Early exit
Roddick loses opener
Andy Roddick, the 2003 U.S. Open champion, lost to 88thranked Nicolas Mahut 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 in the first round of the French Open on Sunday in Paris, exiting in the opening round of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time since 2007. The 26th seeded Roddick is 7-10 this season, 0-4 on clay. Meanwhile, Venus Williams won her firstround match.
Six major champions made their way through the first round of the French Open on Sunday’s opening day in Paris. One didn’t — Andy Roddick. Venus Williams, a seven-time Grand Slam champion, recovered from a slow start to beat 19-yearold Paula Ormaechea 4-6, 6-1, 6-3. It was her first match at a major tournament since revealing she had been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease. The 31-year-old Williams, a former top-ranked player who is now No. 53, is 12-4 this season. Early in the day, Sam Stosur and Svetlana Kuznetsova were first up on the main two courts, and both won in straight sets. Juan Carlos Ferrero and Juan Martin del Potro soon followed on the same courts, and with similar results. And 2008 French Open champion Ana Ivanovic then made it 5 for 5. “It’s a bit of an early start, but always nice to get through it now,” said Stosur, the U.S. Open champion who beat Elena Baltacha 6-4, 6-0. “You have the whole day and whatever else to recover and, yeah, enjoy.” Roddick, the 2003 U.S. Open champion, lost to 88th-ranked Nicolas Mahut 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2, exiting in the opening round of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time since 2007. The 26th-seeded Roddick is 7-10 this season, 0-4 on clay. “I move just horrendously out here. My first step is just so bad on this stuff,” Roddick said. “I feel like I’m always shuffling or hopping or not stopping or something. So my footwork on this stuff now is just really bad.” None of the top three men played on Day 1. Top-ranked Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer will be on court today, while Rafael Nadal is slated to begin his attempt for a record-breaking seventh French Open title on Tuesday. The ninth-seeded Del Potro made his way into the second round despite some problems with his left knee, beating Albert Montanes 6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-1. Ferrero, the 2003 French Open champion, beat Jonathan Dasnieres de Veigy 6-1, 6-4, 6-3. Jo-wilfried Tsonga, the highestseeded player in action on Sunday at No. 5, also advanced. He defeated
Andrey Kuznetsov 1-6, 6-3, 6-2, 64. Fabio Fognini was the first man to reach the second round Sunday, beating Adrian Mannarino 6-0, 75, 6-1. No. 21 Marin Cilic was next, defeating Daniel Munoz-de la Nava 6-4, 6-4, 7-5. Kuznetsova beat
Mirjana Lucic 6-1, 6-3. Ivanovic beat Lara Arruabarrena-vecino 6-1, 6-1. No. 10 Angelique Kerber and No. 20 Lucie Safarova also advanced to the second round, along with Americans Melanie Oudin and Irina Falconi.