Nadal and Thiem start bids for French Open title

PARIS — Defending French Open champion Rafael Nadal and U.S. Open champion Dominic Thiem both eased through to the second round at Roland Garros on Monday with comfortable victories.

Nadal produced a comfortable 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 win over Belarusian Egor Gerasimov while Thiem bested Croatia’s Marin Cilic 6-4, 6-3, 6-3.

“I am quite happy about how the match evolved,” said Nadal.

“It was not easy to make breaks, but in some way I did things well and (I’m) happy for the victory.”

Russia’s Daniil Medvedev, seeded fourth, was upset by Hungarian Marton Fucsovics 6-4, 7-6 (7-3), 2-6, 6-1 as his first round French Open curse continues.

It is the fourth straight year since 2017 in which the world number five Medvedev has been eliminated in his opening match at Roland Garros.

His latest encounter with Fucsovics finished after three hours and 17 minutes under the floodlights of Court Suzanne Lenglen at 11.30 p.m. in Paris.

Meanwhile, Serena Williams began her bid for a record-equalling 24th grand-slam title with a 7-6 (7-2), 6-0 win over fellow American Kristie Ahn, despite some tough moments.

There was a six-hour marathon match in the men’s draw that was eventually won by Italian qualifier Lorenzo Giustino, who eliminated Frenchman Corentin Moutet 0-6, 7-6 (9-7), 7-6 (7-3) 2-6, 18-16, with the final set lasting three hours.

After six hours and five minutes, the match was the second longest in French Open history.

“We were like super solid and we played our best tennis in the best and most important points. So, of course like this you go 18-16 in the fifth,” said Giustino, who plays 12th seed Diego Schwartzman of Argentina next.