Swiatek's odds getting shorter

PARIS • The upsets in the French Open women's draw continued yesterday, making world No. 1 Iga Swiatek an even bigger favourite here at Roland Garros.

Barbora Krejcikova's title defence ended in the opening round when Frenchwoman Diane Parry stunned the second-seeded Czech 1-6, 6-2, 6-3.

The world No. 2, playing her first match since Doha in February after struggling with an elbow injury, had 45 unforced errors in her match against an opponent ranked 95 places below her under the closed roof of Court Philippe Chatrier.

Parry is considered one of France's best prospects and the 19-year-old was thrilled to take her first top-10 career scalp in front of a boisterous and partisan crowd.

"It's a dream for me. It was always a dream to play on this court with the French crowd to support me," said the teenager, who will play Colombian Camila Osorio tomorrow for a place in the third round. "They clearly pushed me to victory today. I'm the happiest person right now."

Earlier, four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka of Japan was also eliminated at the first hurdle, going down 7-5, 6-4 to American Amanda Anisimova.

The pattern of shocks carried over from Sunday, when reigning WTA Finals champion and two-time Slam winner, Spain's Garbine Muguruza, and Tunisian sixth seed and Madrid Open winner Ons Jabeur were sent home early.

Given her struggles on non-hardcourt surfaces, coupled with last week's decision by the tennis authorities to strip Wimbledon of ranking points - effectively turning the grass-court Major into a high-profile exhibition - over the unilateral ban on Russian and Belarusian players, Osaka is considering giving London a skip.

"I would say the decision is kind of affecting my mentality going into grass, like I'm not 100 per cent sure if I'm going to go there," said the former world No. 1.

"I feel like if I play Wimbledon without points, it's more like an exhibition. I know this isn't true, right? But my brain just like feels that way. Whenever I think like something is like an exhibition, I just can't go at it 100 per cent. I'm the type of player that gets motivated by... seeing my ranking go up."

As big names continue to fall like dominoes in Paris, there appears little to stop Swiatek in her quest to win a second French Open title.

The 20-year-old Pole whipped Ukrainian qualifier Lesia Tsurenko 6-2, 6-0 in her first-round match yesterday to extend her WTA Tour-leading winning run to 29 matches - the fourth longest this century and now just three behind Belgian great Justine Henin.

The 2020 champion is eyeing the prize, saying after her victory: "I just want to keep going. I am aware that some day my streak may stop. Basically, I am just working every day to be 100 per cent focused on my tennis, not on stats or not on some numbers.

"Just playing tennis and focusing on my game and being kind of in a bubble..."

It was far more straightforward in the men's draw, with record 13-time Roland Garros champion Rafael Nadal of Spain sweeping past Australian Jordan Thompson 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 yesterday.

Teen sensation and compatriot Carlos Alcaraz, another favourite here, also eased past Argentina's Juan Ignacio Londero 6-4, 6-2, 6-0 on Sunday night to move into the next round, as did German third seed Alexander Zverev, who beat Austrian Sebastian Ofner 6-2, 6-4, 6-4.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS

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