French Open tennis: No. 1 Barty exits, American Kenin advances

June 3 (UPI) -- World No. 1 Ash Barty became the latest top player to tumble Thursday at the 2021 French Open. Barty's second-round match ended with second-set a walkover at Roland Garros.

Barty lost the first set 1-6 and retired due to a hip injury with the second set tied at 2-2 against Poland's Magda Linette. Linette faces Tunisian Ons Jabeur in her third-round match Friday in Paris.

Barty's exit means just six of the Top 13 players in the WTA rankings are still active in the women's singles circuit at the clay-court Grand Slam.

Barty, the 2019 French Open champion, tallied two aces, four double faults and 18 unforced errors. Linette fired four aces and nine unforced errors and did not register a double fault.

American Sofia Kenin is one of the top-ranked players still in play for the title.

The No. 5 player in the WTA rankings beat fellow American Hailey Baptiste in straight sets Thursday in a match that took just 81 minutes. She battles another American, Jessica Pegula, in the third round.

No. 6 Elina Svitolina was among the other top women's players to advance Thursday. The Ukrainian beat American Ann Lii in straight sets.

Pegula also won her second-round match Thursday in straight sets, with a 6-3, 6-3 triumph over Czech Tereza Martincova. Jabeur beat Australian Astra Sharma in straight sets Thursday to advance to her match against Linette.

No. 4 Aryna Sabalenka was the highest-ranked women's player to advance on Wednesday. She beat fellow Belarusian Aliaksandra Sasnovich in straight sets. Americans Serena Williams, Madison Keys and Danielle Collins also advanced Wednesday with second-round wins.

No. 9 Matteo Berrettini was the highest-ranked men's player to advance through Thursday's early matches. The Italian beat Argentine Federico Coria 6-3, 6-3, 6-2.

No. 2 Daniil Medvedev, No. 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas and No. 6 Alexander Zverev were the top men's players to advance in Wednesday's second-round matches. American's Steven Johnson, Marcos Giron, John Isner and Reilly Opelka also won Wednesday in Paris.

Second round matches air until 6 p.m. EDT Thursday on Tennis Channel. The first set of third-round matches air from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. EDT Friday on Tennis Channel.