| Date: 28 May-11 June Venue: Roland Garros, Paris |
| Scope: Live text and radio commentary of selected matches on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, the BBC Sport website and app |
Jessica Pegula became the highest-ranked women’s player to exit the 2023 French Open so far as she was soundly beaten by Elise Mertens.
American third seed Pegula, a quarter-finalist in Paris last year, struggled in a 6-1 6-3 loss.
Belgian 28th seed Mertens will face either Russian Anastasia Potapova or Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, next.
Pegula’s time at Roland Garros is not over because she has already entered the women’s doubles second round with Coco Gauff.
The pair reached the final in 2022, and the semi-finals of the Australian Open earlier this year.
Pegula, whose preparations for the French Open are derailed by food poisoningwill be the 21st seed to come out of the women’s singles in six days of action.
Friday proved to be an easier day for the Belarusian world number two Aryna Sabalenkahowever, she comfortably defeated Russian Kamilla Rakhimova 6-2 6-2.
Sabalenka, crowned Australian Open champion in January, will face either American Sloane Stephens or Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva in the fourth round.
Ninth seed Daria Kasatkina also improved, making light work of American Peyton Stearns in a 6-0 6-1 victory.
The Russian will face compatriot Anna Blinkova or Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina next.
