Sharapova hears boos after winning opener

Maria Sharapova was unfazed by the boos she heard when leaving the centre court of Roland Garros on Monday without treating the crowd to a post-match interview. After all, she had good reasons to rush to the locker-room.

Battling a cold that had her coughing at times during the match, the defending champion was not in the mood for small talk after beating Kaia Kanepi 6-2, 6-4 in the first round.

“Of course I totally understand, everyone usually does post-interviews and answers a few questions to the crowd,” said Sharapova. “It’s absolutely normal. I’m not making any excuses, but I’ve got to do what I have to do.”

The second-seeded Sharapova, who completed a career Grand Slam in Paris when she first won the title in 2012, is trying to become the first woman to successfully defend her crown at the clay-court tournament since Justine Henin in 2007.

She also entered last year’s French Open nursing an illness.

“I got sick a week before the tournament, not right before,” she said. “So I guess it’s a little bit better timing. But it’s just the way it is. I’m getting over it, and hopefully it will pass by soon.”

“I had a tough opponent ahead of me,” Sharapova said. “Overall I’m just happy I got through and have a day off tomorrow, and I should be better by then.”

Venus Williams will have all week off after exiting the tournament in the first round for the second time in three years.

Williams, who was beaten by younger sister Serena in the 2002 final, lost 7-6 (5), 6-1 to 40th-ranked Sloane Stephens, a 22-year-old upand-coming American player.

In men’s play, Tomas Berdych began his quest for a first Grand Slam title with an easy 6-0, 7-5, 6-3 win over Japanese qualifier Yoshihito Nishioka and thirdseeded Andy Murray eased past lucky loser Facundo Arguello 6-3, 6-3, 6-1.