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<\/a><\/p>\n(Reuters) – World number two Aryna Sabalenka said beating former French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova in the second round of the tune-up event in Stuttgart will boost her preparation for the Roland Garros Grand Slam. <\/p>\n
Sabalenka defeated Krejcikova 6-2 6-3 in one hour and 15 minutes on Wednesday, becoming the first player to book her spot in the quarter-finals.<\/p>\n
The Belarusian said the victory over the 2021 French Open winner handed her a confidence boost ahead of the May 28-June 11 major on the Parisian clay. <\/p>\n
“It’s tough but an interesting challenge to play the first match against a Grand Slam champion,” Australian Open winner Sabalenka, who received a bye in the opening round, told reporters.<\/p>\n
“It is something unique like you’re never going to play the first round against a Grand Slam champion in the bigger tournament. <\/p>\n
“I think it’s a good preparation before the bigger tournament. You play only tough matches from the first round, so I think it’s a good tournament to play before going into the big tournaments.”<\/p>\n
Sabalenka has never reached the second week at the French Open, bowing out in the third round at the last three editions, but the 24-year-old said earlier in the week the Parisian clay was not the problem.<\/p>\n
“I was just struggling with the Grand Slams before and it was more about me really wanting to win a Grand Slam and me getting really crazy on matches than something about the clay,” she said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
“Because clay is good there and it’s one of the best clay courts there. I really like the courts, and hopefully this year I’ll be able to do well.”<\/p>\n
\n(Reporting by Manasi Pathak in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)<\/p>\n
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