Share

Barty looks for CWC boost at Roland Garros

Paris - Ashleigh Barty may have turned her back on her cricket career, but that won't prevent her from missing the Cricket World Cup when she leaves France for England after Roland Garros.

The 23-year-old Australian took a break from tennis to play Twenty20 cricket in 2015-2016.

Since her return, however, she has thrived, reaching the top 10 as well as a earning a place in the Australian Open quarter-finals this year.

At the French Open this year, she is seeded eight, her highest level so far at the Grand Slams.

The Cricket World Cup runs from May 30 until July 14, neatly dovetailing with the grass court season in England.

And Barty says she will not miss out on the action as the Australian men's team defend their world title.

"I will be glued to it," said Barty after beating Jessica Pegula of the United States 6-3, 6-3 to make the French Open second round for the third time.

"I'll be watching the women's football World Cup as well. It's a little bit of a sporting haven over the next month for everyone. 

"So I think I'll be glued to the TV like the rest of the world."

Barty insists she made the right decision in returning to tennis after her brief employment wielding a bat rather than a racquet.

"It was a natural decision and obviously a very good one," she added.

Meanwhile, Barty's outfit caught the eye as much as her game on Monday, dressed in striking black and white tiger stripes.

"I think it looks pretty good against the clay," said Barty after her win over 72nd-ranked Pegula secured with six breaks of serve in exactly one hour.

"They've kind of released it sporadically over the year. But very cool. I think it pops. 

"There's a bit of black going around, as well, with a lot of the girls are in black and in darker colours, and it always look good against the red clay."

Next up for the Australian is a clash against either Germany's Tatjana Maria or America's Danielle Collins, a surprise semi-finalist at the Australian Open in January.

But Barty, one of three Australian women in action on Monday along with Samantha Stosur and Astra Sharma, is not getting too carried away by her chances of making the second week in Paris for the first time.

"I think that the level is there. I know that there's no red flags, nothing I need to stress or worry about. 

"It's just about going out there and enjoying playing the matches, enjoy competing, making sure I'm there for every rally, there for every point, and trying to give myself the best chance."

Results from the second day of the French Open on Monday (x denotes seeding):

Men

First round

Novak Djokovic (SRB x1) bt Hubert Hurkacz (POL) 6-4, 6-2, 6-2

Henri Laaksonen (SUI) bt Pedro Martinez (ESP) 6-1, 6-0, 7-6 (7/4)

Salvatore Caruso (ITA) bt Jaume Munar (ESP) 7-5, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3

Gilles Simon (FRA x26) bt Sergiy Stakhovsky (UKR) 6-3, 6-3, 6-4

Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) bt Denis Shapovalov (CAN x20) 7-6 (7/1), 6-3, 6-4

Radu Albot (MDA) bt Tennys Sandgren (USA) 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (7/1), 3-6, 6-1

Lloyd Harris (RSA) bt Lukas Rosol (CZE) 6-1, 4-6, 2-6, 6-1, 6-2

Borna Coric (CRO x13) bt Aljaz Bedene (SLO) 6-1, 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, 6-4

Dominic Thiem (AUT x4) bt Tommy Paul (USA) 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-2

Alexander Bublik (KAZ) bt Rudolf Molleker (GER) 7-5, 6-7 (4/7), 6-1, 7-6 (7/2)

Pablo Cuevas (URU) bt Maxime Janvier (FRA) 6-4, 6-4, 6-2

Roberto Carballes Baena (ESP) bt Alexandre Muller (FRA) 6-4, 6-4, 6-2

Filip Krajinovic (SRB) bt Frances Tiafoe (USA x32) 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-0

Stan Wawrinka (SUI x24) bt Jozef Kovalik (SVK) 6-1, 6-7 (3/7), 6-2, 6-3

Cristian Garin (CHI) bt Reilly Opelka (USA) 7-6 (7/0), 7-5, 7-6 (9/7)

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) bt Peter Gojowczyk (GER) 7-6 (7/4), 6-1, 4-6, 6-3

Alex De Minaur (AUS x21) bt Bradley Klahn (USA) 6-1, 6-4, 6-4

Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP) bt Joao Sousa (POR) 6-3, 6-1, 6-2

