Spain’s Rafael Nadal reacts throughout his first spherical match in opposition to Germany’s Alexander Zverev within the French Open 2024 tennis championship in Paris on Could 27, 2024.
| Photograph Credit score: Reuters
Iga Swiatek started her bid for a 3rd consecutive French Open title with a simple 6-1, 6-2 victory over Leolia Jeanjean on Monday, stretching her profitable streak to 13 matches.
Swiatek, who has been ranked No. 1 for almost each week since April 2022, put collectively an amazing 26-2 edge in winners and had only one, transient blip at Court docket Philippe Chatrier within the 1-hour, 1-minute match: She obtained damaged to path 1-0 within the second set.
However after 9 unforced errors within the preliminary two video games of that set, Swiatek made solely two the remainder of the way in which en path to a fifteenth consecutive win at Roland Garros. Three of her 4 Grand Slam trophies got here in Paris — in 2020, 2022 and 2023. The final girl to win the championship on the clay-court main three straight instances was Justine Henin in 2005-07.
“It looks like residence right here,” stated Swiatek, who will meet four-time main champ and former No. 1 Naomi Osaka subsequent. “I am actually completely satisfied to be again. Simply really feel like I can play actually good tennis, so hopefully I will be right here so long as doable.”
Her match was going to be adopted by one involving somebody much more comfy on the crimson clay: Rafael Nadal, the 14-time champion at Roland Garros. He was scheduled to face No. 4 seed Alexander Zverev within the first spherical — in what would possibly find yourself being Nadal’s final French Open match.
“For certain, I will be watching Rafa’s match,” Swiatek stated. “Evaluating me to him? I do not assume I am at that degree but. He is an important individual and an important athlete… I’ll attempt to take classes from him.”
In different early motion Monday, reigning Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner improved to 8-0 in Grand Slam play in 2024 by defeating Chris Eubanks 6-3, 6-3, 6-4, Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova eradicated Rebeka Masarova 6-1, 6-3 and two-time main finalist Ons Jabeur beat Sachia Vickery of the U.S. 6-3, 6-2.
Sinner, who missed the Italian Open this month with an injured hip, moved nicely and his strokes appeared simply wonderful. He restricted the big-serving Eubanks to 4 aces, transformed 5 of 10 break factors and was damaged solely as soon as himself.
Not suprisingly, the clean-striking Sinner gained 10 of the 14 factors that lasted 9 strokes or extra.
“The hip is nice. I am very completely satisfied. I am glad that my workforce and myself labored very onerous to be again on court docket as quickly as doable,” Sinner stated. “For certain, (my) basic form will not be at 100% but, so we attempt to construct on daily basis.”
The encounter lasted solely a bit greater than two hours and, fact be informed, Sinner was probably not examined all that a lot.
“I am clearly completely satisfied by what I’ve achieved within the final months. However our aim is to enhance on daily basis. That for me is extra vital. I do know I’ve to enhance some issues,” stated Sinner, who now faces French veteran Richard Gasquet. “Let’s examine what I can obtain sooner or later.”
Tsitsipas eases into second spherical
Former runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas kicked off his French Open marketing campaign with a no-nonsense 7-6 (9-7) 6-4 6-1 victory over Hungarian journeyman Marton Fucsovics.
The ninth-seeded Greek, who gained the Monte Carlos Masters this yr, confirmed his vary of qualities on clay to arrange a second-round assembly with German Daniel Altmaier.
Sporting a black and yellow outfit, Tsitsipas ended his opponent’s resistance in a one-sided third set.
The 25-year-old wrapped up victory when Fucsovics despatched a return large beneath the roof on Court docket Suzanne Lenglen.
Gauff outclasses qualifier
Coco Gauff made a robust begin in her bid to win a maiden French Open title as she eased previous German world quantity 208 Julia Avdeeva 6-1 6-1 within the first spherical on a wet day at Roland Garros for her fiftieth Grand Slam match victory.
The 20-year-old Gauff, who gained the U.S. Open final yr to interrupt her Grand Slam duck after shedding the 2022 ultimate in Paris, wanted lower than an hour to advance, despite the fact that the match was delayed after Avdeeva by accident bumped her head in opposition to the umpire’s when she was contesting a degree.
Within the second spherical, world quantity three American Gauff will tackle Slovenia’s Tamara Zidansek who beat Belgium’s Alison Van Uytvanck 6-2 2-6 6-1.
