Russia’s Daria Kasatkina delivered an early surprise at the French Open on Wednesday as she knocked out 10th seed Belinda Bencic in the second round.
The 24-year-old cruised through in straight sets, winning 6-2 6-2 in one hour and 16 minutes on Court Simonne Mathieu at Roland Garros in Paris.
The world number 37 will now face Romania’s Sorana Cirstea, who beat Italian Martina Trevisan 6-4 3-6 6-4.
Belarusian 15th seed Victoria Azarenka also progressed in straight sets.
Azarenka’s 7-5 6-4 win over Danish teenager Clara Tauson set up a third-round meeting with 2017 US Open runner-up Madison Keys, who beat Canadian 18-year-old Leylah Annie Fernandez 6-1 7-5.
Slovenia’s Tamara Zidansek, 23, also advanced, beating American Madison Brengle 6-4 6-1, and awaits Czech Katerina Siniakova, who saw off Veronika Kudermetova 7-6 (9-7) 5-7 7-5 in almost three hours.
Czech 20th seed Marketa Vondrousova came through in quick fashion, beating France’s Harmony Tan 6-1 6-3 in 62 minutes.
Meanwhile, in the women’s doubles, the intriguing partnership of Coco Gauff and Venus Williams fell at the first hurdle as they lost 6-7 (5-7) 6-4 6-3 to 13th seeds Ellen Perez and Saisai Zheng.
There are 23 years between 17-year-old Gauff and 40-year-old Williams and the teenager thrust herself into the spotlight at Wimbledon two years ago when she beat the seven-time Grand Slam singles champion in the first round.
Gauff also beat her idol at last year’s Australian Open but despite the pair taking the opening set to huge cheers from the crowd, they could not keep the momentum to go any further at the tournament together.
