The ITF's Katrina Adams stays on the front lines for women with the Tory Burch Foundation Sports Fellowship

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova pulled off one of the biggest surprises of 2021 Roland Garros so far on Friday, taking out the No. 3 seed, Aryna Sabalenka, in a topsy-turvy third-round stunner, 6-4, 2-6, 6-0.

And with No. 1 seed Ashleigh Barty and No. 2 seed Naomi Osaka going out in the second round earlier in the week, the Top 3 women’s seeds are now all out of the tournament already.

It’s just the second time in the Open Era that the Top 3 women’s seeds at Roland Garros have all gone out before the round of 16, the first time coming in 2014:

~ No. 1 seed Serena Williams: lost in second round (to Garbine Muguruza)
~ No. 2 seed Li Na: lost in first round (to Kristina Mladenovic)
~ No. 3 seed Agnieszka Radwanska: lost in third round (to Ajla Tomljanovic)

The third round isn’t over yet, either. On Saturday, No. 4 seed Sofia Kenin is in action—if Jessica Pegula pulls off the upset over the 2020 Australian Open champion, it would be the first time in the Open Era that the Top 4 women’s seeds at Roland Garros have all gone out before the round of 16. In 2014, No. 4 seed Simona Halep survived the early upsets and made it all the way to the final in Paris, where she fell to Maria Sharapova.

Power ⬆️@NastiaPav scores the 6-4, 2-6, 6-0 upset of No.3 seed Sabalenka in her 37th(!!) career win over a top 10 player. She plays the winner of Keys/Azarenka in R4. #RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/UbSdFLJMB3
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 4, 2021

Advertising

Baseline

Stat of the Day: Top 3 women’s seeds out before round of 16 for second time in Open Era

Adrian Mannarino headbutts racquet butt cap and draws blood, recalling Mikhail Youzhny

22-year-old Iga Swiatek to surpass 20 million dollars in career prize money

20-year-old Carlos Alcaraz surpasses 20 million dollars in career prize money

The ITF's Katrina Adams stays on the front lines for women with the Tory Burch Foundation Sports Fellowship

Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas hit major career prize money milestones after Monte Carlo

Petra Kvitova on that tie-break against Rybakina: “I think it was the longest one I ever played in my life”

Barbora Krejcikova surpasses $10 million in career prize money after Indian Wells

Carlos Alcaraz gives shelter to ballkid as rain starts pouring in Rio

Gabriela Sabatini among packed crowd in Buenos Aires to watch Carlos Alcaraz’s comeback match

Stat of the Day: Top 3 women’s seeds out before round of 16 for second time in Open Era

Advertising