NEW DELHI: In an impressive comeback, Elina Svitolina rallied from a set and a break down to secure a victory over Storm Hunter and advance to the third round of the French Open, just 12 hours after her husband Gael Monfils' late-night escape act in Paris.
Svitolina, who is playing in a Grand Slam event for the first time since the 2022 Australian Open, defeated the qualifier with a score of 2-6, 6-3, 6-1 on Court Simonne Mathieu.
The 28-year-old Ukrainian player recently made her return to the WTA Tour after a break for maternity leave. She had also taken time off previously due to health issues and mental exhaustion resulting from Russia's invasion of Ukraine, her home country.
After dropping the opening set and getting broken early in the second, Svitolina regained her rhythm and form.
She broke her opponent, ranked 204th, six times in the remainder of the match, showcasing her resilience and skill to secure the victory.
In the next round, Svitolina will face either the fifth seed Caroline Garcia or Russian player Anna Blinkova. This potential matchup would be a rematch of the Strasbourg final held last week, which Svitolina won.
Monfils, a home favorite, also had a notable win of his own. He triumphed in a thrilling five-set first-round match against Sebastian Baez, marking his first victory in nine months. The match concluded after midnight in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
