40 singles’ matches were played – 20 on each tour – as the French Open main draw kicked off across a busy Sunday of sport worldwide – especially in Europe. The biggest headline featured Maria Sakkari, a tournament semi-finalist two years ago, being stunned in two tight sets 7-6, 7-5 against the same woman who knocked her out prematurely twelve months ago: Karolina Muchova.
Muchova muddies the water in an open section
“It’s a bit of deja vu, this match with Maria. It was almost the same score – I’m glad we didn’t play a tiebreak… managed to hold the nerves, finish it in two.”
Muchova bt. Sakkari [8] 7-6 (7-5), 7-5)
Perhaps given their recent H2H history, this result shouldn’t come as that much of a surprise. Karolina Muchova is a quality player in her own right, having reached three Major quarter-finals and one semi-final over the past four full seasons.
Yet it is jarring to see Sakkari come unstuck against a familiar opponent in the Czech, who’s a year younger and riding better form over recent months too. The former world no. 3 had a forgettable day with her serving (48% first serve, five double-faults).
When that fundamental weapon is off-kilter, it’s bound to impact the rest of your game and Sakkari coughed up 35 unforced errors to just 16 winners in a match lasting just over two hours. She’s now lost before R4 at each of the last five Majors.
Muchova executed better in those tight moments, and will now play Argentina’s Nadia Podoroska in R2 after the surprise semifinalist at this event three years ago dropped just two games against French wildcard Jessika Ponchet (6-0, 6-2).
Elsewhere in this section, 2021 US Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez responded well to second set adversity – not always a given – knocking out another seed in Australian Open semifinalist Magda Linette over three (6-3, 1-6, 6-3).
She’ll play an agemate in highly-rated Danish qualifier Clara Tauson, who wasted little time and didn’t give the heavy-hitting Aliaksandra Sasnovich any chance of mounting a comeback herself with a startling 6-2, 6-0 winning scoreline.
The last time they played? For the 2019 girls’ singles title in Melbourne, which Tauson won 6-4, 6-3. Both have progressed plenty since, so this will be intriguing.
Olympic champion Belinda Bencic [12] will face Russian-Armenian lucky loser Elina Avanesyan on the 20-year-old’s main draw tournament debut later today.
Jessica Pegula [3] was made to wait a long time before her all-American clash against Danielle Collins, but got the job done 6-4, 6-2 with Italian no. 2 Camila Giorgi up next after dropping just a game more against Alize Cornet (6-3, 6-4).
Kokkinakis too much for error-prone Evans
Kokkinakis [WC] bt. Evans [20] 6-4, 6-4, 6-4
A 20-winner differential (46-26), only three more unforced errors (26-23) and a flurry of free points behind his first serve, French Open wildcard Thanasi Kokkinakis got off to a winning start against Britain’s Dan Evans on Sunday afternoon.
The 27-year-old, whose best career Grand Slam result was in Paris eight years ago, will play either Spain’s Albert Ramos Vinolas or experienced veteran Stan Wawrinka in the second round – the Swiss won the title that same summer.
It’s another disappointing result as far as British tennis is concerned, after no women qualified into the main draw for the first time in 14 years, though Cameron Norrie and Jack Draper will hope for better luck in action later today.
2021 finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas avoided a deciding set against Czech giantkiller Jiri Vesely, after the 29-year-old – who only returned to tour action last month in Ostrava – held his own in sets three and four, but ultimately lost 7-5, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (9-7).
Australian Open semifinalist Karen Khachanov was 6-3, 6-1, 1-0 down against France’s own Constant Lestienne, before staging a spirited comeback as the 11th seed secured passage into the second-round, dropping just five more games.
92 winners and 103 unforced errors combined: In a tussle of slim margins, Hubert Hurkacz outlasted 2016 quarterfinalist David Goffin 6-3, 5-7, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 as the #11 seed held his nerve to set up a clash vs. Pune champion Tallon Griekspoor.
The 26-year-old Dutchman, who lost four straight clay tournament matches before breaking his duck with a narrow win in Geneva last week, recovered from two sets to one down and 4-2 on the scoreline to overwhelm Spanish qualifier Pedro Martinez.
What’s next?
Day 2: Matches to watch out for
ATP
Brandon Nakashima vs. Denis Shapovalov [26]
Arthur Fils [WC] vs. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina [29]
Jiri Lehecka vs. Jan-Lennard Struff [21]
Alexei Popyrin vs. Aslan Karatsev [Q]
Jack Draper vs. Tomas Martin Etcheverry
Ilya Ivashka vs. Alex de Minaur [18]
WTA
Victoria Azarenka [18] vs. Bianca Andreescu
Kaia Kanepi vs. Madison Keys [20]
Linda Noskova vs. Danka Kovinic
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova [PR] vs. Linda Fruhvirtova
Elina Svitolina [PR] vs. Martina Trevisan [26]
Karolina Pliskova [16] vs. Sloane Stephens
Another Major tournament is underway! I’ll be producing daily round-ups with the latest results, game reports and news at this year’s French Open, so be sure to stay tuned as always – moandsports.com for the latest coverage.
Picture source: Getty Images
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