Ivanovic in hurry, Cornet wins error show

Former champion Ana Ivanovic reached the French Open last 16 in just 53 minutes Friday while Alize Cornet kept home hopes alive by making the second week for the first time.

Serbian seventh seed Ivanovic, the 2008 champion, triumphed over 18-year-old Croatian opponent Donna Vekic 6-0, 6-3.

In dramatic contrast, 29th seeded Frenchwoman Cornet needed two and a half hours to defeat 33-year-old Croatian Mirjana Lucic-Baroni 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 in a match scarred by 85 unforced errors.

Ivanovic won the first seven games before Vekic, the world number 165 and playing in the third round of a major for the first time, stopped the rot and broke for 2-1 in the second set.

But that was as good as it got for the teenager as Ivanovic, watched by German football star boyfriend Bastian Schweinsteiger, swept into a fourth round clash against ninth-seeded Russian Ekaterina Makarova.

"After my first two matches, I have really started to get a little bit of feeling and groove," said the Serb, who had to come back from losing the opening set in her first two rounds in Paris.

"When you know you are working the right direction, it always gets results."

Elina Svitolina, the 19th seeded Ukrainian reached the fourth round of a major for the first time.

She defeated fellow former French Open junior champion Annika Beck of Germany 6-3, 2-6, 6-4.

Svitolina goes on to meet Cornet who made the second week for the first time at the 11th attempt.

Lucic-Baroni, who made her debut in Paris in 1999, built up a 5-1 lead on her way to taking the first set on a blustery Court Philippe Chatrier.

Cornet, 25, hit back in an error-strewn second set which saw five breaks of serve in nine games.

The Frenchwoman served for the match at 5-4 in the decider but allowed her opponent to level when she lobbed a second serve into the wrong side of the court.

But Lucic-Baroni, the world number 70, wasn't able to capitalise and after the 13th break of serve of the match in the 11th game, it was Cornet who emerged triumphant.

Lucic-Baroni, who knocked out third seed Simona Halep in the second round, committed 59 unforced errors.

"It was difficult, she hits the ball very hard," said Cornet.

"I had a terrible start but I came back with courage. It's magical."

Makarova reached the fourth round for the second time, beating best friend and doubles partner Elena Vesnina 6-2, 6-4.

Makarova, who made the Australian Open semi-finals this year, won the women's doubles title in Paris with Vesnina in 2013.

"I hate having to play my best friend," said the 26-year-old left-hander.

Later Friday, defending champion Maria Sharapova, who was also champion in 2012 and runner-up in 2013, faces 2010 finalist Samantha Stosur of Australia.

Stosur and Sharapova met in the fourth round a year ago, with the Russian prevailing in three sets.

The winner of that match will face 13th seeded Czech Lucie Safarova who beat big-serving German Sabine Lisicki 6-3, 7-6 (7/2).
Source: AFP