Federer, Serena open with wins in Paris
Source: AFP |
May 27, 2013, Monday
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Print Edition
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ROGER Federer swept qualifier Pablo Carreno Busta yesterday in the first round of the French Open, 6-2, 6-2, 6-3.
Playing at Roland Garros for the 15th year in a row, Federer earned a big roar from the center court crowd after he closed out the victory with a picturesque backhand winner. Federer lost only seven points on his first serve and was broken just once by Carreno Busta.
The 21-year-old Spaniard was making his grand slam debut after winning seven consecutive Futures events.
Federer, the 2009 champion, remained unbeaten in first-round matches at major tournaments since 2003.
Former No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt lost a seesaw marathon to No. 15-seeded Gilles Simon, 3-6, 1-6, 6-4, 6-1, 7-5.
Simon overcame a two-set deficit to win for the first time in his career despite blowing a 5-love lead in the final set of the first-round match. The Frenchman steadied himself to hold for 6-5, then broke at love in the final game.
The 32-year-old Hewitt, who is ranked 86th, was playing in his 13th French Open. He fell to 0-3 this year on clay.
Earlier, Serena Williams won her opening match at the French Open, then achieved a career breakthrough by speaking French to the crowd for the first time.
"I'm a beginner," Williams said, referring to her French.
Her play spoke volumes. Williams returned to the red clay that tripped her up in the first round a year ago, channeled any lingering frustration into her overpowering strokes and drubbed Anna Tatishvili 6-0, 6-1.
Also advancing on a chilly, gray first day of play were Sara Errani, the 2012 runner-up to Maria Sharapova, and 2008 champion Ana Ivanovic.
Williams lost her opening match at a grand slam tournament for the only time in her career a year ago, when she was beaten by France's Virginie Razzano. That was the most shocking in a succession of losses for Williams at Roland Garros, where she hasn't won the title since 2002 and hasn't reached the semifinals since 2003.
Determined to avoid another bad start, Williams won the first nine games, and 30 of the first 37 points.
There was no letup from there, and she was still pumping her fist and shouting "Come on!" a game from the finish.
Williams won 56 of 78 points, including 28 of 33 on her serve, and hit eight aces. She maintained a stern expression throughout the match, and allowed herself only a brief smile when Tatishvili pushed a forehand wide on match point.
Williams, who keeps an apartment in Paris, was then interviewed on center court and spoke French with only a slight accent. "I think I am French because I have a flat here," she said. "I love Paris."
She'll face tougher competition in the rounds to come. Tatishvili fell to 2-11 this year and 0-3 at the French Open.
An hour into the tournament, fifth seed Sara Errani was into the second round. The tenacious Italian beat Arantxa Rus 6-1, 6-2.
Errani reached a grand slam final for the first time a year ago at Roland Garros.
Now ranked a career-best No. 5, Errani dominated Rus from the baseline and won four games at love. Rus double-faulted seven times and lost her 13th consecutive match on the WTA Tour.
Ivanovic, seeded 14th, beat Petra Martic 6-1, 3-6, 6-3. Ivanovic improved to 30-4 in the first round of grand slam tournaments.
In men's play, No. 14 Milos Raonic defeated Xavier Malisse, 6-2, 6-1, 4-6, 6-4.
Playing at Roland Garros for the 15th year in a row, Federer earned a big roar from the center court crowd after he closed out the victory with a picturesque backhand winner. Federer lost only seven points on his first serve and was broken just once by Carreno Busta.
The 21-year-old Spaniard was making his grand slam debut after winning seven consecutive Futures events.
Federer, the 2009 champion, remained unbeaten in first-round matches at major tournaments since 2003.
Former No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt lost a seesaw marathon to No. 15-seeded Gilles Simon, 3-6, 1-6, 6-4, 6-1, 7-5.
Simon overcame a two-set deficit to win for the first time in his career despite blowing a 5-love lead in the final set of the first-round match. The Frenchman steadied himself to hold for 6-5, then broke at love in the final game.
The 32-year-old Hewitt, who is ranked 86th, was playing in his 13th French Open. He fell to 0-3 this year on clay.
Earlier, Serena Williams won her opening match at the French Open, then achieved a career breakthrough by speaking French to the crowd for the first time.
"I'm a beginner," Williams said, referring to her French.
Her play spoke volumes. Williams returned to the red clay that tripped her up in the first round a year ago, channeled any lingering frustration into her overpowering strokes and drubbed Anna Tatishvili 6-0, 6-1.
Also advancing on a chilly, gray first day of play were Sara Errani, the 2012 runner-up to Maria Sharapova, and 2008 champion Ana Ivanovic.
Williams lost her opening match at a grand slam tournament for the only time in her career a year ago, when she was beaten by France's Virginie Razzano. That was the most shocking in a succession of losses for Williams at Roland Garros, where she hasn't won the title since 2002 and hasn't reached the semifinals since 2003.
Determined to avoid another bad start, Williams won the first nine games, and 30 of the first 37 points.
There was no letup from there, and she was still pumping her fist and shouting "Come on!" a game from the finish.
Williams won 56 of 78 points, including 28 of 33 on her serve, and hit eight aces. She maintained a stern expression throughout the match, and allowed herself only a brief smile when Tatishvili pushed a forehand wide on match point.
Williams, who keeps an apartment in Paris, was then interviewed on center court and spoke French with only a slight accent. "I think I am French because I have a flat here," she said. "I love Paris."
She'll face tougher competition in the rounds to come. Tatishvili fell to 2-11 this year and 0-3 at the French Open.
An hour into the tournament, fifth seed Sara Errani was into the second round. The tenacious Italian beat Arantxa Rus 6-1, 6-2.
Errani reached a grand slam final for the first time a year ago at Roland Garros.
Now ranked a career-best No. 5, Errani dominated Rus from the baseline and won four games at love. Rus double-faulted seven times and lost her 13th consecutive match on the WTA Tour.
Ivanovic, seeded 14th, beat Petra Martic 6-1, 3-6, 6-3. Ivanovic improved to 30-4 in the first round of grand slam tournaments.
In men's play, No. 14 Milos Raonic defeated Xavier Malisse, 6-2, 6-1, 4-6, 6-4.
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