WORLD NUMBER ONE Jannik Sinner put on a typically efficient display in his opening match at the French Open on Tuesday, moving past Clement Tabur to book his spot in the second round.
The 24-year-old needed just over two hours to beat the French wildcard 6-1, 6-3, 6-4.
It was a 30th straight win for Sinner and showed his challengers, if they were in any doubt, that the red-hot Italian is focussed on continuing his streak as he seeks to complete his career Grand Slam.
After winning all three clay-court Masters 1000 events in the run-up to Roland Garros, Sinner appears to have cracked the code to victory on the red dirt.
Without double-reigning champion and world number two Carlos Alcaraz in the draw in Paris, it is hard to see beyond Sinner lifting the Coupe des Mousquetaires for the first time come the men’s final on June 7.
“I’m very happy to be back here, it’s a very very special place,” Sinner said.
“First-round matches they are never easier but (it’s) even more special to start the tournament in a night session.”
Sinner’s last appearance on Court Philippe Chatrier was during the French Open title-match last year, but if he had any jitters about returning to the site of that epic five-set loss, in which he passed up three championship points, it did not show.
The San Candido native raced out of the blocks on centre court as he wrapped up the first set for the loss of just one game in 30 minutes.
World number 171 Tabur stuck doggedly to his task to the appreciation of the home crowd, but Sinner’s groundstrokes were too powerful and accurate as he pummelled his way into a two-set lead.
Sinner had to dig deep in his first service game of the third set, before immediately breaking to close in on victory.
After an uncharacteristically sloppy volley on his first match point, Sinner passed up two more before finally winning behind his own serve in the next game.
He will meet Argentinian Juan Manuel Cerundolo in the second round.
Earlier, Aryna Sabalenka began her campaign with a comfortable win.
The Belarusian top seed hurried through a 6-4, 6-2 win against Spanish world number 50 Jessica Bouzas Maneiro as temperatures continued to soar through the first week of the tournament.
The only real blip for Sabalenka as she returned to winning ways on clay after a surprise early exit from the Italian Open was her failure to serve out the match on Court Philippe Chatrier.
But the four-time major winner broke in the next game to book her spot in the second round after just 75 minutes on court.
“I’m super happy to be through. I feel like it was a tricky first-round opponent,” Sabalenka said.
“I’d say that for me always not easy, the first rounds. And then, as I get further in the tournament, as I get more comfortable, my level becomes better.”
Sabalenka will face France’s Elsa Jacquemot in the round of 64.
Following a wet and cold Italian Open earlier in May and similar conditions during the practice week at Roland Garros, the big-hitting 28-year-old said the scorching conditions played somewhat in her favour.
“I’d say that it was a bit warm,” she joked.
“Especially compared to the first days when I first got here, it was like 14C, like, freezing.
“Now it’s boiling hot and balls are flying, everything is much faster. But physically I feel strong, so I feel like it can benefit me.”
Coco Gauff beat Taylor Townsend in straight sets. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Women’s defending champion Coco Gauff made short work of fellow American Taylor Townsend, kicking off her tournament with a clinical 6-4, 6-0 performance.
The fourth seed joked the heat was “nothing” as she grew up in Florida, but added: “Honestly I felt more bad for the fans. Dang you’re watching in the heat and I hoped no one passed out. So I’m glad I finished quickly.”
Gauff will next meet Egyptian qualifier Mayar Sherif.
Russian sixth seed Daniil Medvedev went down in five sets to Australian wildcard Adam Walton. It was the seventh time in 10 French Open appearances that the former world number one has fallen in the first round.
Rising US star Iva Jovic (18) further confirmed her potential as she strolled past Alexandra Eala 6-4, 6-2 to book a clash with compatriot and former world number eight Emma Navarro, who defeated Indonesian Janice Tjen in straight sets.
Stefanos Tsitsipas, the 2021 runner-up, moved past the round of 128 as his French opponent Alexandre Muller retired injured when trailing 6-2, 3-0.
French 17-year-old Moïse Kouamé won his first match at his home major, an impressive 7-6 (7/4), 6-2, 6-1 victory over 2014 US Open winner Marin Cilic of Croatia.
Ranked 318 in the world, Kouamé becomes the youngest men’s player to win a grand slam singles match since Bernard Tomic at the 2009 Australian Open – and the youngest man to win a French Open match since 1991.
