Anisimova, 17, ousts No. 11 seed in French Open

Amanda Anisimova, who won her first professional title at 15 in Sacramento,
beat 11th-seeded Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus 6-4, 6-2 today in the second round
of the French Open. 2018 photo courtesy of JFS Communications

   Amanda Anisimova today became the youngest American woman to reach the third round of the French Open since Serena Williams in 1998.
   And Anisimova has a good chance to gain her first Grand Slam quarterfinal.
   The 17-year-old from Aventura, Fla., who won her first professional title in the 2017 Sacramento Challenger, ousted 11th-seeded Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus 6-4, 6-2 in Paris.
   Anisimova, who will turn 18 on Aug. 31, also beat Sabalenka 6-3, 6-2 to reach the fourth round of the Australian Open in January.
   Sabalenka is coached by Russian Dmitry Tursunov, who trained in Northern California as a junior and professional.
   Anisimova, at No. 51, is the highest-ranked player remaining in her eighth of the draw. She will play No. 116 Irina-Camelia Begu of Romania on Saturday. It will be their first meeting.
   The winner of that match will meet No. 58 Ekaterina Alexandrova of Russia or No. 137 Aliona Bolsova of Spain. Looming in the quarterfinals is third seed and defending champion Simona Halep.
   Williams, a three-time French Open champion (2002, 2013 and 2015) and part-time Silicon Valley resident, dismissed qualifier Kurumi Nara of Japan 6-3, 6-2.
   Williams will play 20-year-old American Sofia Kenin for the first time. Kenin -- who won Northern California Challenger singles titles in 2016, 2017 and 2018 -- advanced when 22nd-seeded Bianca Andreescu of Canada withdrew because of a shoulder injury.
   In an all-brothers doubles match, seventh-seeded Bob Bryan of Sunny Isles Beach, Fla., and Mike Bryan of Wesley Chapel, Fla., topped Ken Skupski and Neal Skupski of Great Britain 7-5, 7-6 (6) in the second round.
   The 41-year-old Bryan twins (Stanford, 1997-98) won the French Open in 2003 and 2013.