French Open: Rafael Nadal begins title defence with win over Alexei Popyrin, Venus Williams exits in 1st spherical

French Open 2021: Rafael Nadal was at risk of dropping a set on Roland Garros for the primary time since 2019 remaining however the 13-time champion outclassed 21-year-old Alexei Popyrin after saving 2 set factors on Tuesday. Rafael Nadal saved set factors to maneuver into the 2nd spherical at French Open 2021 (Reuters Photo)HIGHLIGHTSRafael Nadal received his first spherical match in straight units on TuesdayNadal has not dropped a set at Roland Garros since 2019 remainingVenus Williams ousted in 1st spherical for 4th successive yrRafael Nadal launched his bid for a 14th Roland Garros title with a convincing straight-set win over Australian teenager Alexei Popyrin in his first-round match on the Philippe Chattrier on Tuesday. Nadal needed to save a set level when Popyrin pushed him within the third set however the Spaniard, a 20-time Grand Slam champion, used all his expertise to fend off the risk.Popyrin might have develop into the primary man since Dominic Thiem in 2019 to take a set off Nadal on the Roland Garros however the 21-year-old missed a possibility when he was main 5-3 within the third set. Nadal saved two break factors and clinched the match 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (3).Popyrin, World No. 63, confirmed indicators of what he can do on the purple filth with some effective forehand winners however he was not capable of match Nadal’s depth in the important thing moments of the sport.Thirteen #RolandGarros titles and also you decide up a number of issues.Merci, @RafaelNadal. pic.twitter.com/XHNxIl4FFd— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 1, 2021Nadal, seeded third this yr as he chases a document twenty first Grand Slam title, was not firing on all cylinders however got here by means of the tiebreak simply to make it 26 units received in succession on the French Open.Frenchman Richard Gasquet awaits Nadal in Thursday’s second spherical when the Spaniard will have a good time his thirty fifth birthday.Venus Williams loses 1st spherical for 4th straight yearMeanwhile, former World No. 1 Venus Williams was proven the door as early as the primary spherical within the girls’s singles occasion on the French Open.Venus Williams was runner-up at Roland Garros 19 years in the past however has now misplaced her opening match on the clay-court main for the fourth yr in a row.The American veteran in her twenty fourth look on the French Open misplaced 6-3, 6-1 to Ekaterina Alexandrova of Russia.Click right here for IndiaToday.in’s full protection of the coronavirus pandemic.