PARIS: German second seed Alexander Zverev enjoyed a comfortable first-round win on the opening day of Roland Garros on Sunday.
Under a blazing sun in Paris, Zverev eased past France’s Benjamin Bonzi 6-3, 6-4, 6-2.
The 29-year-old said it was “always nice to start with a straight-sets win”, and he will doubtless have been glad to spend as little time on court as possible with the thermometer going past 30C in the French capital.
The only blip for Zverev in an otherwise polished performance was conceding a break of serve in the second frame against the world number 95 but he swiftly righted course to claim that frame.
He will next face Czech Tomas Machac, who earlier beat Belgium’s Zizou Bergs 6-4, 6-4, 6-3.
Karen Khachanov of Russia also advanced into the second round with a straight-sets win over French wild card Arthur Gea.
Czech 26th seed Jakub Mensik made similarly short work of another French invitee, Titouan Droguet, as the 20-year-old strolled through 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.
Former French Open winner Barbora Krejcikova was the highest-profile exit of the day as the world number 41 was eliminated 6-7 (7/9), 7-6 (8/6), 6-2 by American 26th seed Hailey Baptiste.
‘THOUGHTS TO UKRAINE’
Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk earned her 12th consecutive win on clay as she eased past Oksana Selekhmeteva, who was born in Russia but obtained Spanish nationality four days ago, 6-2, 6-3.
The Madrid Open champion then revealed that her family home in Kyiv was nearly struck by a Russian missile during a massive bombardment of the Ukrainian capital earlier on Sunday.
“I’m incredibly proud of myself today, I think it was one of the most difficult matches of my life,” 15th seed Kostyuk said on court.
“This morning, 100 metres from my parent’s house, a missile fell.
“I’m obviously very happy to be in the second round. All my thoughts and all my heart was to the people of Ukraine today. My biggest example are Ukrainian people today.”
Kostyuk, 23, told reporters that the missile landed during Russian bombardment of Kyiv.
“[The] majority of Kyiv suffered from something like this this morning,” she said. “It was half of
the night, it was happening throughout, like, four hours.
“[My family] feel okay. Obviously very scary, but, you know, it’s not the first very difficult night, not the last, so, you know, they are adapting.”
Kostyuk said that the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 was the hardest moment because of the “unknownness” of the situation, but admitted Sunday’s bombardment had shaken her.
“Right now, I think it was just the closest that it has ever been to my house, and this what probably makes it the most emotional,” she said. “There are better days, worse days, but yeah, this one was, I would say top three worst ones, for sure.”
Kostyuk will meet Katie Volynets in the round of 64, after the American beat France’s Clara Burel in straight sets.
Swiss 11th seed Belinda Bencic opened play on Court Philippe Chatrier with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Austrian qualifier Sinja Kraus.
Last year’s junior winner, Lilli Tagger, was downed in her debut match in the senior draw at Roland Garros as the Austrian 18-year-old lost 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 to Chinese 32nd seed Wang Xinyu.
Russia’s Mirra Andreeva advanced to the second round with a 6-3, 6-3 win over French wild card Fiona Ferro, the 181st-ranked player.The eighth seed survived a late rally in the second set from Ferro to triumph in one hour and nine minutes.
Published in Dawn, May 25th, 2026