French Open: Simona Halep suffers panic attack during defeat, while Iga Swiatek eases into round three

Simona Halep suffers panic attack during second-round exit at French Open; World No 1 Iga Swiatek notches up her 30th win in succession; Karolina Pliskova out after losing to Leolia Jeanjean, who is ranked 227 in the world

Image: Simona Halep's second-round exit is the earliest she's been knocked out of the French Open since 2015

Simona Halep suffered from a panic attack as she lost in the second round of the French Open, while World No 1 Iga Swiatek breezed into round three.

Halep, French Open champion in 2018, was a set and a break up against Chinese teenager Zheng Qinwen but then struggled to breathe and called for the doctor.

Zheng took 11 of the final 12 games to turn the match around and win 2-6 6-2 6-1.

Halep said afterwards: "I probably put pressure on myself too much, because I really wanted to do well. I got a little bit of panic during [the match] thinking, overthinking.

"I didn't know how to handle it, because I don't have it often. I don't really know why it happened, because I was leading the match. I was playing well but it happened and I lost it. I couldn't focus."

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" After the match it was pretty tough. But now I'm good. I'm recovered and I will learn from this episode."

Image: Iga Swiatek has won 30 matches in row and has now won 15 6-0 sets in 2022

Swiatek, meanwhile, needed just 61 minutes to beat Alison Riske and progress into the third round.

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The 6-0 6-2 victory extends Swiatek's winning streak out to 30 matches and continues to highlight why so many are predicting her to win a second French Open title this year.

Since taking over from Ash Barty as the world No 1, Swiatek has taken her tennis to a new level and against Riske, the 2020 French Open champion, she dominated every facet of the match.

Swiatek hit 23 winners to just six from Riske and she converted five of the nine break points she created.

"I'm pretty happy," Swiatek said on court after.

"I'm just happy that I'm playing really solid tennis and I think this is my first singles match on Court Suzanne-Lenglen so it was a pleasure playing here and thank you [to the fans] for cheering.

Swiatek entered the court extremely focused and flew out of the blocks. She won the first nine games before Riske got on the board, and even that game went to deuce.

"It's been something I've been working on since I started," Swiatek said about the focus she has early in matches.

"Just being focused and wanting to put pressure on my opponent is really helpful as it means that I have the initiative from the beginning and can really lead on court.

"It's not that easy before every match because you have to get pumped up and in the zone, but I'm getting better and better at it."

Swiatek will now have a day off before facing the world No 95 Danka Kovinic in the third round on Saturday.

Image: Swiatek is the first player to win 13 matches in a row as WTA world No 1 since Serena Williams in 2015

Pliskova stunned by wildcard and out of French Open

Image: Karolina Pliskova is out after a straight-sets loss to Leolia Jeanjean

Karolina Pliskova, the eighth seed, has been knocked out of the French Open by wildcard Leolia Jeanjean, who is playing in her first Grand Slam and spent five years away from tennis due to injury.

Jeanjean, ranked 227 in the world, beat last year's Wimbledon runner-up 6-2 6-2 early on day five on Court Simonne-Mathieu.

In recording her victory, Jeanjean became the lowest-ranked woman to win a match against a top-10 player at the French Open since Conchita Martinez beat Lori McNeil in 1988.

It is a remarkable achievement for a player who was a talented junior, but gave up tennis for almost five years after suffering a serious knee injury.

Pliskova was only the second top-100 opponent Jeanjean has faced in her career.

"I don't really know what to say actually because what's happening right now, it's really something I never imagined before," Jeanjean said.

"You know, when I stopped playing for four, five years, I never told myself I'd be in the third round of a Grand Slam.

"I don't have an explanation. I don't even realise what's happening. I know I'm 26. It's my first Grand Slam. I thought I would have lost in the first round in two sets, and now I found myself beating a top-10 player.

"I don't really know how it's possible, what's happening. I just try to give my best to play my tennis, and it's working so far.

"When I stopped playing when I was young, I just wanted to give myself another chance, because in my head since I was good when I was like 14, 15, so I'm like, 'why can't I be good 10 years later?'.

"So that's why, yeah, I took my chance, and so far it's working."

Jeanjean will play Irina-Camelia Begu, who knocked out 30th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova, in the third round.

Badosa and Pegula work hard to progress

Image: Paula Badosa hit 35 winners and two aces en route to victory

Following Pliskova's exit, Paula Badosa became the first of the top-10 seeds to reach the third round after a three-set 7-5 3-6 6-2 win over Kaja Juvan.

Badosa, the third seed, went down a break to open the third set before regrouping. She then clinched four games in a row to secure victory. She will face the world No 29 Veronika Kudermetova next.

Jessica Pegula also needed three sets and no less than 10 match points to overcome Anhelina Kalinina on Court 7. The duo spent two-hours and 26-minutes on court before the American 11th seed won 6-1 5-7 6-4.

Pegula was leading 6-1 5-1 when she missed her first three match points, while serving at 5-2 up. Kalinina then won seven successive games to take a 1-0 lead in the third set.

The 11th seed regathered herself yet again to surge 4-1 ahead, before having to weather another comeback.

Pegula will take on Tamara Zidansek in the third round. Zidansek progressed through having had a walkover in the second round due to Mayar Sherif withdrawing with a foot fracture.

Elena Rybakina booked her place in the third round for the second consecutive year after a 6-4 6-0 win over Katie Volynets. Madison Keys also progressed after overcoming Caroline Garcia 6-4 7-6 (7-3).

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