French Open roundup: Genie Bouchard faces tough test on Day 5

We’re through Day 4 at the French Open and some Canadians have impressed so far.

Canada’s only seeded singles player in this tournament, Milos Raonic, is through to the third round. The big-serving Canadian defeated 680th ranked Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia on Monday in straight sets (6-3, 6-2, 7-5). Two days later, the eighth seeded Raonic dispatched world #58 Adrian Mannarino of France, again in straight sets (6-1, 7-6, 6-1).

Milos must be feeling good about his play.

I love having some time to walk around & explore. The weather has been cool. #askanyonewhoknows @CanadaGooseInc pic.twitter.com/B7teNF5m7D

— Milos Raonic (@milosraonic) May 24, 2016

Raonic will face Slovakia’s Andrej Martin (#133 in the world) in the third round on Friday. If all goes well, he could be on a collision course with Jack Sock (USA, #23) in round 4.

Speaking of Sock, he and doubles partner Vasek Pospisil of Vernon, BC will begin doubles action on Thursday. They are the seventh ranked doubles team in the tournament.

Pospisil’s singles tournament is over already after a tough opening round match against #7 Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic. He lost in straight sets (6-3, 6-2, 6-1).

The ageless wonder, Canadian Daniel Nestor, won his first round doubles match (7-6, 6-2) with partner Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi of Pakistan. They beat the duo of Inigo Cervantes (ESP, 140) & Paolo Lorenzi (ITA, 164).

Heureuse a Paris 😃 #RG16 pic.twitter.com/84nIflQ3qs

— Genie Bouchard (@geniebouchard) May 24, 2016

On the women’s side of the draw, Canada’s Genie Bouchard (world #47) got off to a good start, defeating Laura Siegemund (#37) of Germany in straight sets (6-2, 6-2). She’ll face the 8th seeded Timea Bacsinszky of Switzerland on Thursday (2 a.m. Pacific time on TSN).

It’ll be a stiff test for Genie, who is looking to prove she can be one of the world’s best again. As has been well documented, Bouchard had a breakout season in 2014, making the Wimbledon final and appearing in two Grand Slam semi-finals, including the French Open.

Bouchard has some good memories at Roland-Garros, describing her quarter-final match at the 2014 French Open as the best in her young career:

“I actually consider my quarter-final match here the best match of my career so far because I was playing Suarez Navarro and I was down 4-1 (and then 5-2) in the third set and I came back and won. It was such a mental and physical battle and I was so proud of myself after that match. So that match probably has to be the best memory.”

Hopefully Bouchard can lean on that positive energy, because last year was a different story for the Montreal native. She struggled mightily, including a first round exit at the French.

In other news, Montreal’s Aleksandra Wozniak (#514) lost her opening round match on Tuesday to #60 Yulia Putintseva of Kazakstan (6-1, 6-1).

Wednesday saw 24-year-old Gabriela Dabrowski of Ottawa (#52) and her partner, #90 Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez (what a name) of Spain, defeat a pair of accomplished singles players in Elina Svitolina (Ukraine) & Daria Gavrilova (Australia) 7-6, 7-6.