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UCLA at the French Open: Day 7

by uclabruins.com
Sep 28, 2020
Jennifer Brady (Photo: Susan Mullane/USA Today Sports)

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SUNDAY, OCT. 4

Ena Shibahara posted a career-best Grand Slam showing Sunday, advancing to the French Open women's doubles quarterfinal round with partner Shuko Aoyama on Court 14. Jean-Julien Rojer, meanwhile, was eliminated from the men's doubles draw with a three-set loss on Court 7.

In Sunday's third-round match, Shibahara/Aoyama avenged a loss it suffered at the hands of Hayley Carter and Luisa Stefani at the same stage of the US Open in September. The top-10 showdown saw the pairs alternate breaks of serve in the middle of the first set, but Shibahara/Aoyama turned in the most important one at 5-4. The second set played out similarly, as the sides twice alternated breaks before Shibahara/Aoyama closed the door for a 6-4, 7-5 victory. The duo will next face off against 14th-seedd Alexa Guarachi/Desirae Krawczyk Tuesday.

Rojer and partner Horia Tecau also had a chance to exact revenge on the team that jettisoned them from the US Open, but could not finish the job. Seventh-seeded Mate Pavic/Bruno Soares its 12th-seeded opposition in the first set, but Rojer/Tecau left little doubt in the second. The deciding frame saw Rojer/Tecau earn a break for 3-2, but Pavic/Soares answered and added another at 4-3 en route to the 7-5, 1-6, 6-3 triumph.

SATURDAY, OCT. 3

Former UCLA women's tennis player Jennifer Brady and her partner, Courtney Dolehide, captured the first set from the No. 4 seed in Saturday's French Open second-round doubles match, but the pair was ultimately eliminated in a three-set decision on Court 13.

Brady/Dolehide earned a break of serve on its first opportunity and another at 4-1 against Barbora Krejcikova/Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic en route to a first-set win. Krejcikova and Siniakova returned the favor in the second, collecting two breaks of their own. Brady/Dolehide raced out to a 4-2 advantage in the deciding set, but Krejcikova/Siniakova seized the final four games and the 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory.

Two Bruins remain in the doubles draws and each will play in a third-round match Sunday morning. The 12th-seeded duo of former UCLA men's tennis standout Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau will meet Mate Pavic/Bruno Soares on Court 7 at approximately 3:15 a.m., PT. Ena Shibahara, meanwhile, will team with Shuko Aoyama in a top-10 showdown with Hayley Carter/Luisa Stefani on Court 14. First serve will happen at approximately 4:35 a.m., PT.

FRIDAY, OCT. 2

The UCLA men's and women's tennis programs will be represented in the doubles third rounds of the French Open, as Jean-Julien Rojer and Ena Shibahara advanced Friday. Jennifer Brady will look to join Shibahara among the final 16 women's pairs when she plays her second-round match Saturday.

Rojer, playing in his 11th French Open, is teaming with Horia Tecau for the sixth time. The 12th-seeded pair received little challenge from Marcelo Arevalo/Jonny O'Mara on Court 13, as it earned a break of serve at 2-1 in the first set and jumped out to a 4-0 advantage in the second. Rojer/Tecau cruised to a 6-3, 6-2 win and will next face seventh-seeded Mate Pavic/Bruno Soares Sunday.

Shibahara and Shuko Aoyama, seeded seventh, went the distance versus Cornelia Lister/Shelby Rogers on Court 13. Each side won a tiebreaker, but the difference proved to be in the second set. Lister/Rogers earned an early break, but Shibahara/Aoyama collected the final six games to send the match to a deciding third set. There, Lister/Rogers held leads of 3-0 and 4-1 before Shibahara/Aoyama recovered to secure the 6-7(7), 6-2, 7-6(4) victory. Shibahara/Aoyama will next face 10th-seeded Hayley Carter/Luisa Stefani, a pair it encountered in the third round of the US Open.

Brady and partner Courtney Dolehide will face off against fourth-seeded Barbora Krejcikova/Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic Saturday on Court 13. First serve of the second-round contest will occur at approximately 5:30 a.m., PT.

THURSDAY, OCT. 1

Three former UCLA standouts earned first-round doubles wins at the French Open Thursday, while Marcos Giron was eliminated from the men's singles field as the first week of competition in Paris neared completion.

Jennifer Brady, who suffered a first-round loss in the women's singles draw Tuesday, returned to action with partner Courtney Dolehide on Court 10. The pair dropped its first set against Anna-Lena Friedsam/Katarina Srebotnik, but recovered to take the subsequent frames in dominant fashion. Brady/Dolehide secured a 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 victory and will next face fourth-seeded Barbora Krejcikova/Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic in the second round Saturday.

Ena Shibahara and partner Shuko Aoyama, seeded seventh, had no trouble with Bernarda Pera/Renata Voracova in their first Roland-Garros appearance. Shibahara/Aoyama matched its US Open showing with the 6-0, 6-1 victory and will try to take the next step against Cornelia Lister/Shelby Rogers on Court 13 Friday (approximately 4:40 a.m., PT).

