This French Open contest had a bit of everything: Cursing. Cramping. Ill will. A player leaving the court in a wheelchair.
Locked up by what she called a “total body cramp,” Kiki Bertens had to use a wheelchair to leave Court 14 at Roland Garros after saving a match point and collapsing to her back on the clay at the end of a 7-6 (5), 3-6, 9-7 second-round victory over Italy’s Sara Errani on Wednesday.
Bertens said she was treated for cramping in her left leg, right foot and both hands during and after the match -- but 2012 French Open runner-up Errani wasn’t buying it.
Romania's Simona Halep celebrates winning her second round match of the French Open tennis tournament against Romania's Irina-Camelia Begu at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, France, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020. (AP PhotoAlessandra Tarantino)
Errani, who swore in Italian as she walked off the court, accused her fifth-seeded Dutch opponent of faking the pain.
“If she wins, she wins,” Errani said, “but do it without all this acting.”
She thought Bertens looked absolutely fine in the locker room and players’ restaurant an hour after the match.
Ukraine's Elina Svitolina plays a shot against Mexico's Renata Zarazua in the second round match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, France, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020. (AP PhotoChristophe Ena)
“Maybe it was magic,” Errani said sarcastically. “It was probably magic tricks. When she was running during the match, it didn’t seem like she had any problem.”
Bertens said she was in the treatment room for 45 minutes after the match and didn’t stop cramping for half an hour.
“Maybe (Errani) should have been in there,” Bertens said, “and then she should have seen what happened.”
Errani struggled with her ball toss, double-faulted 14 times and often resorted to underhand serves.
She served for the match at 6-5 in the third but couldn’t close it out; Bertens saved a match point in that game with a cross-court forehand winner.
REMATCH
Top-seeded Simona Halep has not forgotten her straight-set loss to Amanda Anisimova in last year’s quarterfinals.
Good thing. Because Halep has a rematch with the 19-year-old American in the third round this year.
“I know it’s going to be tough because she’s hitting the ball strong and flat,” Halep said after beating fellow Romanian Irina-Camelia Begu 6-3, 6-4.
“I remember the match from last year,” Halep added. “I remember also that I didn’t play what I wanted, so I will do some changes and I will just try to play better and to take my chance.”
Anisimova, who lost to eventual champion Ash Barty in last year’s semifinals, beat fellow American Bernarda Pera 6-2, 6-0.
STUFFED ANIMAL
Third-seeded Elina Svitolina was moved to tears when she was reminded of her beloved stuffed dog, Bobik after winning a second-round match.
“Actually very sad for me because in 2018 I lost him,” she said when asked if she had Bobik with her in Paris. “It was very sad.”
Although Svitolina tried to compose herself, the tears kept flowing.
“I forgot him in the room. It was very sad. Sorry," Svitolina added as she wiped away more tears. "I lost him. ... It’s a toy, but he was my talisman, my lucky charm.”
Even without Bobik by her side, Svitolina defeated Renata Zarazua 6-3, 0-6, 6-2.
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