World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz pleased with 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 win over Giulio Zeppieri in opener; says returning as defending champion is more difficult
Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz returns to Italy’s Giulio Zeppieri at the Roland Garros in Paris yesterday
Carlos Alcaraz powered into the French Open second round on Monday with a resounding win to start his title defence, while three-time defending women’s champion Iga Swiatek also eased through at Roland Garros.
Four-time Grand Slam champion Alcaraz struck 31 winners in a 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 victory over Italian qualifier Giulio Zeppieri and will face Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan in Round Two. Alcaraz is now on an eight-match winning streak at the French Open and also took Olympic silver at Roland Garros last year, losing the final to Novak Djokovic.
“The first round is never easy, and coming here as a champion is even more difficult,” said the Spaniard, who has won both the Monte Carlo Masters and Italian Open titles on clay this year. “But I started well, found my rhythm, and I’m happy with my start.”
Alcaraz beat World No. 1 Jannik Sinner in straight sets in the Rome final just over a week ago as the Italian returned from a three-month doping ban.
Taylor Fritz of the USA became the first high-profile casualty in the men’s draw as the fourth seed lost 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 to German
Daniel Altmaier.
Norwegian seventh seed Casper Ruud, a two-time French Open runner-up, got his bid for a first Grand Slam title under way with a 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 win over veteran Spanish qualifier Albert Ramos-Vinolas.
Iga Swiatek celebrates her win over Rebecca Sramkova yesterday. Pics/AFP
Swiatek through
Swiatek entered the tournament on a near year-long trophy drought but showed signs of form in a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Slovakia’s Rebecca Sramkova. Her struggles since the last of her four French Open titles have been well documented, but she broke her 42nd-ranked opponent four times in a strong display.
The five-time Grand Slam champion’s remarkable win-loss record in the tournament now stands at 36-2.
Swiatek, who has dropped to fifth in the world rankings, will next face former US Open champion Emma Raducanu after the Briton defeated China’s Wang Xinyu 7-5, 4-6, 6-3.
Osaka knocked out
Four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka, who had a match point against Swiatek in the second round at Roland Garros a year ago, was knocked out by Spanish 10th seed Paula Badosa in a tense three-set battle. Badosafought back from a set down to win 6-7 (1/7), 6-1, 6-4.
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