Dimitrov makes smooth start against ‘lucky loser’

Grigor Dimitrov found himself facing an unexpected opponent but still got his French Open bid off to a solid start with a straight-sets win.

The fourth seed opened proceedings on Court Philippe Chatrier as he began his latest attempt to win a maiden grand slam.

After Viktor Troicki’s late withdrawal through injury, lucky loser Mohamed Safwat was only informed he was Dimitrov’s new opponent an hour before the match was due to commence.

The world No 182 from Egypt looked out of his depth in the first set but eventually found his feet, although he could not stop Bulgarian Dimitrov running out a 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 (7/1) winner.

“I finished warming up at 9:30. Then at ten they told me, ‘do you know the news?” said Safwat. “I never saw the inside of that court before. It’s different to the courts outside.”

Second-seed Alexander Zverev wasted little time joining Dimitrov in round two. The highly-fancied German, 21, breezed past Ricardas Berankis of Lithuania 6-1, 6-1, 6-2 in just over an hour.

Former semi-finalist Gael Monfils shrugged off a typically sluggish first set to triumph against fellow Frenchman Elliot Benchetrit 3-6, 6-1 6-2, 6-1, while another home hope, 15th seed Lucas Pouille, beat Russia’s Dani-

il Medvedev 6-2, 6-3, 6-4. Japan’s Kei Nishori, seeded 19, was also a straight-sets winner over Maxime Janvier of France.

Eighth-seed David Goffin survived a scare after going two sets down to Dutchman Robin Haase. However, the Belgian dropped only five more games as he turned the match around to win 4-6, 4-6 6-4, 6-1, 6-0.

In a clash between the youngest and oldest players in the men’s draw, the youngest prevailed on remote court 7. Playing with a wild card, 19-year-old Frenchman Corentin Moutet defeated veteran Ivo Karlovic 7-6 (9/7), 6-2, 7-6 (7/5) to reach the second round.

At 39 years, 88 days, Karlovic is more than 20 years older than Moutet, one of the six teenagers in the main draw at Roland Garros.

Nick Kyrgios has pulled out with an injured right elbow. Seeded 21, he would have faced Bernard Tomic in an all-australian clash in the first round.