French Open Day 2 highlights: Wawrinka falls in opener, Djokovic cruises as rain plays spoilsport

Day two of the French Open saw the likes of Novak Djokovic and Stan Wawrinka take the court early during the day. While Djokovic booked his spot in the second round, Wawrinka lost his opening encounter to Spain’s Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-2, 3-6, 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-3.

As the day progressed, former World No. 1 Victoria Azarenka was also shown the door. Rain also played spoilsport as Rafael Nadal’s match was called off with the World No. 1 leading by two sets. Maria Sharapova failed to get on court in the process.

Here is a wrap of the day’s event.

Ex-champion Wawrinka knocked out

Former champion Stan Wawrinka was knocked out of the French Open first round on Monday, losing to Spain’s Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-2, 3-6, 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-3. Wawrinka, runner-up to Rafael Nadal in 2017, has been plagued by a knee injury and arrived in Paris having won just one match on clay in Geneva last week, the 33-year-old’s first event in three months.

Rain halts Nadal, Sharapova

Heavy rain brought an early end to play on the second day of Roland Garros on Monday, forcing defending champion Rafael Nadal and two-time winner Maria Sharapova to return on Tuesday. When the covers were drawn just before 2000 (1800 GMT), Nadal was 6-4, 6-3, 0-3 up on Italian lucky loser Simone Bolelli as he started his bid for an 11th French Open title.

Sharapova didn’t even get on court for her opener against Richel Hogenkamp of the Netherlands.

Azarenka loses on Grand Slam return

Former world number one Victoria Azarenka’s return to Grand Slam tennis lasted just two sets as the Belarusian slumped to a 7-5, 7-5 loss to Katerina Siniakova. Azarenka, who missed much of last season after being embroiled in a custody battle over her son, was broken to love in the 12th games of each set to be dumped out by the Czech world number 57.

It was Azarenka’s first Grand Slam match since losing to Simona Halep in the Wimbledon fourth round last July, but she still believes she can return to the top of the game. “No doubt about it. Maybe not today, but no doubt about it,” the now-world number 82 insisted.

Djokovic eases through

Novak Djokovic opened his French Open campaign with a comfortable 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 victory over Brazilian Rogerio Dutra Silva on Monday. The 12-time Grand Slam winner was well below his best on Court Philippe Chatrier, though, and dropped serve three times against the world number 134 Dutra Silva.

“It was good to start this year with a win. I wasn’t at my best, he played with a lot of spin. I didn’t play very well, but I won in three sets,” said the 31-year-old.

Argentine lucky loser wins – after 1,000km road trip

Argentinian Marco Trungelliti said it “wasn’t a big deal” to drive for 10 hours in order to play at the French Open, after a family roadtrip helped him take the eighth lucky loser’s spot and beat Bernard Tomic on Monday.

The world number 190 embarked on a 1,000km journey from Barcelona to Paris on Sunday, taking to the court just 11 hours after arriving at Roland Garros and promptly seeing off Tomic 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4.

“For us, I mean, in Argentina, if you’re not living in Buenos Aires, then 1,000km is like nothing. You make 1,000km and there is no city between,” said Trungelliti, whose return to France has already made him an extra 58,000 euros ($67,000) in prize money.

From the sidelines

Dad’s life not child’s play for Ferrer

Former finalist David Ferrer admits being a new dad is tough on his tennis. The 36-year-old Spaniard became a father three weeks ago and the fatigue was on show as he lost to compatriot Jaume Munar 3-6, 3-6, 7-6(3), 7-6(4), 7-5 on Monday.

“Everything has changed for me. Being a father is very nice, but it also has drawbacks. It makes me laugh that many parents only talk about the beautiful, but it’s also hard and there are sacrifices.”

Liverpool keeper needs pat on shoulder

Australian Open champion and dedicated Liverpool supporter Caroline Wozniacki said the team’s gaffe-prone goalkeeper Loris Karius needs to be cheered-up. Karius was responsible for two goals as Real Madrid defeated Liverpool 3-1 in the Champions League final and has even received death threats.

“It’s a very difficult situation for him. You never know if he gets another chance at a Champions League final. All you can do is give him a pat on the shoulder and try and cheer him up, because I’m sure he’s feeling terrible himself right now,” said Wozniacki after reaching the second round on Monday. “I think all you can do is try and make him feel a little bit better.”

Hair problems

Frenchman Benoit Paire sported bright bleached hair to go with his dark beard during a four-set win over Roberto Carballes Baena.

“My hair is very damaged. It’s burnt. My head is burning,” he said. “I’ll have to go back to the hairdresser, and she’ll see what she can do. But I don’t dislike it. It’s just a different style.”

Quotable quotes

“Well, physically, let’s start with that, it’s an experience that you go through, and men don’t go through the whole physical experience of becoming a parent. And I think mentally it’s a little bit different attachment and a different thought process when you become a parent, compare men to women.”

Former world number one Victoria Azarenka compares fatherhood to motherhood.

“Next question.”

Combustible Australian Tomic responds to a question asking if he has reflected on his place in tennis and his desire to play the sport.

“She has no idea what tennis is, really. She has no idea how to count it. And actually, she told me that she didn’t know that it was the end of the match until everybody was clapping.”

Marco Trungelliti’s grandma steals the show after the Argentina player drove 1000km from Barcelona to Paris to take part in the French Open as a lucky loser – and win

“It’s a great chance if you are a lucky loser – if you can’t drive, you crawl.”

Ernests Gulbis on Trungelliti’s epic voyage

“I did (do hypnotherapy), but then I stopped. I found a better solution. I talk to my best friend who is here, and we talk a lot, and since the beginning of the year it’s helped me a lot.”

World No. 51 Paire, the gift that keeps on giving.

Numbers up

60: Wins at Roland Garros for 2016 champion Novak Djokovic

30: The current world ranking of former champion and last year’s runner-up Stan Wawrinka. The three-time Grand Slam champion will drop out of the top 250 after losing to Garcia-Lopez.

4: The amount of points that Naomi Osaka lost in the last six games of her win over Sofia Kenin as she roared back from 5-1 down in the second set.

2: Number of French Open matches won by Azarenka in five years since reaching the semi-finals in 2013. The former world number one missed the tournament in 2014 and 2017 and was also knocked out in round one in 2016.