Former world No 1 Serena Williams survived a scare while Caroline Wozniacki collapsed to a 0-6, 6-3, 6-3 loss to Russian world No 68 Veronika Kudermetova in the French Open first round on Monday.
Williams, seeded 10th, lost the first set before bouncing back to beat Russia’s Vitalia Diatchenko 2-6, 6-1, 6-0 to reach the second round. The 37-year-old American, who is attempting to equal Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24 Grand Slam titles, racked up her 800th career main draw win with her victory in front of a half-full Court Philippe Chatrier.
Williams, the 2002, 2013 and 2015 champion in Paris, will face either Japan’s Kurumi Nara or Dalila Jakupovic of Slovenia for a place in the last 32.
Danish 13th seed Wozniacki had retired injured from her two previous matches in the lead-up to Roland Garros, but looked to have found form in a one-sided opening set.
Last year’s Australian Open champion lost her way in the second set, though, making 10 unforced errors, before the 22-year-old Kudermetova cruised to victory in the decider on a sparsely-populated Court Philippe Chatrier.
“I was a little bit nervous at the start of the match, but I took it game by game and tried to be more aggressive,” said the Russian.
Kudermetova will face either Kazakhstan’s Zarina Diyas or French wildcard Audrey Albie in the second round.
“I think she got very lucky at the start of the second set and took advantage of the opportunities she got,” said Wozniacki.
“I ran out of steam in the end and made some unforced errors that I don’t usually do, so that was very frustrating.”
Sixth seed and two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova was forced to pull out before her scheduled opener against Sorana Cirstea with a left arm injury, but said she should be fit for Wimbledon, which starts on July 1.
“[I’ll be out for] two to three weeks, so I’ll do some fitness and everything that I can do to prepare my body for the tennis on the grass,” said the Czech.
Dutch fourth seed Kiki Bertens looked in fine fettle, though, beating home player Pauline Parmentier 6-3, 6-4.
Dutch fourth seed Kiki Bertens eased into the second round at Roland Garros on Monday with a 6-3, 6-4 win over home player Pauline Parmentier.
Bertens, a French Open semi-finalist in 2016, was one of the form players heading into the tournament after winning the Madrid Open earlier this month.
The 27-year-old will face Slovakia’s Viktoria Kuzmova in round two.
Elsewhere in the women’s draw, Australian eighth seed Ashleigh Barty saw off American Jessica Pegula 6-3, 6-3, while Britain’s Johanna Konta clinched her first Roland Garros win at the fifth time of asking with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over German Antonia Lottner.
Results
1st rd
Ashleigh Barty (AUS x8) bt Jessica Pegula (USA) 6-3, 6-3
Sorana Cirstea (ROU) bt Kaja Juvan (SLO) 5-7, 6-4, 7-5
Jennifer Brady (USA) bt Ivana Jorovic (SRB) 7-6 (7/5), 4-6, 7-5
Polona Hercog (SLO) bt Aliaksandra Sasnovich (BLR x32) 4-6, 6-2, 8-6
Donna Vekic (CRO x23) bt Liudmila Samsonova (RUS) 6-2, 6-4
Johanna Konta (GBR x26) bt Antonia Lottner (GER) 6-4, 6-4
Lauren Davis (USA) bt Kristyna Pliskova (CZE) 6-2, 6-4
Viktoria Kuzmova (SVK) bt Alize Cornet (FRA) 6-4, 6-3
Kiki Bertens (NED x4) bt Pauline Parmentier (FRA) 6-3, 6-4
Diane Parry (FRA) bt Vera Lapko (BLR) 6-2, 6-4
Mandy Minella (LUX) bt Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) 6-4, 6-2
Anastasija Sevastova (LAT x12) bt Luksika Kumkhum (THA) 6-1, 6-4
Veronika Kudermetova (RUS) bt Caroline Wozniacki (DEN x13) 0-6, 6-3, 6-3
Zhang Shuai (CHN) bt Varvara Lepchenko (USA) 6-1, 6-1
Kaia Kanepi (EST) bt Julia Goerges (GER x18) 7-5, 6-1
With AFP inputs
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