Venus set for French Open 20th anniversary

SERENA Williams may be missing from this year’s French Open, but big sister Venus is still going strong and yesterday marked her Roland Garros 20th anniversary.

Three weeks shy of her 37th birthday, the American star, who made her debut in the French capital inn 1997, was to begin her latest est campaign against China’s Wang Qiang.

Williams, seedededed 10, has played every yearear since 1997 with the exception of 2011 and despit e her senior citizen status, she is still a contend- er at the Slams as her run to the Australian Open final al in January proved.

Her staggering longevity is illustrated by the fact that her potential second round opponent is compatriot Amanda Anisimova who, at just 15, is the youngest main draw competitor since 2005.

When Venus was losing the 2002 Roland Garros final to Serena, Anisimova was just 9 months old.

“I’m here as I still have a lot to give. That just wraps it up,” said Venus, who has never got beyond the quarterfinals in Paris since her runners-up spot 15 years ago.

Anisimova, the Flor idabased daughter of Russian parents, made the tournament courtesy of winning the US wild card play-off.play

She was to fac face Japan’s world No94 Kurumi NaraN yesterday.

“This will be my first main draw match at a major, I’m very excited and I ca can’t wait to play already,” she sa said.

Elsewhere ono what was expected to b be a sweltering opening day in Par is, world No1 Angelique Kerber was t to start against experienced Russian player Ekaterina Makarova.M

Kerber was defeated in the first round by unseeded Kiki Bertens 12 months ago and has yet to get past the quarterfinals. The German left-hander has endured a miserable clay-court season, losing early in Stuttgart and crashing out in her Rome opener, while retiring from her last-16 clash in Madrid with a lower back injury.

“Everybody knows clay is not my favourite surface, but I try my best,” Kerber said. “Last year was not the best for me.”

Makarova, also left-handed, is a former top tenner who has made at least the quarterfinals of all the majors, except the French Open.

Action on Philippe Chatrier centre court began with t wotime Wimbledon champion Pet ra Kv itova beat i ng Ju l ia Boserup 6-3, 6-2 in her comeback a f ter si x months away from t he sport spent recovering f rom potentia l ly ca reerending injuries sustained in f ighting of f a k nife-wielding burglar in December.

Kvitova, a semifinalist in 2012 and seeded 15 this year, overcame America’s Boserup, the world No86, who was making her French Open debut.

Dominic Thiem, a semifinalist in 2016, was to take on unpredictable Bernard Tomic of Australia in the standout men’s singles match.

Austrian sixth seed Thiem is regarded as a potential champion should world No1 Andy Murray, defending champion Novak Djokovic or nine-time champion Rafael Nadal slip up.