Benoit Paire (FRA) bt Marius Copil (ROU) 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-0, 6-1

Pierre-Hugues Herbert (FRA) bt Daniil Medvedev (RUS x12) 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 7-5

Juan Ignacio Londero (ARG) bt Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO x15) 6-4, 6-1, 6-3

Richard Gasquet (FRA) bt Mischa Zverev (GER) 6-3, 6-4, 6-3

Corentin Moutet (FRA) bt Alexey Vatutin (RUS) 6-4, 7-6 (8/6), 6-4

Guido Pella (ARG x19) bt Guido Andreozzi (ARG) 7-6 (7/2), 6-4, 1-6, 6-1

Miomir Kecmanovic (SRB) bt Denis Kudla (USA) 6-0, 6-7 (7/9), 5-7, 6-3, 6-4

Yannick Maden (GER) bt Kimmer Coppejans (BEL) 7-6 (7/0), 7-5, 6-3

Rafael Nadal (ESP x2) bt Yannick Hanfmann (GER) 6-2, 6-1, 6-3

Women

First round

Serena Williams (USA x10) bt Vitalia Diatchenko (RUS) 2-6, 6-1, 6-0

Sofia Kenin (USA) bt Giulia Gatto-Monticone (ITA) 6-3, 5-7, 6-2

Su-Wei Hsieh (TPE x25) bt Viktorija Golubic (SUI) 6-4, 3-6, 6-0

Andrea Petkovic (GER) bt Alison Riske (USA) 2-6, 6-3, 7-5

Danielle Collins (USA) bt Tatjana Maria (GER) 6-0, 6-2

Ashleigh Barty (AUS x8) bt Jessica Pegula (USA) 6-3, 6-3

Ekaterina Alexandrova (RUS) bt Mihaela Buzarnescu (ROU x30) 6-4, 6-4

Samantha Stosur (AUS) bt Barbora Strycova (CZE) 6-2, 7-6 (7/3)

Aliona Bolsova Zadoinov (ESP) bt Vera Zvonareva (RUS) 6-4, 6-2

Sorana Cirstea (ROU) bt Kaja Juvan (SLO) 5-7, 6-4, 7-5

Jennifer Brady (USA) bt Ivana Jorovic (SRB) 7-6 (7/5), 4-6, 7-5

Polona Hercog (SLO) bt Aliaksandra Sasnovich (BLR x32) 4-6, 6-2, 8-6

Rebecca Peterson (SWE) bt Yulia Putintseva (KAZ) 6-3, 7-5

Donna Vekic (CRO x23) bt Liudmila Samsonova (RUS) 6-2, 6-4

Johanna Konta (GBR x26) bt Antonia Lottner (GER) 6-4, 6-4

Lauren Davis (USA) bt Kristyna Pliskova (CZE) 6-2, 6-4

Viktoria Kuzmova (SVK) bt Alize Cornet (FRA) 6-4, 6-3

Kiki Bertens (NED x4) bt Pauline Parmentier (FRA) 6-3, 6-4

Shelby Rogers (USA) bt Astra Sharma (AUS) 6-3, 6-3

Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP x28) bt Dayana Yastremska (UKR) 2-6, 7-6 (7/0), 6-0

Elise Mertens (BEL x20) bt Tamara Zidansek (SLO) 6-4, 3-6, 6-2

Diane Parry (FRA) bt Vera Lapko (BLR) 6-2, 6-4

Mandy Minella (LUX) bt Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) 6-4, 6-2

Anastasija Sevastova (LAT x12) bt Luksika Kumkhum (THA) 6-1, 6-4

Veronika Kudermetova (RUS) bt Caroline Wozniacki (DEN x13) 0-6, 6-3, 6-3

Zarina Diyas (KAZ) bt Audrey Albie (FRA) 6-2, 6-2

Zhang Shuai (CHN) bt Varvara Lepchenko (USA) 6-1, 6-1

Kaia Kanepi (EST) bt Julia Goerges (GER x18) 7-5, 6-1

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
25% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1472 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2250 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE