French Open 2022: Iga Swiatek beats Lesia Tsurenko as Naomi Osaka loses
- Published
Iga Swiatek's winning streak is the longest by any player on the WTA Tour since 2013
French Open 2022 |
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Dates: 22 May - 5 June Venue: Roland Garros, Paris |
Coverage: Live text and radio commentaries of selected matches across BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra, the BBC Sport website and app |
World number one Iga Swiatek underlined why she is the overwhelming favourite for the French Open with a rapid first-round win over Lesia Tsurenko.
Poland's Swiatek showed all her quality in a 6-2 6-0 victory that took just 54 minutes on Court Philippe Chatrier.
The 20-year-old, who won Roland Garros in 2020, extended her winning streak to 29 matches by beating the Ukrainian.
But defending champion Barbora Krejcikova and four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka were knocked out.
Czech second seed Krejcikova, who has been sidelined this year with an elbow injury, looked like she was heading for a straightforward win before French 19-year-old Diane Parry fought back to triumph 1-6 6-2 6-3 in front of a delighted home crowd on Chatrier.
Japanese former world number one Osaka was beaten 7-5 6-4 by Amanda Anisimova in a high quality encounter.
American Anisimova, who reached the French Open semi-finals in 2019, will face Croatia's Donna Vekic in round two.
'I know the streak will some day stop'
Few women have begun a Grand Slam with the odds stacked as heavily in their favour as Swiatek does in Paris.
Since a run to the Australian Open semi-finals in January, she has dominated the women's game and won her past five tournaments.
She claimed titles in Doha and Indian Wells, then became world number one following Australian Ashleigh Barty's shock retirement in March.
A few days later Swiatek won the Miami Open, then went on to triumph in Stuttgart and Rome.
The power and accuracy of her groundstrokes, plus near-impenetrable defensive skills, have proved too good for her opponents, with Tsurenko the latest to be swatted aside.
"It was a pretty good match for me," said Swiatek, who has won 42 of her past 43 sets.
"I just want to keep going. I know the streak will some day stop but I'm just focusing on my game and not the numbers."
Swiatek will face Alison Riske in the second round after the American beat Ukraine's Dayana Yastremska.
Krejcikova 'hits wall' in first-round loss
Krejcikova was heckled by the crowd after taking a lengthy bathroom break before the deciding set
Czech Krejcikova stormed to the women's singles and doubles titles last year but arrived in Paris this year having not played since February.
Despite the lay-off she started well, breezing through the first set and going a break up in the second before struggling for rhythm.
"I think that was where I hit the wall," Krejcikova said.
"I just think I collapsed physically, and, it was tough because I didn't play the matches.
"I have to start somewhere, so it's a pity that it had to be here and I didn't have any other matches, but I think it's good way to move forward."
Krejcikova took a lengthy bathroom break after losing the second set and was loudly heckled by the partisan crowd when she returned to court.
"I don't know what happened. I don't know why," Krejcikova said of the crowd's heckling.
"But I guess whatever I do is at some point booed, so that's how it is. That's life."
Anisimova punishes rusty Osaka
Osaka, who struggled with an Achilles injury in the build-up to the tournament, served eight double faults as she was let down by her serve.
She said she was worried about the reception she would receive on her return to Paris after withdrawing from last year's event because of mental health struggles.
Both she and Anisimova were warmly received by the crowd on Suzanne Lenglen, with the fans rallying behind Osaka as she fought to keep Anisimova at bay.
Amanda Anisimova ended Naomi Osaka's Australian Open title defence in January
After fighting back from an early break of serve, Osaka was broken on a huge double fault at 5-5 in the opening set.
Anisimova then produced a near-flawless service game to take the opening set with a forehand winner.
She dealt with pressure from Osaka in the second set, breaking on a double fault and saving three break points in the next game to keep a 5-3 lead.
Anisimova created three match points on her serve and looked shaky as she sent two into the net, before a winner down the line wrapped up victory.
Elsewhere, Estonian fifth seed Anett Kontaveit suffered a shock exit at the hands of Australia's Ajla Tomljanovic, who won 7-6 (7-5) 7-5.
Petra Kvitova, the 2020 semi-finalist, advanced with a 7-6 (7-0) 6-1 win over Hungary's Anna Bondar.
Former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu came within three points of defeat before rallying to beat Germany's Ysaline Bonaventure 3-6 7-5 6-0, while Victoria Azarenka fought for just over three hours to beat Romania's Ana Bogdan 6-7 (7-9) 7-6 (7-1) 6-2.
Former world number one Angelique Kerber battled from a set down to beat Poland's Magdalena Frech 2-6 6-3 7-5.
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