PARIS (AFP) – Iga Swiatek kicked off her bid for a fourth French Open title by dropping just three games in a trademark demolition of French qualifier Leolia Jeanjean in the first round on Monday.
The world number one raced to a 6-1, 6-2 victory after just 61 minutes on Court Philippe Chatrier to set up a second-round meeting with fellow four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka.
"I'm really happy to be back. Feel like I'm playing really good tennis so hoping to be here as long as possible," said Swiatek.
The 22-year-old Pole is aiming to become the first woman to win three straight Roland Garros titles since Justine Henin in 2007, and only the second ever after Serena Williams to win the Madrid, Rome and French Opens in the same year.
"These last tournaments give me a lot (of confidence)... But every tournament is a different story, a different chapter, so I'm just trying to focus on the next match," added Swiatek.
GAUFF OUTCLASSES AVDEEVA
PARIS : Coco Gauff made a strong start in her bid to win a maiden French Open title as she eased past German world number 208 Julia Avdeeva 6-1 6-1 in the first round on a rainy Monday at Roland Garros for her 50th Grand Slam match victory.
The 20-year-old Gauff, who won the U.S. Open last year to break her Grand Slam duck after losing the 2022 final in Paris, needed less than an hour to advance, even though the match was delayed after Avdeeva accidentally bumped her head against the umpire's when she was contesting a point.
In the second round, world number three American Gauff will take on Slovenia's Tamara Zidansek who beat Belgium's Alison Van Uytvanck 6-2 2-6 6-1.
SINNER ADVANCES
Second seed Jannik Sinner swatted aside Wimbledon quarter-finalist Christopher Eubanks in straight sets to reach the French Open second round on Monday.
The Italian star eased to a 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 win under the new roof on Court Suzanne Lenglen as rain fell at Roland Garros.
Australian Open champion Sinner showed no signs of struggling with his fitness despite missing the recent Rome Open with a hip injury.
The Italian star struck 32 winners and broke Eubanks' serve five times as he set up a second-round meeting with French veteran Richard Gasquet.
"I'm just happy to be back on court. I was injured so very happy to be back here," said Sinner.
"It's a very special tournament for me.
"The hip is good, I'm very happy... The general shape isn't at 100 percent yet so we're trying to build every day."
Sinner is playing only his third tournament since winning the Miami Masters in March, after losing to Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Monte Carlo Masters semi-finals and then withdrawing from the Madrid Open before his quarter-final match.
His victory on Monday took his win-loss record for the season to 29-2.
The 22-year-old is hoping to improve on his best French Open performance -- a run to the quarter-finals on his debut in 2020.
American Eubanks enjoyed a breakthrough Wimbledon last year when he was beaten by Daniil Medvedev in the last eight in five sets, but has now lost seven consecutive matches.