Roger Federer marked his return to Roland Garros after a four-year absence with a 6-2, 6-4, 6-4 win over Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego on Sunday and said he had “missed playing in Paris so much”.
Federer, the 2009 champion in Paris, will face German lucky loser Oscar Otte for a place in the third round.
The 20-time major winner hadn’t played the tournament since 2015 when he reached the quarter-finals.
However, on Sunday, it was as if the 37-year-old had never been away as he swept to victory in one hour 41 minutes on a rebuilt and packed Court Philippe Chatrier. It was his 60th successive first round win at a Grand Slam.
“I missed it so much so thanks for the welcome,” said Federer. “I felt great playing on this court. It looks great and attractive, so congratulations to everyone involved. Hopefully I can play here again for my next match.”
Federer broke serve five times and fired 36 winners past 24-year-old Sonego, the world number 73 who made the quarter-finals at the Monte Carlo Masters this year after qualifying.
“Two breaks in the first set was very important for me and when I was leading 4-0 I could take more risks, be more aggressive,” said the third seed. “I know that I can play very well on clay and I am very happy to win in straight sets.”
Tsitsipas, Nishikori ease through
Rising Greek star Stefanos Tsitsipas moved into the French Open second round on Sunday with a comfortable straight-sets win over Maximilian Marterer on Court Philippe Chatrier.
The 20-year-old sixth seed, a semi-finalist at the Australian Open earlier this year, brushed aside German Marterer 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 [7/4].
Tsitsipas raced into a 2-0 lead and edged a third-set tie-break to see off an opponent who reached the fourth round in Paris last year.
“It was a difficult first match... In the tie-break I managed to play like I did in the first two sets,” said Tsitsipas, who was playing on the Roland Garros show court for the first time. “These are the moments we’re practising for and dreaming of, I’m really happy to play here.”
Tsitsipas will next Bolivia’s Hugo Dellien, who defeated India’s Prajnesh Gunneswaran in straight sets.
Another top player in the men’s draw to qualify for the second round on Sunday was Kei Nishikori. The Japanese seventh seed won his opening match in straight sets, defeating Frenchman Quentin Halys 6-2, 6-3, 6-4.
Dimitrov survives
Grigor Dimitrov led by two sets to nil against the experienced Janko Tipsarevic but was taken to five grueling sets in his first round victory on Sunday.
The Bulgarian was up 6-3, 6-0 before his Serbian opponent claimed the next two sets 6-3, 7-6 [7/4] to take the match to a decider.
Dimitrov dug deep to finally win the fifth set 6-4 and book his place in the second round. He will now face 11th seed Marin Cilic, who defeated Italy’s Thomas Fabbiano 6-3, 7-5, 6-1 in the first round.
Auger-Aliassime withdraws
Canada teenager Felix Auger-Aliassime withdrew from Roland Garros on Sunday, just a day after finishing runner-up to Benoit Paire in Lyon.
The 18-year-old was seeded 25 and had been due to face Australia’s Jordan Thompson in the first round on his maiden appearance in the main draw in Paris.
Organisers said that the young Canadian was suffering from a left thigh injury. His withdrawal but his spot in the first round draw has been taken by Spanish lucky loser Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. Auger-Aliassime has yet to win a match at a Grand Slam.
[Inputs from AFP]
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