Last y
ears runner up Samantha Stosur has been knocked out in the third round of Roland Garros by world number 51 Gisela Dulko. Argentine Duko has scalped the odd big name from time to time but has had the most success in doubles, winning this years women’s doubles at the Australian Open. Today Dulko beat one of the tournament favourites 6-4, 1-6, 6-3.
Sam, who has one of the most dangerous serves on the women’s tour was serving at 2-1 with a break in the first set when she served a double fault and found her rhythm disrupted. Dulko then seemed to see the Stosur serve well, breaking the Australian three times in the first set to put the pressure on Sam.
Stosur responded and powered through the second set but lost the momentum, and her consistency again in the third after she lost a break advantage from a 2-1 position again.
Ultimately Stosur was crippled by a 20:35 winners to unforced error count. Sam followed fellow high seed Kim Clijsters out the door. Later top seed Caroline Wozniacki would also follow them out of the tournament while Vera Zvonareva narrowly escaped defeat to Sabine Lisicki.
Dulko, who held up a sign congratulating her brother and his wife on the b
irth of twins earlier this week, will now face Marion Bartoli for a place in the quarterfinals.
“I played really well in the beginning, trying to be really aggressive and I did it very well. Sam is a very powerful player and if I wasn’t going to be aggressive it was going to be difficult for me. Then I had a few ups and downs, but played very good tennis at the end of the match.”
