Contrasting wins for Sabalenka, Tsitsipas
ALCARAZ AND DJOKOVIC GET INTO ACTION TODAY
Aryna Sabalenka won a politicallycharged French Open duel against Marta Kostyuk yesterday as jeers rained down on the defeated Ukrainian who refused to shake hands with her Belarusian opponent.
World No 2 and Australian Open champion Sabalenka swept 10 of the last 12 games to win 6-3, 6-2 as she kick-started her push to reach the second week in Paris for the first time.
Kostyuk honoured her pledge not to shake hands with Sabalenka in protest at Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Belarus is a key military ally of Moscow.
“It was a very tough match, tough emotionally. I didn’t know if the booing was against me but thank you so much for your support, it’s really important,” said Sabalenka who apologised for her exaggerated, theatrical bow to the crowd.
This year sees a new era at the French Open where for the first time since 2004 Rafael Nadal will not grace the famous red clay.
Injured Nadal, the 14-time champion, sits out the 2023 edition of a tournament where he has lost just three of 115 matches.
Record bid
In his absence, Novak Djokovic, a two-time winner, and the man responsible for two of Nadal’s three losses, will look to edge ahead of the Spaniard with a record-setting 23rd major.
However, he faces serious threat from Carlos Alcaraz, the world number one aiming to add a Roland Garros title to his US Open triumph.
Alcaraz and Djokovic begin their campaigns today.
Greek fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas, who blew a two-set lead to lose the 2021 final to Djokovic, made the second round yesterday with a 7-5, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) win over Jiri Vesely, the 455th-ranked Czech.
Vesely, who had previously only played in two second-tier Challenger events this year, squandered four set points which would have forced a deciding set. Britain’s Dan Evans was the highest seed to fall in early action yesterday, the 20th seed losing 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 to Australian wild card Thanasi Kokkinakis.
“It’s shocking how I played today,” said Evans.
Andrey Rublev defeated Laslo Djere of Serbia 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. Rublev has made the quarters in Paris on two occasions.
Greek eighth seed Maria Sakkari fell at the first hurdle, losing 7-6 (7/5), 7-5 to Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic.
Portugal’s 80th-ranked Nuno Borges withstood 38 aces and 85 winners from John Isner to defeat the veteran American 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 7-6 (11/9), claiming victory on a sixth match point after four hours on court.