Aryna Sabalenka cruised into the French Open second spherical at a rain-soaked Roland Garros on Tuesday as Novak Djokovic prepares to start his title defence, assured his Grand Slam file will assist him flip round a poor season. Australian Open champion Sabalenka, a semi-finalist in Paris in 2023, beat Russian teenager Erika Andreeva 6-1, 6-2 in simply 68 minutes at Court docket Philippe Chatrier.
World quantity two Sabalenka hit 27 profitable pictures and broke serve 5 instances in a formidable efficiency in opposition to A hundredth-ranked Andreeva.
“I’m attempting to do nicely on clay courts, the situations are troublesome however I get pleasure from enjoying right here and I’m attempting to play my greatest tennis each time – it doesn’t matter what the court docket is,” Sabalenka mentioned.
The Belarusian has reached not less than the final 4 within the final six Grand Slams and is anticipated to be Iga Swiatek's hardest rival in her bid for a fourth French Open title.
Heavy rain delayed play on the out of doors, open courts by 5 hours and by 6pm native time solely 9 of the scheduled 40 matches had been accomplished.
World primary Djokovic is searching for his fourth Roland Garros title and a file twenty fifth main, and that is his worst efficiency since 2018.
Djokovic, 37, has not gained a title in 2024 and is but to achieve a closing, with semi-final finishes on the Australian Open and the Monte Carlo Masters being his greatest performances.
He additionally suffered the humiliation of being by accident hit on the top by a steel water bottle in Rome, which left him with nausea and dizziness.
Final week in Geneva, the place he was knocked out by Czech Tomas Machak, Djokovic mentioned he was affected by a abdomen downside.
“These are obstacles alongside the best way,” mentioned Djokovic, who on Monday noticed his everlasting rival and 14-time champion Rafael Nadal exit the match in opposition to Alexander Zverev.
When requested to elaborate on his difficulties thus far this season, Djokovic opted for the prudent determination.
“There have been a variety of issues which have occurred in the previous couple of months, however I don't wish to get into them. I don't wish to open Pandora's field.”
On Tuesday, Djokovic will face French wildcard Pierre-Hugues Herbert, ranked 142 on this planet, who has not gained a match on the primary tour this yr.
Two-time runner-up Casper Ruud, who gained clay-court titles in Barcelona and Geneva earlier than Roland Garros, gained 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 over Brazilian qualifier Felipe Meligeni Alves.
“It feels nice to be again at Roland Garros. Hopefully I can have one other good yr right here,” he mentioned.
Ruud was defeated by Novak Djokovic in straight units in final yr's closing, whereas he suffered a one-sided defeat to Rafael Nadal within the 2022 match. Aside from this, he additionally misplaced to Carlos Alcaraz within the closing of the 2022 US Open.
Frenchwoman Alizé Cornet's profession ended with a straight-sets loss to Zheng Qinwen, her file 69th consecutive Grand Slam.
Cornet was no match for Australian Open runner-up Zheng of China and misplaced 6–2, 6–1.
She made her debut at Roland Garros in 2005 on the age of 15 and has not missed a Grand Slam match because the 2006 US Open.
'I cried after seeing Rafa'
Cornet reached her career-high rating of 11 in 2009 and surprisingly reached the quarterfinals of the 2022 Australian Open.
“I cried watching Rafa yesterday,” Cornet mentioned in tears after watching Nadal lose presumably his final match on the French Open on Monday. On Court docket Suzanne Lenglen, former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina superior to the second spherical with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Belgium's Greet Minnen.
World quantity 4 Rybakina of Kazakhstan is the one participant to beat Swiatek on clay this season, reaching the feat within the Stuttgart semi-finals in April.
Within the males's singles class, Argentine qualifier Roman Andres Burruchaga, who has expertise of success within the recreation, will even take the court docket.
His father Jorge scored the profitable objective for Diego Maradona's Argentina in opposition to West Germany within the 1986 World Cup closing.
The 22-year-old, ranked 144th on this planet, is enjoying his first Grand Slam and can face Germany's Jan-Lennard Struff.
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