The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Huge upset at Roland Garros:
She is first women’s top seed to lose in Paris’ first round.
Angelique Kerber became the first topseeded woman to lose in the French Open’s first round during the professional era, falling 6-2, 6-2 to 40th-ranked Ekaterina Makarova.
PARIS — A French Open already missing Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova is now without No. 1-ranked Angelique Kerber, too, lending even more of a feeling that the women’s championship is anyone’s to win.
Kerber has not been playing at all like one of the best at what she does, and on Sunday she became the first woman seeded No. 1 to lose in the French Open’s first round in the professional era.
Kerber, who replaced Williams atop the WTA rankings this month, was gone from Roland Garros by lunchtime on Day 1, putting up little resistance while losing 6-2, 6-2 to 40th-ranked Ekaterina Makarova of Russia. It’s the latest in a string of early exits for Kerber, who reached her first three major finals in 2016.
“This year, I mean, the expectations are much bigger, especially in the big tournaments and the Grand Slams. And the expectations are also, from me, really big, of course, because I know what I can do, what I did last year,” Kerber said. “But right now, I think that I have to find myself again.”
Other significant results as the year’s second Grand Slam tournament began: Twotime Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova played — and won — her first match since being stabbed by an intruder at her home in December; Venus Williams began her 20th appearance at Roland Garros with a victory; and Rio Olympics gold medalist Monica Puig eliminated 2015 U.S. Open runner-up Roberta Vinci 6-3, 3-6, 6-2.
Makarova’s take when informed of the history made by her victory?
“Well,” she said, “that’s unbelievable.”
Although maybe not, considering how Kerber has fared lately.
Her Australian Open and U.S. Open titles, plus Wimbledon runner-up finish, seem a bit in the distance now: The German is 19-13 this season, losing four of her past six matches.
“If you are losing, it’s always tough to (enjoy) the game,” Kerber said. “I mean, I know in the last years I had always up and downs and right now, of course, I’m ... down.”
Add in that 23-time major champion Serena Williams is pregnant and won’t play until next season, and fivetime major champion Sharapova was refused a wild card in Paris as she returns from a 15-month doping suspension, and the rest of the field might have more reason than usual to believe in the chance to claim a Grand Slam trophy.
“That’s the beauty of our sport right now: Anybody can win and everybody’s really good,” said American Shelby Rogers, who beat Marina Erakovic 7-6 (4), 6-4 on a Sunday when the temperature reached 90 degrees.
“I like playing at this time for women’s tennis. It’s kind of — I don’t want to say ‘open,’ because everyone’s really good, but — very competitive,” Rogers said, “and there’s not like that dominating force.”