Medvedev in ‘love’ with Roland Garros after strolling to French Open victory
▶ Russian shows no discomfort after recent operation as he beats Bagnis in straight sets
World No 2 Daniil Medvedev began his French Open campaign with a comfortable straight-sets win over Argentine Facundo Bagnis yesterday.
The Russian showed no signs of discomfort after his recent hernia operation – and despite having played just one match on clay this year – as he coasted to a 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 victory.
Medvedev’s record on the clay of Roland Garros had been woeful, losing in the first round on his first four trips to Paris before reaching the quarterfinals last year.
He played his first clay event of 2022 last week in Geneva after a two-month break but lost in the opening round to Frenchman Richard Gasquet.
“I love Roland Garros, especially since last year,” Medvedev said after a victory that came on the back of 35 winners and eight breaks of serve.
“Before that I don’t know if I actually loved it given that I was out on the Sunday when the tournament was actually starting on the Monday.
“But now it’s Tuesday and I’m still here. I’ve been well after my surgery, I didn’t think I would be able to play on clay. But with the help of the doctors and the physios I’ve been able to be back on my feet to even play a match on clay last week and I’m 100 per cent ready to play Roland Garros.”
The 32-year-old Bagnis, who retired with injury during his first round in Geneva, had his right leg heavily taped and suffered a fall while serving during the second set. He continued playing despite limping between points.
Medvedev will now face Laslo Djere for a place in the third round after the Serbian dispatched Lithuanian Ricardas Berankis 6-3, 6-3, 6-3.
Denis Shapovalov was a surprise first-round casualty early on Day 3 as the 14th seed lost 6-3, 6-1, 7-6 to Danish teenager Holger Rune. Rune, the boys champion in 2019 and a former world junior No 1, entered Paris at a career-high 40, having started 2021 outside the top 400.
The win was his second against a top-20 ranked player after the 19-year-old upset world No 3 Alexander Zverev last month in Munich, where he went on to win his first tour title. Rune was also a semifinalist in Lyon last week.
“I’m really positive and working hard every day to get better. This is what you work for every day, to be able to play the biggest tournaments,” said Hune. “I’m super happy and pleased to be in this position right now, to be able to have chances against these guys, to be able to win my first title in Munich was a huge step forward in my career.”
Shapovalov committed 53 unforced errors in a tie played at breakneck speed.
“I didn’t really show up today but Holger played great tennis,” said the Canadian, a Wimbledon semi-finalist in 2021.
In the women’s tournament, eighth seed Karolina Pliskova fought back from a set down to defeat home hope Tessah Andrianjafitrimo 2-6, 6-3, 6-1 and will take on Leolia Jeanjean of France in the second round.
Australian Open finalist Danielle Collins made a strong start, with the American ninth seed cruising past Viktoriya Tomova of Bulgaria 6-0, 6-4 to book her second-round spot.
Jelena Ostapenko, the 2017 champion, ended a five-match losing streak with a 6-1, 6-4 win over Lucia Bronzetti of Italy to advance to the next round where the Latvian will meet France’s Alize Cornet, who swept past Japan’s Misaki Doi 6-2, 6-0.
Denis Shapovalov was a surprise first-round casualty, as the 14th seed lost to Danish teenager Holger Rune