wildcard Mathieu.