Varvara Lepchenko pulled off the biggest upset of Day 1 at the French Open as the 77th-ranked Allentown resident defeated 18th-seeded Flavia Pennetta of Italy 6-3, 2-6, 6-3. Lepchenko was born in Uzbekistan, but has lived in Allentown since 2000 and actually competes for the United States internationally. She switched nationalities officially in 2007 and became a US citizen this year.
↵She will next face fellow American Bethanie Mattek-Sands, who is the highest the ranked American at Roland Garros, currently at #34 in the world. The winner of that match will be the first American female other than a Williams sister to reach the third round of the grand slam event since 2006. Mattek-Sands defeated Arantxa Parra Santonja of Spain by a score of 2-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3.
↵Mattek-Sands defeated Lepchenko in their only career matchup with a straight set victory in 2009 at the Bell Challenge. They have never faced one another on clay.
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