The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Konta’s shock early exit at Roland Garros
British No 1 joined by defending champion in bowing out on opening day in Paris
Johanna Konta suffered more pain in Paris after another first round exit at the French Open.
The British No 1 has still yet to win a main draw match at Roland Garros after bowing out meekly to Yulia Putintseva, the world No 93.
It was another hugely disappointing performance from Konta, who pretournament had insisted she has the game to be a success on clay.
An unforced error count of 32 suggested otherwise as Putintseva ran out an ultimately comfortable 6-4 6-3 winner.
The 23-year-old from Kazakhstan joins the similarly unheralded Julia Gorges and, from last year, the then world No 109 Hsieh Su-wei in sending Konta crashing at the first hurdle.
Putintseva can be a feisty, chuntering player who gets under her opponent’s skin, but she did not need to resort to any such antics to knock Konta out of her stride.
Konta had won the first 10 points on her own serve, albeit while getting little change from Putintseva’s.
But having fended off break points at 3-3 Konta’s serve then failed her twice, crucially to gift Putintseva the first set.
Breaks were shared at the start of the second but that was as good as it got for Konta.
When she failed to put away a routine smash and two shots later saw the ball flash past her for a crucial break at 3-1, she knew her Paris hopes were all but over for another year.
Putintseva duly served out for the match to condemn Konta to another early departure.
Jelena Ostapenko’s reign as French Open champion came crashing to a halt in the first round.
The Latvian, who was unseeded when she roared through the draw to claim her shock triumph last year, was beaten in straight sets by Ukrainian Kateryna Kozlova.
Ostapenko, seeded five, looked a shadow of the player on the Court Philippe Chatrier upon which she shone so brightly 12 months ago.
She contributed 13 double faults amid 48 unforced errors to tumble out 7-5 6-3 to the world number 66.
Venus Williams was also sent spinning out on the opening day.
The ninth seed, runner-up in Paris in 2002, was beaten 6-4 7-5 by Wang Qiang of China on Court Suzanne Lenglen.
Wang, ranked 85, had lost to Williams in the first round in Paris last year and also at Wimbledon a few weeks later.
But she gained revenge in spectacular style with a first victory over the seventime grand slam winner for the biggest win of her career.
“I think she just played well,” said Williams. “I mean, all the times we’ve played, she’s played great. I think her game just got better and better during the match.”
Fourth seed Elina Svitolina recovered from 5-1 down, saving a set point, to blow away Ajla Tomljanovic of Australia.
The Ukrainian won eight games in a row on her way to a 7-5 6-3 victory.
US Open champion Sloane Stephens dropped just two games in a 6-2 6-0 win over Arantxa Rus of Holland.