Aryna Sabalenka, the World No. 2 seed, advanced effortlessly to the second round of the French Open 2024, defeating Erika Andreeva 6-1, 6-2 on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
Sabalenka took just one hour and eight minutes to secure her victory, showcasing her dominance with 27 winners and only 16 unforced errors in the 15 games played.
With a remarkable 20-5 record in Grand Slam opening rounds, Sabalenka’s performance reaffirms her status as one of the top players, making her nearly immune to early-round upsets.
Aryna Sabalenka eased into the French Open second round at a rain-swept Roland Garros as Novak Djokovic prepared to begin his title defense, confident his Grand Slam pedigree will help turn around his lackluster season.https://t.co/8Qaib8RSKf #AFPSports #rolandgarros pic.twitter.com/pt77wPkda5
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) May 28, 2024
Three of Sabalenka’s early Grand Slam defeats happened in her first four main draw appearances, with her most recent loss coming at the 2020 Australian Open against former Top 10 player Carla Suarez Navarro.
Remarkably, Sabalenka hasn’t lost a set in the opening round of a Grand Slam in the past two years. For a long time, the French Open was her least successful major.
Although she often stumbled in the early rounds, she broke through to reach the semifinals last year. Now, a year later, she’s playing with even more confidence. In the next round, she’ll face the winner of a match between two qualifiers.
Earlier in the day, fourth-seeded Elena Rybakina secured a solid 6-2, 6-3 victory over Greet Minnen in the first round of the French Open 2024, despite a slow start on Tuesday.
For most of the match, Rybakina displayed impressive form, hitting 36 winners against 21 unforced errors. In the second round, she will face either former World No. 1 Angelique Kerber or Arantxa Rus.
Rybakina, known for her composure and strength, crafted her opening-round win with patience. Despite committing six unforced errors in the first six points and falling behind early, she quickly adjusted her game. She managed to level the score at 2-2 on her third break point, overcoming her initial hesitation and regaining control of the match.
Rybakina’s performance showcased her strengths, particularly her powerful serve and baseline rockets, as she ended the match with 36 winners. She was highly focused, winning 69% of points on her first serve, and skillfully varied her shots, allowing her opponent only six points in the first set, which she took 6-2.
Meanwhile, seventh-seeded Zheng Qinwen halted Alize Cornet’s run at the French Open. The 21-year-old secured a decisive 6-2, 6-1 victory in just one hour and 23 minutes.
Next Sabalenka, Coco Gauff Cruises into Round 2
Coco Gauff began her quest for a first French Open title with a dominant performance, easily defeating Germany’s Julia Avdeeva 6-1, 6-1 in the opening round on a rainy Monday at Roland Garros. This win marked Gauff’s 50th victory in Grand Slam matches.
The 20-year-old American, who won her first Grand Slam title at the U.S. Open last year, rebounded quickly from her 2022 final loss in Paris. Despite a brief delay when Avdeeva accidentally bumped her head against the umpire’s chair, Gauff wrapped up the match in under an hour.
After the match, Coco Gauff shared her thoughts, saying, “Today was kind of a straightforward match. I didn’t have to do much. I wouldn’t say I played amazing. I just had to play solid today. That’s what I did,” as quoted by Reuters.
“I do think she was a little bit nervous with the bigger court, but I played well too,” Gauff added.
Looking ahead to the next round, Coco Gauff, currently ranked third in the world, is set to face Slovenia’s Tamara Zidansek. Zidansek secured her spot with a victory over Belgium’s Alison Van Uytvanck, winning 6-2, 2-6, 6-1.
