Lob and Smash
Fansided

Barty injury opens door for Swiatek and Sabalenka final

By Justin Gincauskas

PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 03: Ashleigh Barty of Australia leaves the court injured during her women's second round match against Magda Linette of Poland during day five of the 2021 French Open at Roland Garros on June 03, 2021 in Paris, France. (Photo by Aurelien Meunier/Getty Images)
PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 03: Ashleigh Barty of Australia leaves the court injured during her women's second round match against Magda Linette of Poland during day five of the 2021 French Open at Roland Garros on June 03, 2021 in Paris, France. (Photo by Aurelien Meunier/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

In the first match on Court Philippe-Chatrier on Thursday, it was world number one Ash Barty who was forced to retire in the second set due to an injury.

Barty was taking on Magda Linette in the second round, and after losing the first set 6-1, Barty took a long medical timeout. It was after Linette held serve to even the second set at 2-2 where Barty decided that the pain was too much and retired from the match.

More from Lob and Smash

With Barty’s retirement, the highest seed left in the women’s draw is the 3-seed Aryna Sabalenka, who is already off to the third round after defeating Aliaksandra Sasnovich in the second round on Wednesday.

Sabalenka has a great chance now in Paris to win her first Grand Slam title, especially since Sabalenka and Swiatek cannot meet until the final. Those two seem to be way ahead of the rest of the players in the draw and should be the two favorites to win this tournament.

Swiatek plays later Thursday to try and book her spot in the third round and win her ninth Roland Garros match in a row. Barty retiring changes up the draw a lot for Swiatek, as the highest seed left in her half of the draw is American Sofia Kenin, who she beat in last year’s final.

Sabalenka’s road to the final is a little bit tougher than Swiatek’s, as Victoria Azarenka and Serena Williams still remain in her half of the draw. However, the way that Sabalenka is playing right now, I would be surprised if she lost before the final, since when she is playing her best, there are really only two players who can beat her, and one of them just retired from the tournament.

I believe that the only player left in the tournament that can beat Sabalenka is Swiatek, and believe that the only player left in the tournament that can beat Swiatek is Sabalenka. I think we will get our wish, as I believe these two will end up meeting each other in the final of the French Open.

Home/French Open