U.S. women stay dominant at French Open as top seeds tumble

June 4 (UPI) -- Sofia Kenin, Coco Gauff, Jennifer Brady and Serena Williams are among several American women's tennis stars still active in the singles circuit at the 2021 French Open, as top seeds continue to exit the Grand Slam.

No. 4 Aryna Sabalenka became the top-seeded victim of the clay courts of Roland Garros on Friday in Paris. Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova beat the Belarusian 6-4, 2-6, 6-0 to advance to a fourth-round match against Belarusian Victoria Azarenka.

Azarenka bounced American Madison Keys in straight sets in one of Friday's early third-round matches. Williams, ranked No. 8, battles fellow American Danielle Collins in another third-round match Friday afternoon in Paris.

Gauff, Brady, and Kenin joined Jessica Pegula and Sloane Stephens with second-round wins Thursday at the Grand Slam. Stephens pulled off an upset of 10th-ranked Czech Karolina Pliskova.

French Open, Belmont Stakes, Mayweather bout pack sports weekend