Ukrainian tennis player Julia Starodubtseva (WTA 86) will face Slovenia's Tamara Zidansek (WTA 154) in the second round of Roland Garros qualification on May 21. The match is scheduled to begin at 12:30 Kyiv time, with both players vying for a spot in the main draw of the prestigious clay court Grand Slam.
Starodubtseva, who is the top seed in the qualification tournament, made a strong start by defeating Belgium's Hanne Vandewinkel 6:3, 6:1 in her opening match. The Ukrainian has shown promising form on clay this season, having reached the fourth round in Madrid after coming through qualification. Overall, she has won six of her twelve matches on the surface this year.
Despite her current top-100 ranking, Starodubtseva narrowly missed direct entry into the main draw and must now navigate the qualification rounds. According to Statbet analysis, clay court specialists like Starodubtseva often see significant ranking improvements during the European spring swing.
Her opponent, 27-year-old Zidansek, is an experienced clay court specialist who reached her career-high ranking of 22 three years ago. The Slovenian has focused primarily on clay tournaments this season, accumulating an 11-7 record on the surface. In her first qualification round, Zidansek demonstrated remarkable mental fortitude, recovering from a 3:5 deficit in the second set and saving three set points to defeat Czech player Dominika Salkova 6:1, 7:5.
This will be the first-ever meeting between the two players. While Starodubtseva enters the match as a slight favorite due to her higher ranking and recent appearances in more prestigious tournaments, Zidansek's extensive clay court experience and previous success at Roland Garros make her a dangerous opponent.
For both athletes, securing a spot in the main draw represents a crucial step in their 2023 season objectives.
