128 women are fighting it out in French Open qualifying this week for 16 places in the main draw at Roland Garros, where they will provide a real threat to those direct entries they meet as they will be battle-hardy and well-used to the clay courts and match conditions, having played 3 rounds for the privilege. I think the game now, after so many years, has so much more power now. That makes it all very difficult for me. Also, I’m really old, so physically it’s not the same for me anymore. Everybody is stronger, hitting harder than many years ago, so I have to come up with different answers, changing the height of the ball, drop-shots, sometimes the net. I have to be smart and play intelligent tennis to put my opponents in tricky positions. Sara Errani
Top seed Sara Errani is leading the charge, and was one of the winners of the 1st-round in qualifying after the 37-year-old Italian came through 6-3 6-4 in 1 hour and 28 minutes against American Ann Li on Court Suzanne-Lenglen.
The 2012 finalist kicked off her campaign to book a 14th main draw ticket in Paris after fending off a second set fightback from the World No 178, and was relieved to close it out in straight sets.
“Very happy of course. Not easy coming last minute from Rome, I’m pretty tired. I know she’s a really good player,” said Errani, who had won the Italian Open doubles title with compatriot Jasmine Paolini 48 hours earlier. “I was 4-1, 5-2 up [in the second set] and I had to be brave at the end, it was tough to close out.
“I’m playing with a smile because it’s still a pleasure for me to compete in this sport,” added the former World No 5. “I’m trying to give everything, every time I head onto the court. I love to watch it, at all levels, I love to watch all types of players. I just love tennis.”
The No 1 qualifying seed Sara Errani is making her 17th appearance at the tournament, having made her qualifying debut in 2007, while it is 12 years since Errani was runner-up to Maria Sharapova in the final on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
French qualifying wild card Alice Tubello produced an emotional performance to beat Ya Yi Yang, 5-7 7-6(6) 6-1, and she plays top seed Sara Errani in round two
Errani advances to meet French wild-card Alice Tubello, the 23-year-old having battled back to navigate past Yang Ya Yi from Taipei, 5-7 7-6(6) 6-1. She is one 2 Frenchwomen, spurred on by the Parisian crowd, who turned their matches around from the brink of defeat.
Tubello saved 2 match points down, the first when Yang served for the match at 6-5 in the second set, and her second in the tiebreak, and missed on the forehand both times.
