Clara Tauson advanced to the third round of the French Open following a thrilling contest against the Netherlands’ Arantxa Rus, securing victory with a score of 7-6 (2), 7-5.
Ranked 22nd, Tauson started the tournament strong, overcoming Magda Linette in the first round after a challenging three-set match. Meanwhile, Arantxa Rus, aged 34, produced a surprising performance by defeating Colombia’s Camila Osorio, ranked 51st, to earn her spot in the second round—marking her second appearance in this stage at the French Open after thirteen years.
In the first set, Tauson took an early lead of 2-0, breaking Rus in the second game and showcasing her dominance by allowing only one point in the first two games. However, Rus showcased her resilience by breaking back on her third try in the third game. The set featured numerous back-and-forth exchanges, with Rus managing to take a break lead at 4-3 due to her impressive shot-making. Not one to surrender, Tauson quickly equalized, eventually pushing the set into a tiebreak after a series of six breaks.
In the tiebreak, Tauson swiftly seized control, leading 5-2 after earning two mini breaks. She secured the first set after taking advantage of an unforced error from Rus, marking the tense opening set in favor of the Dane.
The second set saw Tauson continue her momentum by breaking Rus again right off the bat. Despite this, Rus mounted a notable comeback, leveling the set at 4-4 after capitalizing on a momentary lapse from Tauson. Just when it seemed that the momentum had shifted, Tauson regained her focus by breaking Rus again, but not without conceding a break herself, leading to a dramatic total of 14 breaks throughout the match.
Ultimately, Tomas finished strong, breaking Rus one final time to serve out the match, marking her third consecutive advancement to the third round in Paris after a two-hour, nine-minute battle. In her next challenge, Tauson will face American Amanda Anisimova, the 16th seed, who breezed past Viktorija Golubic with a dominating score of 6-0, 6-2.
This triumph reflects Tauson’s growing prowess on the clay courts, and her performance raises expectations as she continues her quest for success in the tournament.