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Sinner eases through, Sabalenka and Gauff thrive in heat, French teen Kouamé celebrates landmark win
LAST UPDATE | 26 May
WORLD NUMBER ONE Jannik Sinner put on a typically efficient display in his opening match at the French Open on Tuesday, moving past Clement Tabur to book his spot in the second round.
The 24-year-old needed just over two hours to beat the French wildcard 6-1, 6-3, 6-4.
It was a 30th straight win for Sinner and showed his challengers, if they were in any doubt, that the red-hot Italian is focussed on continuing his streak as he seeks to complete his career Grand Slam.
After winning all three clay-court Masters 1000 events in the run-up to Roland Garros, Sinner appears to have cracked the code to victory on the red dirt.
Without double-reigning champion and world number two Carlos Alcaraz in the draw in Paris, it is hard to see beyond Sinner lifting the Coupe des Mousquetaires for the first time come the men’s final on June 7.
“I’m very happy to be back here, it’s a very very special place,” Sinner said.
“First-round matches they are never easier but (it’s) even more special to start the tournament in a night session.”
Sinner’s last appearance on Court Philippe Chatrier was during the French Open title-match last year, but if he had any jitters about returning to the site of that epic five-set loss, in which he passed up three championship points, it did not show.
The San Candido native raced out of the blocks on centre court as he wrapped up the first set for the loss of just one game in 30 minutes.
World number 171 Tabur stuck doggedly to his task to the appreciation of the home crowd, but Sinner’s groundstrokes were too powerful and accurate as he pummelled his way into a two-set lead.
Sinner had to dig deep in his first service game of the third set, before immediately breaking to close in on victory.
After an uncharacteristically sloppy volley on his first match point, Sinner passed up two more before finally winning behind his own serve in the next game.
He will meet Argentinian Juan Manuel Cerundolo in the second round.
Earlier, Aryna Sabalenka began her campaign with a comfortable win.
The Belarusian top seed hurried through a 6-4, 6-2 win against Spanish world number 50 Jessica Bouzas Maneiro as temperatures continued to soar through the first week of the tournament.
The only real blip for Sabalenka as she returned to winning ways on clay after a surprise early exit from the Italian Open was her failure to serve out the match on Court Philippe Chatrier.
But the four-time major winner broke in the next game to book her spot in the second round after just 75 minutes on court.
“I’m super happy to be through. I feel like it was a tricky first-round opponent,” Sabalenka said.
“I’d say that for me always not easy, the first rounds. And then, as I get further in the tournament, as I get more comfortable, my level becomes better.”
Sabalenka will face France’s Elsa Jacquemot in the round of 64.
Following a wet and cold Italian Open earlier in May and similar conditions during the practice week at Roland Garros, the big-hitting 28-year-old said the scorching conditions played somewhat in her favour.
“I’d say that it was a bit warm,” she joked.
“Especially compared to the first days when I first got here, it was like 14C, like, freezing.
“Now it’s boiling hot and balls are flying, everything is much faster. But physically I feel strong, so I feel like it can benefit me.”
Women’s defending champion Coco Gauff made short work of fellow American Taylor Townsend, kicking off her tournament with a clinical 6-4, 6-0 performance.
The fourth seed joked the heat was “nothing” as she grew up in Florida, but added: “Honestly I felt more bad for the fans. Dang you’re watching in the heat and I hoped no one passed out. So I’m glad I finished quickly.”
Gauff will next meet Egyptian qualifier Mayar Sherif.
Russian sixth seed Daniil Medvedev went down in five sets to Australian wildcard Adam Walton. It was the seventh time in 10 French Open appearances that the former world number one has fallen in the first round.
Rising US star Iva Jovic (18) further confirmed her potential as she strolled past Alexandra Eala 6-4, 6-2 to book a clash with compatriot and former world number eight Emma Navarro, who defeated Indonesian Janice Tjen in straight sets.
Stefanos Tsitsipas, the 2021 runner-up, moved past the round of 128 as his French opponent Alexandre Muller retired injured when trailing 6-2, 3-0.
French 17-year-old Moïse Kouamé won his first match at his home major, an impressive 7-6 (7/4), 6-2, 6-1 victory over 2014 US Open winner Marin Cilic of Croatia.
Ranked 318 in the world, Kouamé becomes the youngest men’s player to win a grand slam singles match since Bernard Tomic at the 2009 Australian Open – and the youngest man to win a French Open match since 1991.
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