Aryna Sabalenka, world number 1 and last year’s finalist, won her Aberto debut from França by defeating Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-4, 6-2 in 75 minutes. The Belarusian dominated most of the match on the Philippe-Chatrier court, quickly taking a 4-0 lead, but allowed her opponent to recover with two breaks following unforced errors. The match stretched to 5-5 in the first set before a double fault from Bouzas Maneiro handed the set to the No. 1 seed.
Sabalenka impresses after return to clay
Sabalenka opened 5-0 in the second set and maintained control to complete the victory without any major complications. The four-time Grand Slam champion’s only stumble was not being able to convert her serve in the final game, forcing her to break Bouzas Maneiro’s serve in the next game to seal the result. The match marked their return to winning ways on clay after the surprise early elimination in Aberto of Itália.
Após left the court, Sabalenka applied an ice pack to his face, relieving the intense heat that hit Paris this week. Ela spoke on Center Court thanking spectators for their support and asking them to stay hydrated during the heatwave that continues to affect the tournament.
Improved Estratégia on the network
The world number 1 highlighted her improvement in disputes close to the net. “That’s the most enjoyable part of the game – being able to go to the net and compete for points there. It’s a lot of fun,” commented Sabalenka. Ela reinforced the importance of dealing with pressure by saying that she is used to the weight of expectations and knows how to ignore it during matches.
Sabalenka continues to seek his first title in Roland Garros, a tournament in which he has not yet reached the maximum trophy despite his victories in other Grand Slams.
Gauff crosses to next stage with total dominance
Coco Gauff, defending the title of Aberto from França, began her defense path by defeating her compatriot Taylor Townsend by 6-4 and 6-0. Townsend started surprisingly well, breaking Gauff’s serve in the first game, but quickly lost consistency. Aos 30 years old, Townsend only held serve in the first two games before suffering a clear technical fall.
Após won 3-1 in the first set, Townsend won just one more game. In game 9, he saved a set point on Gauff’s serve, but gave up his own serve soon after, closing the set 6-4.
Gauff dominates second set in 24 minutes
The second set was even more unbalanced. Gauff won in just 24 minutes, demonstrating absolute technical superiority. The fourth seed will complete her opening round commitment by facing the Egyptian Mayar Sherif.
Apesar from the intense heat, Gauff used ice during breaks in the match on the Philippe-Chatrier court, although he minimized the impact of the weather conditions. “I’m from Flórida, so this is nothing. Honestamente, I felt more sorry for the fans. Nossa, you’re watching in the heat, and I was hoping no one fainted,” Gauff stated. Ela expressed satisfaction at having ended the game quickly, sparing the audience from excessive heat.
Principais first round results
- Aryna Sabalenka (1st seed) defeats Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-4, 6-2
- Coco Gauff (4th seed) dominates Taylor Townsend 6-4, 6-0
- Gauff will face Mayar Sherif in the second round
- Sabalenka continues his journey in search of his first title in Roland Garros
- Onda heat affects the tournament in Paris during the first days of competition