Aryna Sabalenka eased into the French Open second spherical at a rainswept Roland Garros on Tuesday as Novak Djokovic ready to start his title defence, assured his Grand Slam pedigree will assist flip round his lacklustre season. Australian Open champion Sabalenka, a semi-finalist in Paris in 2023, over-powered Russian teenager Erika Andreeva 6-1, 6-2 in simply 68 minutes below the roof on Courtroom Philippe Chatrier.
World quantity two Sabalenka fired 27 winners previous the A hundredth-ranked Andreeva and broke serve 5 occasions in a dominant show.
“I am making an attempt to do nicely on clay, it’s robust situations right here however I take pleasure in taking part in right here and I am simply making an attempt to deliver my greatest tennis each time — regardless of the floor,” stated Sabalenka.
The Belarusian has made at the very least the final 4 at her previous six Grand Slams and is anticipated to be Iga Swiatek’s hardest rival within the Pole’s bid for a fourth French Open title.
Heavy rain brought on play on the skin, uncovered courts to be delayed by 5 hours and by 6 pm native time solely 9 of the scheduled 40 matches had been accomplished.
World primary Djokovic, looking for a fourth Roland Garros title and record-extending twenty fifth main, is enduring his worst run since 2018.
Djokovic, 37, has not gained a title in 2024 and has but to make a remaining with semi-final spots on the Australian Open and Monte Carlo Masters his greatest performances.
He additionally suffered the indignity of being by accident hit on the top by a steel water bottle in Rome which brought on nausea and dizziness.
In Geneva final week, the place he was knocked out by Tomas Machac of the Czech Republic, Djokovic stated he had been affected by a abdomen drawback.
“They’re quite bumps on the street,” stated Djokovic, who watched his long-time rival and 14-time champion Rafael Nadal bow out of the event in opposition to Alexander Zverev on Monday.
When requested to elaborate additional on his difficulties to this point this season, Djokovic opted for discretion.
“Varied issues have been occurring within the final couple of months, however I do not need to get into it. I do not need to open Pandora’s Field.”
On Tuesday, Djokovic will tackle French wildcard Pierre-Hugues Herbert, the world quantity 142 who hasn’t gained a match on the principle tour this yr.
Two-time runner-up Casper Ruud, who gained clay-court titles in Barcelona and Geneva within the build-up to Roland Garros, cruised to a 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 victory over Brazilian qualifier Felipe Meligeni Alves.
“It is nice to be again right here at Roland Garros,” he stated. “Hopefully I could make it one other good yr right here.”
Ruud was crushed in straight units by Novak Djokovic in final yr’s remaining following a one-sided loss to Rafael Nadal within the 2022 showpiece. He additionally misplaced the 2022 US Open remaining to Carlos Alcaraz.
Frenchwoman Alize Cornet’s profession ended with a straight-sets defeat by Zheng Qinwen in her record-extending 69th consecutive Grand Slam look.
Cornet was no match for China’s Australian Open runner-up Zheng, shedding 6-2, 6-1.
She made her debut at Roland Garros as a 15-year-old in 2005 and has not missed a Grand Slam event for the reason that 2006 US Open.
‘Cried watching Rafa’
Cornet reached a career-high rating of eleventh in 2009 and loved a shock run to the 2022 Australian Open quarter-finals.
“I already cried yesterday watching Rafa,” stated a tearful Cornet after seeing Nadal lose what was probably his final match on the French Open on Monday. Over on Courtroom Suzanne Lenglen, former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina powered into the second spherical with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Belgian Greet Minnen.
Kazakh world quantity 4 Rybakina is the one participant to defeat Swiatek on clay this season, within the Stuttgart semi-finals in April.
Additionally due on courtroom within the males’s singles is Argentine qualifier Roman Andres Burruchaga who has sporting success within the blood.
His father Jorge famously scored the successful purpose for Diego Maradona’s Argentina within the 1986 World Cup remaining in opposition to West Germany.
Ranked at 144, the 22-year-old is making his Grand Slam debut and takes on Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff.
Subjects talked about on this article
