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IMAGE: Sloane Stephens of the USA performs a backhand volley in opposition to Jule Niemeier. {Photograph}: Clive Brunskill/Getty Photos
The primary Grand Slam event with none COVID-19 restrictions for the reason that pandemic began in early 2020 kicked off beneath menacing skies at Roland Garros on Sunday.
The French Open was the primary main to be hit by the pandemic when it was postponed two years in the past however all security measures had been lifted for this event, giving the fortnight a welcome sense of normality once more.
1000’s of mask-free spectators flocked into the stadium earlier than play began at 1100 native time (0900GMT) as Roland Garros opened its gates for the beginning of the primary event.
The spotlight of the day might be teenage sensation Carlos Alcaraz beginning his marketing campaign in opposition to Argentine Juan Ignacio Londero within the final match on Chatrier.
The French Open is the one of the 4 majors to start out on a Sunday.
World primary and defending champion Novak Djokovic is because of make his return to Grand Slam motion on Monday after he was not allowed to participate within the Australian Open due to his refusal to be vaccinated in opposition to COVID-19.
The Serbian is bidding to match 13-times French Open champion Rafael Nadal’s males’s document of 21 Grand Slam titles and the 2 are on a quarter-final collision course.
Iga Swiatek, the new favorite within the ladies’s draw, is scheduled to play her first match on Monday or Tuesday.
Jabeur exits French Open after shock defeat by Linette
IMAGE: Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur in motion throughout her first spherical match in opposition to Poland’s Magda Linette. {Photograph}: Yves Herman/Reuters
Tunisian Ons Jabeur grew to become the primary main casualty on the opening day of the French Open when the in-form sixth seed crashed out with a 3-6, 7-6(4), 7-5 loss to Poland’s Magda Linette.
Jabeur, seen as one of many massive threats to world primary Iga Swiatek on the claycourt Grand Slam, got here to Paris at a career-high rating and with a tour-leading 17 wins on the floor.
Along with her win in Madrid and runner-up finishes in Rome and Charleston, it appeared like Jabeur would have a straightforward outing in opposition to Linette when she made a powerful begin on Court docket Philippe Chatrier beneath overcast skies.
The 27-year-old suffered an early break of serve earlier than breezing via the opening set in 37 minutes earlier than Linette, who was ranked 56th earlier than the beginning of the second main of the 12 months, raised her sport.
Linette, 30, had solely defeated Jabeur within the first of their 4 conferences again in 2013 however she staged an impressed fightback within the second set, saving 4 breakpoints to degree the match within the tiebreak.
As drops of rain fell on the primary showcourt, Jabeur’s degree additionally dipped and her unforced errors climbed and she or he made her frustration evident by kicking balls away after shedding factors.
Linette, who misplaced to Jabeur within the third spherical final 12 months, went up 4-2 within the third set however noticed her benefit slip away when Jabeur broke her serve again to remain alive.
However the Pole sealed the match when the Tunisian wasted a 40-0 lead within the twelfth sport and located the web on match level to be damaged for the second time within the set.
“I had so many powerful matches with Ons and final 12 months right here I misplaced to her within the third spherical so I knew how troublesome it will be,” Linette mentioned on court docket.
“She was enjoying so effectively all this time. I knew I’ve to be targeted and play each single level and attempt to make her uncomfortable. I’m joyful that I simply managed to struggle for each single level.”
Linette will subsequent play Martina Trevisan of Italy or Briton Harriet Dart.
Twice runner-up Thiem crashes out at first hurdle in Paris
IMAGE: Austria’s Dominic Thiem reacts throughout his first spherical match in opposition to Bolivia’s Hugo Dellien. {Photograph}: Pascal Rossignol/Reuters
Twice French Open finalist Dominic Thiem crashed out of the event within the first spherical, shedding in straight units to Bolivian world quantity 87 Hugo Dellien.
Austrian Thiem, who has didn’t win a match at any of the tournaments he has performed since his wrist harm comeback in March, made 42 unforced errors as his as soon as dominant claycourt sport abandoned him.
Dellien, comfy on the floor after battling via the qualifiers to achieve the primary attract all 5 claycourt tournaments previous Paris, didn’t have to attend lengthy for his likelihood.
He earned his first break level in Thiem’s opening service sport and broke him on his second to race via the primary set.
Two fast breaks within the second wrapped it up for Dellien, with Thiem, who injured his wrist in Mallorca in 2021 and required surgical procedure, fighting for consistency all through.
He capitulated 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 in simply over two hours.
Medical Zverev eases into second spherical
IMAGE: Germany’s Alexander Zverev in motion throughout his first spherical match in opposition to Austria’s Sebastian Ofner. {Photograph}: Dylan Martinez/Reuters
German third seed Alexander Zverev produced a scientific efficiency to kick off his French Open marketing campaign with a 6-2, 6-4, 6-4 win in opposition to Austrian qualifier Sebastian Ofner.
The 25-year-old Zverev, who reached the semi-finals final 12 months at Roland Garros, got here to Paris with robust clay-court kind behind him, having reached the ultimate in Madrid and making semi-final runs at Monte-Carlo and Rome.
On a balmy night he dominated proceedings from the beginning on Court docket Suzanne Lenglen in opposition to his opponent, ranked 218th on this planet.
Zverev didn’t face a single breakpoint on his personal serve whereas breaking Ofner twice within the opening set and as soon as in every of the following two, and he closed out the competition in an hour and 49 minutes together with his thirteenth ace.
He’ll subsequent face the winner of the match between Serbian Dusan Lajovic and Sebastian Baez of Argentina.
Fourth seed Sakkari admits to emphasize in opening win over Burel
IMAGE: Greece’s Maria Sakkari in motion throughout her first spherical match in opposition to France’s Clara Burel. {Photograph}: Yves Herman/Reuters
Fourth seed Maria Sakkari admitted she suffered a small bout of nerves in her first spherical 6-2, 6-3 win over Clara Burel on the French Open however promised to enhance so her dad and mom will get to see her within the later levels of the event.
Final 12 months’s semi-finalist was by no means troubled by the 21-year-old French participant however mentioned she would wish to chop down on her errors after making 29 unforced errors.
“I need to do effectively right here. Folks need to come see me play,” Sakkari informed a information convention. “My dad and mom need to come right here later within the event so I need to be right here for so long as doable.”
“It is at all times powerful to play in opposition to a neighborhood. I feel I dealt with my stress, dealt with the stress of the primary spherical, extraordinarily effectively. My tennis was not 10 out of 10 however I’m joyful.”
The 26-year-old’s energy was an excessive amount of for Burel, who struggled together with her serve and made 5 double faults within the first set alone, together with one on set level.
“You can not anticipate to play an ideal match when it is a first spherical of a Grand Slam. Numerous issues will not go as you’ve gotten deliberate or practised,” she mentioned.
“Clearly my baseline sport has to simply enhance and possibly scale back the unforced errors,” Sakkari mentioned.
Burel improved within the second, breaking early and forcing Sakkari, who will transfer as much as third on this planet when the rankings are revealed on Monday, right into a string of errors.
Sakkari, nonetheless, remained composed to go 4-3 up and break Burel once more when the world quantity 94 double-faulted.
She then held serve to arrange a second-round match in opposition to Czech Karolina Muchova when Burel despatched a forehand lengthy on Sakkari’s first match level.
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