Maria Kirilenko dethrones Svetlana Kuznetsova at Roland Garros
Svetlana Kuznetsova may have survived four match points against Andrea Petkovic in the second round of the French Open, but the defending champion was not as lucky in the next round and fell on the third match point by fellow Russian Maria Kirilenko.
The sixth-seeded Kuznetsova had a point for a 3-0 lead in the third set, but seed No.30 Kirilenko won four games in a row. Kuznetsova then had a chance to level at 5-5, but that was not to happen as Kirilenko held her nerve and recorded one of the best wins of her career to finish the match 6-3 2-6 6-4 and reach the fourth round of the French Open for the first time.
“I mean, it was very hard to defend my title with the tennis I have been playing this season,” said Kuznetsova, who also lost to Kirilenko in the second round of Rome earlier this month.
Kirilenko’s opponent in the fourth round will be Italy’s Francesca Schiavone, seeded 17th. (source: Reuters, photo: Ralf Reinecke)
