Serena returns

> … as Nadal survives mini-crisis at Roland Garros <

RAFAEL NADAL survived a mini-crisis to rack up his 80th win at Roland Garros yesterday as the 10-time champion defeated Italian lucky loser Simone Bolelli 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (11/9) to reach the second round.

Nadal had to save four set points in the tiebreaker before wrapping a victory which preceded the widelyawaited return to Grand Slam tennis of 23-time major winner Serena Williams.

World No. 1 Nadal had been two sets up but 0-3 down in the third when rain caused the tie to be suspended late yesterday.

He quickly levelled at 3-3 on Tuesday, saved four break points in the eighth game before saving four set points. Nadal eventually claimed the match on a third match point when Bolelli dumped a forehand into the net.

The top seeded Nadal, bidding for an 11th title in Paris and his 17th major, next faces Argentina’s Guido Pella for a place in the last 32.

“I really suffered today but it was a good test,” said Nadal who had been in danger of dropping his first set at Roland Garros since his 2015 quarterfinal loss to Novak Djokovic.

“It was very difficult. Simone is a very good player and he had lots of chances and was very agrressive. But I am happy to have won here on this court, the most important of my career.”

Williams returns to Grand Slam tennis for the first time since the 2017 Australian Open where she won a 23rd major while also being two months pregnant.

Williams has played just four matches in 2018, the last of which was a first-round exit to Naomi Osaka in Miami.

Three of her Slam titles have come in Paris – in 2002, 2013 and 2015 – and longtime coach Patrick Mouratoglou has no doubt that Williams is capable of adding a fourth.

“Can she do it? Serena can achieve anything – after being her coach for six years, I’m even more sure of that statement,” said the Frenchman.

Williams starts her 16th Roland Garros against Czech world No. 70 Kristyna Pliskova who has never won a match at the tournament in four visits.

Maria Sharapova survived a serious scare to claim a 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 victory over Dutch qualifier Richel Hogenkamp in her first French Open match since 2015 yesterday. Sharapova, the 28th seed, will face Croatia’s Donna Vekic in the second round. Third seed Marin Cilic reached the second round with a 6-3, 7-5, 7-6 (7/4) win over Australia’s James Duckworth. Canadian teenager Denis Shapovalov eased to a 7-5, 6-4, 6-2 victory over Australian John Millman in his first ever main-draw French Open match. The 19-yearold, who lost in Roland Garros qualifying last year but is now the 24th seed, will next take on German world No. 70 Maximilian Marterer for a place in the last 32. “The last couple of weeks I’ve been playing unbelievable on this surface,” said Shapovalov. This year is the first time Shapovalov has been seeded at a major after his run to the Madrid Masters semi-finals earlier this month saw him become the youngest player to break into the world’s top 30 since 2005. Third seed and 2016 champion Garbine Muguruza defeated 2009 winner Svetlana Kuznetsova 7-6 (7/0), 6-2. Spain’s Muguruza next faces French wildcard Fiona Ferro, ranked 257, for a place in the last 32. – AFP