Stosur breezes past Date-krumm
PARIS: Samantha Stosur waited 2 1/2 hours to play because of rain, then quickly won her opening match at the French Open.
The 2010 runner-up swept the first nine games yesterday and drubbed 42-year-old Kimiko Date-Krumm 6-0, 6-2.
Matches were delayed at the start on a 55-degree afternoon. And when the rain stopped, Stosur was ready. Playing on cozy Court 1, nicknamed the bullring, Stosur dominated with her strong serve and pinpoint groundstrokes, repeatedly skipping shots just inside the lines.
Shortly after Stosur finished, rain returned, prompting another interruption.
Australian Bernard Tomic, whose father was barred from Roland Garros after being charged recently with assaulting his son’s hitting partner, retired trailing Victor Hanescu 7-5, 7-6 (8), 2-1. Tomic was treated for a right hamstring injury after three games and limped at times during the match.
American Jack Sock, a 20-year-old qualifier ranked 118th, made a successful Roland Garros debut by beating Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-2, 6-2, 7-5. Sock wore initials on his shoes in honor of two friends who died recently in separate car crashes.
“Kind of hits you out of nowhere,” he said. “I was definitely thinking of them out there.” No. 12 Tommy Haas earned his first Grand Slam victory since turning 35, beating Guillaume Rufin 7-6 (4), 6-1, 6-3. Youth was also served — Lucas Pouille, a 19-year-old wild card from France, defeated American Alex Kuznetsov 6-1, 7-6 (2), 6-2.
No. 26 Grigor Dimitrov advanced when Alejandro Falla retired with indigestion trailing 6-4, 1-0.
France’s Marion Bartoli, a semifinalist two years ago, needed more than three hours on center court to beat Olga Govortsova 7-6 (8), 4-6, 7-5.
Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka’s match against Elena Vesnina was among 10 first-round matches postponed. They won’t begin until at least Wednesday, three days after some players were already into the second round.
Stosur, seeded No. 9, enjoyed a career breakthrough three years ago when she reached the Roland Garros final before losing to Francesca Schiavone. She won the US Open in 2011, but this year has been hampered by a right calf injury and has yet to reach a semifinal. Stosur said she’s now feeling 100 percent and hoping for a good run in Paris.
“The first hurdle is done, but there are many, many more ahead of me,” she said. “I have to stay on track, but I think this was a very good start.”