Naomi Osaka clinched her first victory on the French Open in three years on Sunday, paving the way in which for a possible conflict with Iga Swiatek. Meanwhile, Carlos Alcaraz continued his streak of by no means shedding within the first spherical of a Grand Slam.
On the opposite hand, Andy Murray confronted a ruthless defeat in straight units by three-time main winner and 2015 champion Stan Wawrinka, bringing an finish to his French Open marketing campaign.
Wawrinka, 39, praised Murray as a “great champion,” acknowledging the previous world No. 1’s impending retirement later this summer season.
Osaka, a four-time main winner who has but to get previous the third spherical in Paris, wanted three units to defeat Italy’s Forty eighth-ranked Lucia Bronzetti on the showpiece Court Philippe Chatrier, 6-1, 4-6, 7-5.
The 26-year-old fired 31 winners, together with six aces, and 45 unforced errors in a match the place she gave up a 4-0 lead within the decider earlier than discovering herself 5-4 down.
However, she rallied strongly to register her first win at a Grand Slam for the reason that 2022 Australian Open.
“It feels really nice to be back and I’m just really grateful to be here in front of everybody,” stated Osaka.
The Japanese star, a former world No. 1 now at 134 within the rankings, has endured a bittersweet relationship with the French capital.
In 2021, she was fined for opting out of obligatory media commitments earlier than withdrawing from the match to guard her psychological well being.
A yr later, she fell within the first spherical earlier than leaving the game in September 2022 for 16 months to offer start to her daughter.
Top seed and defending champion Swiatek, chasing a fourth French Open, will face Osaka if the Pole will get previous qualifier Leolia Jeanjean on Monday.
World No. 3 and reigning Wimbledon champion Alcaraz eased to a 6-1, 6-2, 6-1 win over America’s J.J. Wolf, the 107th-ranked participant who entered the principle draw as a “lucky loser” from qualifying.
Alcaraz, 21, who made the semifinals in 2023, the place he was defeated by Novak Djokovic, took his first-round file on the majors to 13-0.
Alcaraz confirmed no signal of affected by the correct arm damage, which sidelined him from the Rome Open as he coasted to victory on the again of 27 winners and 9 breaks of serve.
“Don’t need many matches to be at my best,” stated Alcaraz.
Defending champion Novak Djokovic begins his bid for a fourth French Open title and twenty fifth main on Tuesday.
“Low expectations and high hopes,” stated the Serb on Sunday after arriving in Paris with no title within the season for the primary time since 2018.
Murray, the runner-up at Roland Garros in 2016 and nonetheless the one British man to make the ultimate since 1937, misplaced 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 to Wawrinka.
Wawrinka turns into solely the third man over the age of 39 to win a match on the French Open since 1980.
“My first words are for a great champion,” Wawrinka stated of Murray after their twenty third profession assembly.
Murray, 37, stated he is happy with his French Open profession even when “when you compare it to what Rafael Nadal or Novak achieved, it obviously is minuscule.”
“But most players would sign up for the results I’ve had. I played a final, four semis – I lost to Novak in five, Stan in five, twice to Rafa. No shame in that.”
Whether or not 14-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal will probably be again in 2025 remains to be open to query.
Nadal, who will probably be 38 on June 3, revealed Saturday that he hasn’t dedicated himself to retiring and needed to “100% keep the door open.”
He missed Roland Garros in 2023 with an damage. His 2024 look could also be temporary as he faces fourth-ranked Alexander Zverev on Monday.
“It’s a big, big chance that this is going to be my last Roland Garros, but if I have to tell you it’s 100% my last Roland Garros, sorry, but I will not,” Nadal stated.
Ex-champ Krejcikova out
Elsewhere on Sunday, two-time quarter-finalist Andrey Rublev, the sixth seed, defeated Japan’s Taro Daniel in 4 units.
Eighth-seeded Hubert Hurkacz wanted 5 units to see off Japanese qualifier Shintaro Mochizuki whereas Grigor Dimitrov, the tenth seed, defeated Aleksandar Kovacevic in straight units.
Jelena Ostapenko, the 2017 champion, swept previous Jaqueline Cristian whereas former Australian Open winner and 2020 Roland Garros runner-up Sofia Kenin got here again from a set right down to defeat Laura Siegemund of Germany.
However, 2021 champion Barbora Krejcikova was knocked out 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 by Viktorija Golubic of Switzerland.
Krejcikova has suffered three successive first-round losses in Paris since her title breakthrough.
Source: www.dailysabah.com