Dominant Aryna Sabalenka moves into Roland Garros second round
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Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka plays a forehand return to Spain's Jessica Bouzas Maneiro during their French Open match.
AFP
PARIS – Aryna Sabalenka brushed aside the heat and the pressure of being one of the favourites, as she opened her Roland Garros campaign with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro on May 26.
The world No. 1 overcame the sweltering conditions to book her spot in the round of 64 in 75 minutes on Court Philippe Chatrier.
The only blip for the four-time Grand Slam champion as she returned to winning ways on clay after a surprise early exit from the Italian Open was her failure to serve out the win.
But she promptly broke the world No. 50 in the next game before rubbing an ice bag over her face and exiting the court.
“Happy to be back, thank you for the support. It’s a hot day, thank you so much for staying and don’t forget guys, stay hydrated,” Sabalenka told the spectators on centre court as a heatwave continues to roll over Paris for the start of the tournament.
“I think we all feel pressure... But I’m used to it so I know how to ignore (it),” the Belarusian top seed added as she began her latest attempt at winning a first French Open title.
Sabalenka raced to a 4-0 lead on the sun-kissed court before unforced errors crept into her game, which allowed her opponent to pull two breaks back and serve for 5-5. But a double fault handed the Belarusian the first set and she opened up a 5-0 advantage in the second.
Bouzas Maneiro got to survive another couple of games when she held and then broke for 5-2, but another double fault gave Sabalenka a routine win.
“That’s the most enjoyable part of the game right now... That I’m able to come to the net, play points there, and it’s so much fun,” Sabalenka added.
“I’m so proud I was able to improve that part of the game and to bring it on court.”
She has now won 22 straight first-round matches at Grand Slam events.
Sabalenka’s last defeat at this stage of a Major came against Carla Suarez Navarro at the 2020 Australian Open.
Sabalenka will be glad that she got off to a good start as she builds confidence on clay.
Her clay-court swing has not been the best, with her form dipping from her achievements in March. Then, she became the fifth woman in the Open Era to complete the “Sunshine Double” of Indian Wells and the Miami Open hard-court tournaments.
On the red dirt ahead of Roland Garros, she failed to convert any of her six match points in a quarter-final loss to Hailey Baptiste in Madrid, while she was defeated by Sorana Cirstea in the round of 32 at the Italian Open.
Italian Open finalist and defending French Open champion Coco Gauff also stormed into the second round with a 6-4, 6-0 win over fellow American Taylor Townsend.
The fourth seed overcame a slow start, when she was a point away from slipping two breaks of serve. But she took control to set up a date with Egypt’s Maya Sherif.
“I have so many great memories on this court,” said Gauff, who beat Sabalenka in the final last year.
“I was a little nervous going out today, that showed a bit, but I was able to find my calm.”
Japan’s Naomi Osaka won her opener against German Laura Siegemund 6-3, 7-6 (7-3) after battling back from 5-3 down in the second set to book a clash with Croatia’s Donna Vekic.
The South-east Asian duo of Alexandra Eala and Janice Tjen both suffered defeats.
Filipina Eala lost to Iva Jovic 6-4, 6-2, while Indonesian Tjen crashed out to another American, Emma Navarro, 6-4, 6-3.
There was an upset in the men’s draw, where Australia’s Adam Walton beat Daniil Medvedev of Russia 6-2, 1-6, 6-1, 1-6, 6-4.
The win over sixth-seed Medvedev was the first top-10 win of world No. 97 Walton’s career. AFP, REUTERS