By Julien Pretot
PARIS (Reuters) – Kristina Mladenovic was dumped out of the French Open in the second round with a 6-2 6-1 defeat to Petra Martic on Wednesday, leaving Caroline Garcia as the only French woman who can reach the third round at Roland Garros.
Should she make it through, it will be the third time in the last 10 years that only one French woman has reached that stage — a statistic that prompted a reporter to ask Mladenovic, a quarter-finalist here in 2017, about the strength of the current generation of players.
While Marion Bartoli and Amelie Mauresmo, who led the previous generation, reached the quarter-finals of every major, winning a combined three titles, Garcia and Mladenovic have made it to the last eight of a Grand Slam three times in total.
“We’re in finals of Fed Cup, so I think the question is a bit strange,” Mladenovic said.
France will face Australia in the Fed Cup final later this year, having reached the same stage with Mladenovic and Garcia in 2016 before losing to the Czech Republic in Strasbourg.
“Do you think there is a generational problem? Are you aware that we are in the finals of the Fed Cup?
“I think that your question is not really appropriate.”
Garcia, the 24th seed, takes on Anna Blinkova of Russia on Thursday.
(Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Toby Davis)
