PARIS (Reuters) – Highlights of the first day at the French Open, the second Grand Slam of the year, on Sunday (times GMT):
* Tunisian Ons Jabeur became the first major casualty on the opening day of the French Open when the sixth seed crashed out with a 3-6 7-6(4) 7-5 loss to Poland’s Magda Linette.
* Twice French Open finalist Dominic Thiem was also knocked out in the first round, with the Austrian losing 6-3 6-2 6-4 to Bolivian world number 87 Hugo Dellien.
* Former champion Garbine Muguruza suffered a second consecutive first-round exit at the French Open, losing 2-6 6-3 6-4 to Estonian Kaia Kanepi as she continued on her downward trend.
* German third seed Alexander Zverev produced a clinical performance to kick off his French Open campaign with a 6-2 6-4 6-4 win against Austrian qualifier Sebastian Ofner. [nL2N2XE0F7]
1922 TEENS ALCARAZ, GAUFF AND FERNANDEZ THROUGH
Spain’s 19-year-old Carlos Alcaraz, one of the favourites to win at Roland Garros, reached the second round with a 6-4 6-2 6-0 win over Juan Ignacio Londero.
In the women’s draw, Coco Gauff defeated Canadian qualifier Rebecca Marino 7-5 6-0, a day after the 18-year-old celebrated her high school graduation.
Leylah Fernandez, last year’s U.S. Open finalist, defeated Frenchwoman Kristina Mladenovic 6-0 7-5.
1730 ZVEREV AND SAKKARI ADVANCE WITH STRAIGHT-SETS WINS
World number three and last year’s semi-finalist Alexander Zverev defeated Austrian qualifier Sebastian Ofner 6-2 6-4 6-4 to reach the second round, while women’s fourth seed Maria Sakkari sealed a 6-2 6-3 win over Frenchwoman Clara Burel.
1515 AUGER-ALIASSIME SURVIVES, ISNER THROUGH
Canadian ninth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime fought back from two sets down to beat Peru’s Juan Pablo Varillas 2-6 2-6 6-1 6-3 6-3 and move into the second round.
American John Isner converted only one break point but won three tiebreaks in his first-round match against Quentin Halys to advance with a 7-6(3) 4-6 7-6(1) 7-6(6) victory.
1340 KANEPI KNOCKS OUT MUGURUZA
Estonian Kaia Kanepi rallied from a set and a break down to topple 10th seed Garbine Muguruza, sending down 34 winners to wrap up a 2-6 6-3 6-4 victory and hand the former French Open champion her ninth loss of the year.
1315 SCHWARTZMAN MOVES PAST KUZNETSOV
Argentine 15th seed Diego Schwartzman, a semi-finalist in Paris two years ago, beat Andriy Kuznetsov 6-3 1-6 6-4 6-2 to set up a second-round clash with Spaniard Jaime Munar, who saw off Daniel Altmaier in four sets.
1138 LINETTE UPSETS JABEUR
Magda Linette ousted sixth seed Ons Jabeur 3-6 7-6(4) 7-5 in a tense two-and-a-half hour battle on Court Philippe Chatrier.
Tunisian Jabeur, seen as one of the main threats to world number one Iga Swiatek, arrived in Paris with a tour-leading 17 wins on clay.
1110 THIEM FALLS TO DELLIEN
Dominic Thiem, twice runner-up at Roland Garros, exited in the first round for the second straight year as he made 42 unforced errors en route to a 6-3 6-2 6-4 defeat by Bolivia’s Hugo Dellien.
The Austrian is still searching for his first win of the year and has struggled for form since returning to action in March following a wrist injury.
1047 DIMITROV THRASHES GIRON
Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov, who retired due to injury during his first-round match against Marcos Giron in Paris last year, started his campaign in fine form by crushing the American 6-1 6-1 6-1 in an hour and a half.
1015 CIRSTEA CRUISES PAST MARIA
Romania’s Sorana Cirstea hit 34 winners and won the last six games in a row to beat Tatjana Maria 6-3 6-3 and move into the second round, where she will face Sloane Stephens or Jule Niemeier.
0910 PLAY UNDERWAY
Play began under cloudy skies on the opening day of action at Roland Garros, with the temperature hovering around 21 degrees Celsius (70 degrees Fahrenheit).
READ MORE:
Fourth seed Sakkari admits to stress in opening win over Burel
Clinical Zverev eases into second round at Roland Garros
Players bemoan lack of ranking points at Wimbledon
Muguruza’s freefall continues with French Open first-round loss
Disappointed Jabeur stays positive after shock exit
In-form Jabeur exits French Open after shock defeat by Linette
Twice runner-up Thiem crashes out at first hurdle in Paris
Sense of normality returns to French Open
French Open order of play on Monday
Djokovic hoping to peak in time for French Open title defence
Medvedev not going to court over Wimbledon ban on Russian players
Fit-again Krejcikova ready for French Open title defence
Last year’s French Open withdrawal still on Osaka’s mind
Nadal plays down chances of 14th French Open crown
Jabeur brimming with confidence ahead of French Open
Swiatek says nothing to prove as she targets second French Open title
Unconcerned about back problem, Raducanu excited for French debut
(Compiled by Dhruv Munjal, Hritika Sharma, Rohith Nair and Manasi Pathak in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond, Clare Fallon and Toby Davis)
