Serena, Nadal start French Open with straight-set wins
PARIS — No matter how much success they’ve had over the years, Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal both profess to deal with doubts.
Both began this French Open on Monday with straight-set victories against overmatched foes in Court Philippe Chatrier.
And both have something significant at stake over the coming two weeks: a chance to equal a record for Grand Slam singles titles. Williams has 23, the most by anyone in the professional era; one more will allow her to tie Margaret Court’s allera mark.
Nadal began his attempt to pull even with rival Roger Federer for the most by a man, 20, by beating Egor Gerasimov of Belarus 6-4, 6-4, 6-2.
His 2020 debut at a place he’s won 12 trophies did not change Nadal’s view of things at this pandemic-postponed event: It’s colder than usual, the balls are heavier than usual, he’s had less preparation than usual.
“The conditions are completely different,” he said, “than any other Roland Garros that we played.”
Still, Gerasimov would have been forgiven for choosing the same metaphor to describe Nadal that Williams’ opponent came up with: “a runaway train.”
After she played OK in the opening set, then was terrific in the second, of a 7-6 (2), 6-0 win over 102nd-ranked American Kristie Ahn, Williams — so used to being questioned about Court — was asked on this day about Nadal and Federer.
“Rafa, I’m obviously a huge fan of his. I always have been,” she said.”but it’s like you can’t compare two people that are equally great. Roger, I mean, he’s Roger Federer. I think that says enough. So, you know, it’s like I don’t understand why people want to pit, ‘Who’s this? Who’s that?’ They both have spectacular careers that 99 percent of people can only dream of and … every single credit and every single thing that they get, they absolutely deserve it.
“I’m a big fan of both, to be honest.” It was in New York less than a month ago that Ahn faced Williams in the first round — and lost.
So imagine this bad luck of the draw: Ahn is the only player to face Williams in the first round at two consecutive Grand Slam tournaments. Of note: Williams is 75-1 in openers at majors.
“I mean, I laughed,” Ahn said. “I mean, what are the odds?”
Yet she was up to the task for most of a 72-minute, 102-point initial set Monday, twice leading it by a break.