May 31, 2021, this Monday, was a happy day for the reigning Roland Garros champion, Iga Swiatek. The Polish woman was born on a day like 20 years ago and celebrated her birthday with a victory over her best friend, the Slovenian Kaja Juvan. At the end of the match (6-0 and 7-5) Marion Bartoli gave him a bouquet of flowers and the audience sang to congratulate her. Couldn't ask for more.
In this joyous way, Swiatek began the defense of the Paris title (if he succeeds, it would be the first he has repeated since 2007), with a donut like the two that he endorsed Karolina Pliskova a couple of weeks ago in Rome. In the second round she will face the Swedish Rebecca Peterson, who could with the American Shelby Rogers (6-7 (3), 7-6 (8) and 6-2).
Kiki Bertens did not make good her condition of 16th seed and fell to Polona Hercog 6-1, 3-6 and 6-4. The Slovenian will face the French Garcia. Marketa Vondrousova did not fail (20th), who beat the dangerous and powerful Estonian Kai Kanepi (4-6, 6-3 and 6-0). He will see them with Harmoni Tan, French guest trained by Nathalie Tauziat, who surprised her compatriot Alize Cornet (double 6-4), who arrived at the appointment with hip discomfort.
Elise Mertens (14th) did not have many problems, saved by some doubts at the start, to beat Australian from the previous Storm Sanders 6-4 and 6-1 in 1h: 26. The Belgian made the game a bit complicated in the first set with a 3-0 and a 4-1 against that she resolved with a 5-0 run. From there, everything went downhill for her and she will be seen in the second round with the Kazakh Zarina Diyas.
Hit by Andreescu
Bianca Andreescu, sixth seed, paid for her lack of preparation due to the abdominal injury that forced her to retire last week in Strasbourg. The Canadian, sixth favorite, fell to Tamara Zidansek in a very close match that ended with a full game result: 6-7 (1), 7-6 (2) and 9-7 at 3:20. The Slovenian, who fell to the first of changes the last two years in Paris, finally gave herself a joy at the expense of a rival not completely recovered. He will face Madison Brengle in the second round.
Fourth-seeded Sofia Kenin avoided the embarrassment of another premature elimination and resisted Latvian Jelena Ostapenko's comeback attempt to win it 6-4, 4-6, 6-3. The American had lost all three of her clay-court matches this season and retaliated at just the right time. In the next phase he will meet his compatriot Hailey Baptiste, a qualifier that surprised the Russian Blinkova. Belinda Bencic also advanced (10th) at the expense of Argentina's Nadia Podoroska, semifinalist of the tournament in 2020, whom she beat 6-0, 6-3. The Swiss, who was out last year with an arm injury, will meet Russia's Kasatkina. Who disappointed was Johanna Konta (19th), semifinalist in 2019, who sank before Sorana Cirstea (7-6 (5) and 6-2), finalist last week in Strasbourg. The Romanian will face the Italian Trevisan.
Results, table and calendar.