After a humbling final defeat against rival Iga Swiatek in Rome, Aryna Sabalenka starts her revenge tour, seeking havoc at the 2024 French Open.
After losing in straight sets against Swiatek in the Italian Open final, Sabalenka kept her head up and proceeded to dominate World No. 100, Erika Andreeva, with a surgical 6-1, 6-2 win in the first round of the Roland-Garros.
It only took the No. 2 seed one hour and eight minutes to advance to the second round, continuing her dominant first-round performances at Grand Slams.
“It was a great match, great start for me,” Sabalenka exclaimed after the match. “I think I was focusing on myself the whole game. I think that’s why I was able to bring such good tennis.”
With her win against Andreeva, Sabalenka now boasts a 20-5 career record in the first rounds of Grand Slam competitions, further cementing her dominance in the current landscape of the sport with her immunity to opening upsets.
Moreover, the two-time Australian Open winner has shown dominance on clay this season, garnering a 12-3 record on clay in 2024, with her losses only coming from fellow Grand Slam winners Iga Swiatek and Marketa Vondrousova.
“I’m trying to do well on clay,” she said. “It’s tough conditions, but I really enjoy playing here. I’m just trying to bring my best tennis every time, doesn’t matter if it’s hard court, clay court or grass court; I’m just trying to show my best.”
She will face Japanese star Uchijima Moyuka in the second round of the tournament. Moyuka cruised past Spaniard Burillo Eschorihuela 6-2, 6-0 in the first round to advance to the next stage of the competition.
Despite the dominant showing of Moyuka, expect Sabalenka to still be the French Open 2024 odds favourite for their second-round clash.
Swiatek wins 15th straight, will face Osaka in the next round
Fresh from glory in Rome, World No. 1 Iga Swiatek continues her dominance by dismantling hometown hero Leolia Jeanjean with a proper 6-1, 6-2 thrashing at Court Philippe-Chatrier in the first round of the French Open.
This win marked Swiatek’s 15th consecutive win at the French Open, making her the first woman to ever achieve such an astonishing feat in the history of the competition.
However, Swiatek’s streak will be put to the test as she’ll face off against another four-time Grand Slam champion, Naomi Osaka.
“Really impressed,” Swiatek said of Osaka’s comeback. “She’s a great person, and her game style is pretty fun to watch as well. I’m just glad that she came back, and she’s playing more tournaments even than before the break. I haven’t actually played against Naomi, obviously, on clay, so we’ll see how that’s going to go.”
Osaka, who returned to the tour just five months ago after giving birth, has slowly but surely shown progress throughout, already showing flashes of her past self with dominant performances against Daria Kasatkina, Marta Kostyuk, and most recently, Lucia Bronzetti.
Furthermore, Osaka’s confidence didn’t seem to take a hit despite her 15-month hiatus, and she’s up for the challenge even if that means going up against the WTA World No. 1.
“I’m honestly really excited,” Osaka said. “I watched her a lot when I was pregnant. I think it’s an honour to play her in the French Open, because she’s won more than once here, for sure. So taking it as an experience and kind of knowing that I feel like I’m the underdog, and I think I thrive in those situations.”
Despite Osaka’s hiatus and Swiatek’s early exit in Miami, these four-time Grand Slam winners have been staples in the tennis scene in recent years, so fans, this SBOTOP writer included, are expecting yet another Swiatek vs Osaka feature in the French Open 2024 news headlines as their second-round clash comes near.
Coco Gauff has her eyes on the prize
Regardless of her semifinal exit in Rome courtesy of eventual champion Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff hasn’t shown any signs of vulnerability on the Parisian clay.
The World No. 3 looks like she’s on a mission, taking care of qualifier Julia Avdeeva in under an hour to claim a 6-1, 6-1 Roland-Garros opener.
“Today was kind of a straightforward match. I didn’t have to do much. I wouldn’t say I played amazing. I just had to play solid today. That’s what I did,” Gauff told the media.
This win wasn’t just a testament to Gauff’s resilience; it also marked her 50th career Grand Slam win, a little less than half a decade since her meteoric rise at Wimbledon in 2019.
The American star is set to face Slovenia’s Tamara Zidansek in the second round, which will surely be up and centre on the French Open marquee.
It won’t be a walk in the park for Gauff anymore, as Zidansek poses a greater threat, having reached the Roland-Garros semifinal back in 2021 and recently overcame Alison Van Uytvanck 6-2, 2-6, 6-1 in the first round last weekend.
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