Alexander Zverev in cruise control as French Open starts under blazing sun
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Germany's Alexander Zverev in action during his first-round match against France's Benjamin Bonzi.
PHOTO: REUTERS
PARIS – French Open dark horse Alexander Zverev started his Roland Garros campaign with a meticulous 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 first-round demolition of France’s Benjamin Bonzi in searing heat on May 24.
The 2024 runner-up and three-time semi-finalist, who is chasing his maiden Grand Slam title, never allowed the world No. 95 into the contest on Court Philippe Chatrier as he set up a second-round meeting with Tomas Machac of the Czech Republic.
“Very good start to the tournament, it’s always good to start with a win in straight sets especially against Benjamin who can be a tricky opponent,” the German second seed said.
The tournament started under blazing sun as fans in Panama hats streamed into Roland Garros, which felt more like the Riviera than clay-court grind as alleys echoed with a violin rendition of Coldplay’s Viva la Vida and other soft-rock staples.
With temperatures expected to exceed 30 deg C, Russian Karen Khachanov, seeded 13th, dispatched French hope Arthur Gea on Court Suzanne Lenglen before Swiss 11th seed Belinda Bencic downed Sinja Kraus of Austria.
The clay-court Grand Slam suffered two major withdrawals as twice champion Carlos Alcaraz and local favourite Arthur Fils pulled out due to injuries.
Italian Jannik Sinner, the world No. 1, is the heavy favourite in the men’s draw, while the women’s draw seems wide open.
Serbian Novak Djokovic, chasing a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title, opens his campaign against big-serving Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard later on May 24.
Eighth seed Mirra Andreeva dished out a barrage of baseline winners as she made light work of France’s Fiona Ferro 6-3 6-3 to advance to the second round.
The 19-year-old Russian was never in trouble on a sun-drenched Court Philippe Chatrier and sealed victory on her first match point when Ferro made her 24th unforced error.
Hours after a Russian missile landed near her family home in Kyiv in Ukraine, Marta Kostyuk took to the court to dispatch Oksana Selekhmeteva 6-2 6-3.
The 23-year-old, who advanced to the second round at Roland Garros, said she was overwhelmed with anxiety after receiving pictures of the damage close to the house where her mother, sister and aunt were staying.
“I felt sick just for the thought that if it was 100 metres closer, I probably wouldn’t have a mum and a sister today,” Kostyuk told reporters. REUTERS
