Former World No 1 Naomi Osaka opened proceedings at the second Grand Slam of the year, the French Open, overcoming some initial nerves to get her Roland Garros campaign off to a winning start, while other early Day 1 winners on Sunday included Jelena Ostapenko, Sofia Kenin, Dayana Yastremska and Katerina Siniakova.
“It’s always great to be back here, it’s such a special place for me. These courts are amazing for me, it was such an amazing atmosphere. Of course, I’m more mature now. It’s a good thing and maybe a bad thing because, when I played in 2017, I was kinda fearless. I’m working to get that back. The most important thing is to play without any thoughts,” said Osaka.
Osaka needed a deciding set to beat Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti, 6-1 4-6 7-5, in the opening match on Court Philippe Chatrier. The Japanese appeared on track for a quick morning’s work when she breezed through the opening set, but Bronzetti, who is ranked 67, took the second, and came back from 0-4 down to level in the third. Then the Italian slashed a backhand into the net gifting Osaka the break at the end of the decider, and she served out the win after just over 2 hours of play.
“There were moments I played pretty well, but I was nervous, and got very tight in the third set,” Osaka later admitted. “But I’m pretty happy!”
2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko defeated Jaqueline Cristian in straight sets on Sunday at Roland Garros
Grand Slam champions Jelena Ostapenko and Sofia Kenin joined their fellow 4-time major titlist Osaka as first-round winners at Roland Garros on Sunday.
Latvia’s Ostapenko, who stormed to her first career singles title as an unseeded player at 2017 Roland Garros, became the first Top 10 seed to reach the 2nd-round of this year’s edition, defeating Jaqueline Cristian of Romania, 6-4 7-5, on Court Suzanne Lenglen on Sunday.
“It’s always great to be back here, it’s such a special place for me,” Ostapenko said after her win. “These courts are amazing for me, it was such an amazing atmosphere. Of course, I’m more mature now. It’s a good thing and maybe a bad thing because, when I played in 2017, I was kinda fearless. I’m working to get that back. The most important thing is to play without any thoughts.”
The No. 9 seed needed an hour and 34 minutes to get past a tricky first-round opponent in World No 69 Cristian. Ostapenko used her sterling groundstrokes to blast to victory, with 28 winners to Cristian’s 10. She will play Denmark’s Clara Tauson in the 2nd-round.
American Sofia Kenin, who won the 2020 Australian Open title, battled past German Laura Siegemund, 4-6 6-2 6-2 on Court Simmone Mathieu. Kenin, ranked 56, will face French No 1 Caroline Garcia in the 2nd-round.
Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska rallied from a set down to defeat Australian Ajla Tomljanovic, 3-6 6-3 6-3. Yastremska will continue her campaign at Roland Garros.
