Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic ease by means of as Roland Garros continues with out Osaka

Claycourt grasp Rafael Nadal and world primary Novak Djokovic cantered into the second spherical of the French Open the place the shockwaves of Naomi Osaka’s withdrawal have been nonetheless felt.
Japan’s Osaka left the claycourt Grand Slam on Monday after refusing to attend the obligatory post-match press conferences and revealing she had been affected by bouts of melancholy for 3 years.
While Nadal and Djokovic had no hassle towards their respective opponents Alexei Popyrin and Tennys Sandgren, Russian seventh seed Andrey Rublev was knocked out in 5 units by unseeded German Jan-Lennard Struff.
In the ladies’s draw, former runner-up Venus Williams made one other first-round exit whereas fellow American Sloane Stephens got here by means of in three units towards Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro.
For the primary time since tennis turned skilled in 1968, solely three French males made it to the second spherical.
Serbia’s Novak Djokovic in motion throughout his first spherical match towards Tennys Sandgren of the U.S. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann
DJOKOVIC EASES PAST SANDGREN
World primary Novak Djokovic barely broke sweat as he eased previous American Tennys Sandgren 6-2 6-4 6-2 within the first spherical within the first males’s match to be scheduled in an evening session at Roland Garros.
The 18-time Grand Slam champion, who’s on a semi-final collision course with 13-time French Open winner Rafal Nadal, subsequent faces Pablo Cuevas of Uruguay.
STEPHENS BOUNCES BACK TO DEFEAT SUAREZ NAVARRO
Sloane Stephens saved a match level at 5-4 within the second set and beat Carla Suarez Navarro 3-6 7-6(4) 6-4 in 2 hours, 24 minutes. The 28-year-old American will tackle Czech ninth seed Karolina Pliskova within the subsequent spherical.
Suarez Navarro returned to tennis 5 weeks after saying she had recovered from most cancers. The 32-year-old was identified with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in September final yr.
PLISKOVA PROGRESSES ALONG WITH GAUFF
Ninth seed Karolina Pliskova defeated Croatia’s Donna Vekic 7-5 6-4. Coco Gauff, who’s seeded twenty fourth this yr, additionally superior in straight units, beating Serbia’s Aleksandra Krunic 7-6(11) 6-4 in simply over two hours.
VANQUISHED VENUS FIRES PARTING SHOT AT PRESS
Venus Williams pulled no punches when requested how she dealt with the strain of getting to take care of the media:
“How I deal with it was that I know every single person asking me a question can’t play as well as I can and never will, so no matter what you say or what you write, you’ll never light a candle to me,” she stated. “That’s how I deal with it.”
NADAL OPENS ACCOUNT WITH WIN OVER POPYRIN
Third seed Rafa Nadal kicked off his title defence with a complete 6-3 6-2 7-6(3) victory over Australian Alexei Popyrin. The Spaniard despatched down seven aces, hit 28 winners and made simply 23 unforced errors as he claimed his one hundred and first French Open win.
VENUS VANQUISHED IN OPENING ROUND AGAIN
Former champion Venus Williams exited within the first spherical for the fourth yr working after being crushed 6-3 6-1 by Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova.
MLADENOVIC DOWNS SCHMIEDLOVA
France’s Kristina Mladenovic served up a bagel en path to beating Slovakian qualifier Anna Karolina Schmiedlova 6-4 6-0 on Court Simonne Mathieu.
Mladenovic despatched down 26 winners, however must enhance on her 35 unforced errors if she is to equal her earlier finest results of reaching the quarter-finals of her residence Grand Slam 4 years in the past.
SEVENTH SEED RUBLEV SUNK BY STRUFF
Russian seventh seed Andrey Rublev was upset 6-3 7-6(6) 4-6 3-6 6-4 by unseeded German Jan-Lennard Struff within the opening spherical. Rublev made 47 unforced errors within the 3 hour, 46 minute marathon, whereas Struff despatched down 63 winners, together with 25 aces.
MONFILS BEATS RAMOS-VINOLAS
Local favorite Gael Monfils got here again from a set all the way down to beat Spain’s Albert Ramos Vinolas 1-6 7-6(6) 6-4 6-4. The Frenchman, who’s seeded 14th this yr, despatched down 12 aces and 60 winners, but in addition made a whopping 75 unforced errors.
KVITOVA WITHDRAWS AFTER ANKLE INJURY
Two-times Wimbledon champions Petra Kvitova withdrew from Roland Garros, after struggling a freak harm whereas performing her post-match media duties on Sunday.
“It’s incredibly bad luck,” Kvitova stated on Twitter. “During my post-match press requirements I fell and hurt my ankle.”
BARTY GRINDS OUT WIN OVER PERA
World primary Ash Barty was pushed to a few units by unseeded American Bernarda Pera, earlier than prevailing 6-4 3-6 6-2. Pera hit 36 winners, but in addition made 49 unforced errors.
“I just keep fighting. I tried to stay in the match as long as possible because you never know,” Barty stated.
DE MINAUR ADVANCES WITH STRAIGHT SETS WIN
Alex de Minaur, the twenty first seed, beat Italy’s Stefano Travaglia 6-2 6-4 7-6(4). The Australian will subsequent tackle one other Italian in Marco Cecchinato, who beat Japan’s Yasutaka Uchiyama 3-6 6-1 6-2 6-4.
SVITOLINA SURVIVES BABEL TEST
Fifth seed Elina Svitolina discovered herself trailing 5-2 within the second set however recovered to beat French teenager Oceane Babel 6-2 7-5. Next up for Svitolina is a second spherical conflict with American Ann Li, who trounced Margarita Gasparyan 6-0 6-1.
SAKKARI TOO GOOD FOR QUALIFIER ZAVATSKA
Greece’s Maria Sakkari, the seventeenth seed, defeated Ukrainian qualifier Katarina Zavatska 6-4 6-1 to achieve the second spherical. Jennifer Brady additionally superior beating Anastasija Sevastova 6-3 6-3 whereas Ons Jabeur overcame Yulia Putintseva 7-5 6-2.