Aryna Sabalenka Eases At Rain-swept French Open, Alize Cornet’s Profession Ends
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 beneath the roof on Court docket Philippe Chatrier.
World quantity two Sabalenka fired 27 winners previous the A centesimal-ranked Andreeva and broke serve 5 occasions in a dominant show.
“I am attempting to do nicely on clay, it’s robust circumstances right here however I take pleasure in taking part in right here and I am simply attempting to convey my finest tennis each time — regardless of the floor,” stated Sabalenka.
The Belarusian has made no less than the final 4 at her previous six Grand Slams and is predicted 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, searching for a fourth Roland Garros title and record-extending twenty fifth main, is enduring his worst run since 2018.
Djokovic, 37, has not received a title in 2024 and has but to make a last with semi-final spots on the Australian Open and Monte Carlo Masters his finest 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 downside.
“They’re slightly bumps on the street,” stated Djokovic, who watched his long-time rival and 14-time champion Rafael Nadal bow out of the event towards Alexander Zverev on Monday.
When requested to elaborate additional on his difficulties thus far this season, Djokovic opted for discretion.
“Numerous 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 received a match on the primary tour this 12 months.
Two-time runner-up Casper Ruud, who received 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 12 months right here.”
Ruud was overwhelmed in straight units by Novak Djokovic in final 12 months’s last following a one-sided loss to Rafael Nadal within the 2022 showpiece. He additionally misplaced the 2022 US Open last 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 because the 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 doubtless his final match on the French Open on Monday. Over on Court docket 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 court docket 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 objective for Diego Maradona’s Argentina within the 1986 World Cup last towards West Germany.
Ranked at 144, the 22-year-old is making his Grand Slam debut and takes on Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff.
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