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Tennis: Ivanovic beats Svitolina to reach 3rd round

Serbia's Anna Ivanovic serves the ball during the second round match of the French Open tennis tournament against Ukraine's Elina Svitolina at the Roland Garros stadium, in Paris, France, Thursday, May 29, 2014. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

PARIS (AP) — Former French Open champion Ana Ivanovic of Serbia reached the third round by beating Elina Svitolina of Ukraine 7-5, 6-2 on Thursday.

Serbia’s Anna Ivanovic serves the ball during the second round match of the French Open tennis tournament against Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina at the Roland Garros stadium, in Paris, France, Thursday, May 29, 2014. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

The 11th-seeded Ivanovic dropped her own serve three times but broke Svitolina’s serve six times. She clinched victory on her second match point with a forehand winner down the line on Svitolina’s serve.

Since winning here in 2008 for her only Grand Slam title, the 26-year-old Ivanovic has reached only one quarterfinal at a major — the U.S. Open in 2012 — and has never been past the fourth round at Roland Garros.

She next faces No. 23 Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic, who won 6-1, 5-7, 6-3 against Casey Dellacqua of Australia.

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