Routliffe and Rosolska bow out of Roland Garros after epic duel

Erin Routliffe and her Polish partner Alicja Rosolska have lost an epic third round battle against Belgian Greet Minnen and Hungary’s Anna Bondar at the French Open.

The unseeded Bondar and Minnen have won 6-7 (4) 7-5 7-5 in a match lasting 2 hours and 41 minutes.

It didn’t start well for Routliffe and Rosolska with the Polish player dropping her opening service game to trail 2-1. But they got an immediate break back on Minnen’s serve. From there games went with serve through to a tie break to decide the opening set.

Routliffe and Rosolska changed ends leading 4-2 after a lovely put away smash from the Kiwi who then hit a stinging backhand return into Bondar at the net and her reflex volley sailed long. A return of serve backhand error from Bondar gave the Kiwi and Pole four set points. They missed the first couple before Routliffe pounced forcing a back hand error from Bondar to win the opening set in 51 minutes.
Routliffe and Rosolska struck immediately at the start of the second set breaking Minnen for the second time and consolidating the break with a strong service hold from the Kiwi. At 3-2 Routliffe faced a couple of break points but dug deep to hold and stay out in front.

But at 4-3 Rosolska served a poor service game and was broken as the momentum switched to the Belgian Hungarian combination. Although Minnen had to save a break point before holding for 5-4. After Routliffe and Bondar held Rosolska was broken a second time in the set and the match went to a deciding third set.

Bondar was broken early and Routliffe and Rosolska stretched their lead to 4-2 but they couldn’t maintain their advantage and Rosolska was broken twice more to lose the match and she and Routliffe will certainly feel it was one that got away after leading 4-2 in both the second and third sets.