Aryna Sabalenka left no question as to why she is the top seed at the French Open, producing a dominant 6-1, 6-0 first-round victory over Kamilla Rakhimova in Paris on Sunday.
Sabalenka needed just one hour to defeat the Russian on the clay courts of Roland Garros.
“I’m super happy to be back in Paris,” said Sabalenka, a 2023 semifinalist.
“The first rounds are always tricky … but I’m super happy to get the win and go through.”
There was little doubt where the match was headed after Sabalenka took a 3-0 lead in the first set. In the match, she had five aces, converted five of 11 break chances and struck 30 winners compared to nine for Rakhimova.
Italy’s Jasmine Paolini entered the tournament as the No. 4 seed and riding the high of winning her national open one week ago in Rome. She endured a test from China’s Yue Yuan Sunday and advanced with a 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 victory.
“I won quite easily the first set, then (Yuan) started to play better,” Paolini said. “Me, a little bit so-and-so, a little bit of emotions and nerves came out. … I’m happy I fight until the end. It was tough, 3-2 down and a break, but I did it.”
Also moving on to the second round was the No. 8 seed, Qinwen Zheng of China, who won the gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics at Roland Garros. She defeated Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia, a 2021 finalist, 6-4, 6-3.
Zheng said the Olympics accomplishment will drive her throughout the French Open.
“That feeling is unforgettable,” she said of her win at the Paris Games. “It is the best experience of my life so far. I will carry the gold-medal mentality all through this tournament.”
Elina Svitolina of Ukraine, the No. 13 seed, also made quick work of her opponent, defeating Zeynep Sonmez of Turkey 6-1, 6-1.
Other seeded players advancing were No. 11 Diana Shnaider of Russia, a 7-6 (3), 6-2 winner over Ukrainian qualifier Anastasiia Sobolieva. No. 16 Amanda Anisimova defeated another qualifier, Nina Stojanovic of Serbia. Anisimova was leading 6-3, 4-1 when her opponent retired.
No. 28 seed Peyton Stearns was eliminated by Eva Lys of Germany in a 6-0, 6-3 match.
Three other seeded players lost late on Sunday. Czech teen Sara Bejlek upended Ukrainian No. 26 Marta Kostyuk 6-3, 6-1; Olga Danilovic of Serbia defeated No. 27 seed Leylah Fernandez of Canada 6-3, 6-1; and Russia’s Anastasia Potapova outlasted Czech 29th seed Linda Noskova 5-7, 6-1, 7-5.
Switzerland’s Viktorija Golubic took out two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova 3-6, 6-0, 6-4. The Czech is coming off of maternity leave. Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko, in her first Grand Slam match, defeated 2024 Wimbledon quarterfinalist Lulu Sun of New Zealand 6-1, 7-6 (4). It was the Roland Garros debut for Sun.
Others headed to the second round are No. 18 seed Donna Vekic of Croatia, American Iva Jovic, Anna Bondar of Hungary, Emiliana Arango of Colombia, Dayana Yastremska of Ukraine, Jil Teichmann of Switzerland and qualifier Leyre Romero Gormaz of Spain.
–Field Level Media
