In a first round match that appears hard to split on the surface in the wide open French Open women’s draw, Australian Ashleigh Barty will take on 12th seed Madison Keys. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from around 9pm (AEST).
Normally, Keys would go into this match as favourite, but playing on clay while in form and coming up against the American that doesn’t suggest anything special, it evens things right up.
Keys has struggled at times on clay throughout her career, and this season has been no different with three first round losses in Charleston, Madrid and Rome against Shelby Rogers, Misaki Doi and Daria Gavrilova respectively – arguably, all players she should be beating.
While Keys finished the 2016 Rio Olympics in fourth place, nothing good has come since as she missed the Australian Open through injury and even since coming back she has struggled on her more preferred hard court, which is worrying.
In a women’s draw where upsets are normal at grand slams in the early round, Barty herself pulled off a third round run in the Australian Open during her first major tournament back in the sport since a foray into cricket.
She has publicly said she is now enjoying her tennis again and it shows in her performance as she took out a tournament in Kuala Lumper, has shown strong form under pressure in the Fed Cup and just last week made the quarter-finals in Strasbourg before falling in a third set tie-breaker to fellow Aussie Daria Gavrilova.
Her biggest problem here will be dealing with the serve of Keys, which has been known to cause headaches for opponents when it’s on. That in itself has become a weakness for the 12th seed in recent times though, with her loss to Gavrilova seeing just 53 per cent of first serves land in.
If she does that against Barty, who tends to win a lot of points on second serves, it’s going to bite hard and the Australian will reap the rewards.
The pair have faced off once previously, in the 2011 juniors at Wimbledon. On that occasion, Barty won in three sets, but it’s hard to justify why that will have any effect on this match six years later.
Prediction
It’s upset time. Barty has been in solid form and the way she is able to fight and grind out long points will see her through to the second round against the 12th seed.
Barty in three tough sets.
Be sure to join The Roar for live scores and coverage of this first round match from around 9pm (AEST) or at the completion of Philipp Kohlschreiber versus Nick Kyrgios and don’t forget to get involved by dropping a comment below.
Vicki
Guest
A big fan of both of these players. Maddie has rediscovered her clay form. Ash had no say on how the match went. Maddie was giving a master class.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thanks for joining me this evening for The Roar's live coverage of the 2017 French Open as Madison Keys breezed past Ashleigh Barty in the first round. Hopefully you enjoyed the call. We will have live scores of Samantha Stosur versus Kirsten Flipken and Rafael Nadal versus Robin Haase tomorrow, and be back with more blogs on Thursday. I'll be live with State of Origin Game 1 from 8pm (AEST) tomorrow. Bye for now.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Ashleigh Barty has been bundled out of the French Open at the first hurdle, with Madison Keys putting on a powerful 61-minute display to ease past in straight sets. MATCH STATISTICS Match duration: 61 minutes Aces: Barty (1), Keys (1) Double faults: Barty (7), Keys (0) First serves in: Barty (31/55), Keys (30/50) Points won on first serve: Barty (23/31), Keys (22/30) Net points won: Barty (6/8), Keys (6.11) Break points won: Barty (0), Keys (3/7)) Winners: Barty (10), Keys (22) Unforced errors: Barty (19), Keys (18) Total points won: Barty (44), Keys (61) Ashleigh Barty 3 2 Madison Keys 6 6
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thoughts on the match Roarers?
Scott Pryde
Expert
GAME, SET, MATCH MADISON KEYS Keys with a wide serve, then a backhand with plenty of depth back to the same corner. Barty doesn't get anywhere near enough behind it and it thuds into the net. That'll do it. Dominant win for Keys and she advances through to the second round with ease. Barty has plenty to work on, but her more preferred grass courts are coming up. Ashleigh Barty 3 2 Madison Keys 6 6
Scott Pryde
Expert
Keys now has match point as Barty returns serve out. Barty 3 2 - 30 Keys 6 5 - 40
Scott Pryde
Expert
Keys with a wide serve, then looking for a corner forehand that goes wide. Barty 3 2 - 30 Keys 6 5 - 30
Scott Pryde
Expert
Fault from Keys and Barty returns the second long on the forehand. Barty 3 2 - 15 Keys 6 5 - 30
Scott Pryde
Expert
Keys serves wide, comes to the net and Barty makes a pretty poor error on the passing shot, putting it into the net. Barty 3 2 - 15 Keys 6 5 - 15
Scott Pryde
Expert
Barty hits the baseline with her return of serve here and then gets into the point. Keys looks for the cross-court backhand, popping off the net wide. Barty 3 2 - 15 Keys 6 5 - 0
Scott Pryde
Expert
Well, one game at a time I guess for Barty. She manages to hold serve here on the back of a strong wide serve and will get to another change of ends. Keys to serve for the match on the other side of it. Barty 3 2 - Keys 6 5 -
Scott Pryde
Expert
Keys made an absolute mess of that. barty served wide, then came to the net but played an ordinary volley. Keys went for the forehand pass, but found the net. Barty 3 1 - 40 Keys 6 5 - 30
Scott Pryde
Expert
Double fault for Barty. That's her seventh. Barty 3 1 - 30 Keys 6 5 - 30
Scott Pryde
Expert
Barty with a wide forehand to one corner, a sliced backhand to the other, then she comes to the net and hits the volley away for the winner. Barty 3 1 - 30 Keys 6 5 - 15
Scott Pryde
Expert
Keys now rips a forehand return back into the corner for the winner. Barty 3 1 - 15 Keys 6 5 - 15
Scott Pryde
Expert
Barty on serve, trying to keep the match alive. Goes down the T and Keys can't get the backhand return over the net. Barty 3 1 - 15 Keys 6 5 - 0
Scott Pryde
Expert
This is just all power. Two deep forehands from Keys and Barty can't keep the ball in. One game away now for Keys. Barty 3 1 - Keys 6 5 -
Scott Pryde
Expert
Keys trying to attack at the net again on the back of a big approach shot forehand. Barty gets a shot down the line though and Keys does well to get her racquet to it, but can't get it over. Barty 3 1 - 30 Keys 6 4 - 40
Scott Pryde
Expert
Keys with a mistake at the net now. Not a bad drop shot from Barty and Keys puts the half volley long. Barty 3 1 - 15 Keys 6 4 - 40
Scott Pryde
Expert
This match has no drama left now. Keys with a serve down the middle and then a big backhand to the corner. Barty 3 1 - 0 Keys 6 4 - 40