Opinion
While Rafael Nadal had it easy at Roland Garros, Ashleigh Barty was forced to battle through three sets just to stay alive in the tournament.
The 25-year-old Queenslander, back on the clay courts of Paris for the first time since winning the title two years ago, won the first set against little-known American Bernarda Pera only to then drop the second, after which she received treatment for a leg injury.
This left her at risk of becoming the first top seed since Angelique Kerber in 2017 to crash out in the opening round at Roland Garros, however from *2-3 in the final set she was able to reel off the final four games to advance to the second round.
Following her Round 1 victory, another of the contenders for the French Open, Petra Kvitova, was forced to withdraw from the tournament due to an ankle injury she suffered after her first-round press conference.
That came 24 hours after second seed Naomi Osaka announced she was withdrawing due to mental health concerns, having been threatened with huge fines and eviction from the tournament after announcing she would not be doing any media in Paris.
Osaka had admitted to suffering anxiety and depression since winning her maiden major title at the 2018 US Open, which was shrouded by major controversy, not least due to Serena Williams’ infamous meltdown in the championship match.
Following this admission, the Japanese star received messages of support from tennis stars past and present, including the Williams sisters, Coco Gauff, Sloane Stephens, Gael Monfils and Ana Ivanovic, among others, on social media.
— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) May 31, 2021
stay strong ❤️ I admire your vulnerability
— Coco Gauff (@CocoGauff) May 31, 2021
.@naomiosaka – This whole situation turned out quite chaotic but your energy and your peace of mind are two of the most important things in your life and one should never be sorry for protecting them.
X Ana— Ana Ivanovic (@AnaIvanovic) June 2, 2021
Osaka’s sudden departure means Barty will remain world number one after the French Open, regardless of how she fares for the rest of the tournament.
The Australian still has some stiff competition to face in the top half of the draw, including rising American stars Jennifer Brady and Coco Gauff, as well as former world number one Karolina Pliskova and reigning champion Iga Swiatek.
Brady and Gauff could face each other in the third round, if they beat Fiona Ferro and Wang Qiang in their respective second round matches.
Swiatek, in her first match as the reigning French Open champion, eased into her title defence with a straight-forward win over good friend Kaja Juvan.
Pliskova, meantime, defeated Donna Vekic in straight sets as she edges closer to a possible third round rematch against compatriot Karolina Muchova, to whom she lost in the third round of the Australian Open in February.
Two former French Open champions departed in the first round, with Garbine Muguruza losing to Kateryna Kozlova in straight sets and Jelena Ostapenko going down in three sets to last year’s beaten finalist, Sofia Kenin.
On the men’s side, Rafael Nadal began his bid for a record-extending 14th French Open title with a straight-forward victory over 2017 junior champion Alexei Popyrin, but while the scoreline suggested otherwise the Spaniard was made to work hard for it.
The ‘King of Clay’ won the opening two sets easily, but then faced two set points at 3-5 in the third set before breaking back to force a tiebreaker, which he duly dominated to progress to the second round, where he will next face veteran Frenchman Richard Gasquet.
(Photo by TPN/Getty Images)
It is all set up for the Spaniard, who turns 35 today, to break the record for the number of grand slam men’s singles titles, which he jointly holds with Roger Federer (20), at the tournament he has dominated like never before since his debut in 2005.
Federer had previously broken the previous record of 14, held by Pete Sampras, with his 15th major title at Wimbledon in 2009.
Nadal’s two career rivals, Federer and Novak Djokovic, also progressed with straight sets victories, as did 18-year-old Spanish qualifier Carlos Alcaraz, who is being touted as the next big thing in tennis.
Alcaraz defeated fellow Spanish qualifier Bernabe Zapata Miralles in four sets to advance to the second round, where he will next face Georgian 28th seed Nikoloz Basilashvili.
Currently the youngest player in the world’s top 100, the El Palmar native recently broke Nadal’s record as the youngest ever match winner at the Madrid Masters, where he faced the legendary Spaniard in the second round on his 18th birthday, losing 6-1, 6-2.
There will be a first-time French Open finalist from the bottom half of the draw, after Dominic Thiem sensationally crashed out of the tournament on the opening day of the competition.
The reigning US Open champion threw away a two-sets-to-love lead to lose his first round match against Spanish veteran Pablo Andujar, who had recently upset Roger Federer at the Geneva Open.
The highest seed remaining in that part of the draw is Russian second seed Daniil Medvedev, who can become world number one if he reaches the final, and Novak Djokovic doesn’t.
If both players reach the championship match as projected by their world rankings, then the world number one ranking will be decided then.
The Russian broke his duck at Roland Garros by defeating Alexander Bublik in straight sets, and his path to the quarter-finals got easier after his projected fourth-round opponent, Grigor Dimitrov, was forced to retire in the fourth set of his match against Marcos Giron due to injury.
Fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas also progressed, defeating Jeremy Chardy in his first round match on Monday morning (AEST).
Overnight, the likes of Tsitsipas, Serena Williams, Victoria Azarenka, Aryna Sabalenka and Alexander Zverev were in second round action. Tenth seed Belinda Bencic has been knocked out, losing her second round match against Daria Kasatkina.
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