Jean-Julien Rojer again teamed with Horia Tecau and the duo earned its win by way of retirement after securing a 6-1 first-set win over Cristian Garin/Pedro Martinez. Rojer/Tecau, seeded 12th, will next meet Marcelo Arevalo/Jonny O'Mara Friday at approximately 5:55 a.m., PT on Court 13. Rojer/Tecau beat Arevalo/O'Mara in the second round at the US Open on Sept. 3.

Giron was edged in a first-set tiebreaker and could not recover against the 84th-ranked Monteiro, who posted a 7-6(5), 6-4, 6-1 victory. Giron posted 10 aces in his first Grand Slam second-round match.

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 30

Mackenzie McDonald had his French Open journey stopped in the second round by 12-time Roland-Garros singles champion Rafael Nadal of Spain Wednesday, as the tournament's No. 2 seed earned a 6-1, 6-0, 6-3 win on Court Philippe-Chatrier.

McDonald's second-round trip was the first in three-career appearances at the French Open. It also marked his best showing at a Grand Slam in 2020.

Four Bruins are still alive across the Roland-Garros draws and all will be active Thursday. McDonald's former teammate, Marcos Giron, will meet Thiago Monteiro of Brazil on Court 4 at 2 a.m, PT. The 12th-seeded pair of Bruin Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau is slated for a start of approximately 6:30 a.m., PT on Court 13, where it will face Cristian Garin/Pedro Martinez. In women's doubles, two former UCLA standouts will get started at 2 a.m., PT. Ena Shibahara and partner Shuko Aoyama of Japan, seeded seventh, will take on Bernarda Pera and Renata Voracova on Court 2. Jennifer Brady, meanwhile, will try to get past Anna-Lena Friedsam/Katarina Srebotnik with partner Courtney Dolehide on Court 10.

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TUESDAY, SEPT. 29

Marcos Giron earned his first-career French Open win, the end result of a marathon match played Tuesday against Quentin Halys of France on Court 7. Giron joined former UCLA teammate Mackenzie McDonald, who was victorious Monday, in the second round.

Giron overcame a break of serve at 2-3 in the first set to get off on the right foot. Halys countered by taking the ensuing two sets, including the third via tiebreaker. His back against the wall and down an early break, Giron charged back to force a decisive fifth set. There, Halys took four games in a row after dropping the first three and held leads of 5-4 and 6-5. Giron never caved, though, taking the final three games and the 7-5, 3-6, 6-7(5), 7-5, 8-6 win. He will next face Thiago Monteiro of Brazil Thursday.

Former UCLA women's tennis standout Jennifer Brady, who reached the semifinal round of the US Open singles draw earlier this month, was edged by qualifier Clara Tauson of Denmark on Court Simonne Mathieu Tuesday. Brady bounced back from a lost first set to force a third, but Tauson earned a break at 7-7 and held on for the 6-4, 3-6, 9-7 victory.

Partnered with fellow American Tennys Sandgren, McDonald was knocked out of the doubles draw Tuesday on Court 10. The pair forced a third set, but was ultimately overpowered by the duo of Marton Fucsovics/Cameron Norrie in a 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 result

McDonald will be in action for the third consecutive day Wednesday, when he meets 12-time Roland-Garros champion and second-seeded Rafael Nadal of Spain in second-round singles action. The match, the third of the day on Court Philippe-Chatrier, will begin at approximately 4:30 p.m., PT.

MONDAY, SEPT. 28

Former UCLA men's tennis standout Mackenzie McDonald reached the second round of the French Open singles draw for the first time in his career Monday, defeating qualifier Steven Diez of Canada in four sets on Court 11.

Diez seized the first set, only to have McDonald bounce back for the 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 win in 2 hours, 48 minutes. McDonald showcased an effective serve on the clay, piling up 11 aces to just two for Diez. McDonald will next face second-seeded Rafael Nadal, who has won 12 Roland-Garros singles titles since 2005.

McDonald is pulling double duty, as he is set to team with fellow American Tennys Sandgren in first-round doubles play Tuesday. The pair will meet Marton Fucsovics/Cameron Norrie at approximately 6 a.m., PT Tuesday. Another Bruin, Jean-Julien Rojer, will get started Wednesday.

McDonald's former teammate, Marcos Giron, will meet Quentin Halys of France in first-round singles action Tuesday at approximately 4:30 a.m. on Court 7. Giron climbed into the ATP top 100 for the first time in his career Aug. 31 and has remained there since.

On the women's side, Jennifer Brady will look to follow her impressive run at the US Open with another in Paris. She will face off against Clara Tauson of Denmark on Court Simonne Mathieu Tuesday at 2 a.m., PT.

Women's doubles, featuring Bruins Brady and Ena Shibahara, begins Wednesday.

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