It’s been a long time between drinks for Lucie Safarova. Seven years since her team was last toasting a fourth-round berth at Roland Garros the Czech leftie has equalled her best run on the clay with an upset of former champion Ana Ivanovic on Suzanne Lenglen Court.
While Safarova had won her past four matches against the Serb, she had lost their only prior encounter on clay – during Ivanovic’s 2008 title run. The year before she had reached the last 16 having beaten Amelie Mauresmo at a second successive major. Those matches were distant memories in Saturday’s 6-3, 6-3 dismantling of the 11th seed.
“I went out like this that I won the last four [but it is] always a tough match with her, she’s a great player,” a beaming Safarova said after the 89-minute triumph. “I’m very excited about that. It’s been a long time since I’ve been in the fourth round here.
"I think I was playing very solid today, and I was not making a lot of mistakes. I was pressuring Ana into her backhand side and then attacking the forehand side, which was working well. I was serving decent."
With games on serve at 3-3, Ivanovic survived a break point on serve, winning a 17-shot battle of aggression to close for an off-forehand putaway. Safarova, though, would land the break with a screamer of a running forehand up the line for 4-3. On a roll, the Czech 24th seed began to swing freely, clocking back-to-back forehand winners to bring up set point before Ivanovic sent a backhand wide to relinquish the opener 6-3 after 41 minutes.
A set and a break up, Safarova looked to be coasting to victory. The Serb had other ideas. She broke for 2-3, however, her inconsistency came back to haunt her. Safarova immediately broke for 4-2 and with Ivanovic throwing in a fourth double fault at 2-5, the Czech stood at match point. Far from a foregone conclusion. Safarova held a match point in her third-round loss at the Australian Ope
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