Serena like ‘runaway train’ in rout of Ahn at French Open
Serena Williams went from a 72-minute struggle of a first set that required a tiebreaker to resolve in her first-round match at the French Open to a lopsided second set in which she did not drop a game.
“I just need to play with more confidence,” Williams said, by way of explanation for how her 7-6 (2), 6-0 victory over 102nd-ranked Kristie Ahn unfolded Monday, “like I’m Serena.”
This is how Ahn described the sensation of facing at her very best: “It feels like you’re trying to push a runaway train in the opposite direction. It’s very difficult to try and stop, to stop her momentum when she’s going, when she’s feeling it.”
Ahn is the first player to face Williams in the first round at two consecutive Grand Slam tournaments, having also lost their matchup at the U.S. Open.
“I mean, I laughed,” Ahn said. “I mean, what are the odds?”
They were followed onto Court Philippe Chartier by 12-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal, who began his attempt to pull even with Roger Federer for the most by a man, 20, by beating Egor Gerasimov of Belarus 6-4, 6-4, 6-2.
The man Nadal beat in the last two finals, Dominic Thiem, won his first match since winning the U.S. Open, advancing with a 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 victory over
Serena Williams
Marin Cilic. Thiem will next face American qualifier Jack Sock, who beat Reilly Opelka 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 and was one of six men from the U.S. to get to the second round
ETC.
Inter Miami: Defender Roman Torres was traded to Seattle Sounders FC in exchange for a conditional first-round pick in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft. Torres, who made five appearances for the club, played for Seattle from 2015 to 2019.
NBA: Doc Rivers is out as coach of the Los Angeles Clippers after seven seasons and on the heels of losing in the second round of the playoffs to Denver after leading three games to one.
High Schools: Girls’ volleyball — Florida Christian d. Gulliver (25-17, 25-23, 25-19). Natalie Hernandez (7 kills, 10 points, 1 ace, 4 digs), Mikaela King (17 digs, 7 assist, 6 kills, 5 points, 2 aces) and Sophia Valle (9 points, 1 ace, 3 assist, 16 digs).