Two-time finalist Casper Ruud kicked off his French Open campaign with a convincing 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 victory over Felipe Meligeni Alves on Tuesday in Paris. The No. 7 seed expressed his satisfaction with his clay season so far, stating, “I think I am having a pretty good clay season.” Ruud has been in excellent form on clay courts this year, leading the ATP with 36 wins. He clinched clay-court titles at the Geneva Open and the Barcelona Open, and was the runner-up at the Monte Carlo Masters, where he fell short against Stefanos Tsitsipas. The Norwegian player has been a finalist at Roland Garros for the past two years, losing to Rafael Nadal in 2022 and Novak Djokovic in 2023.
The final day of the first round of the French Open was marked by cool autumn-like temperatures, with the mercury dropping as low as 16 degrees Celsius (61 degrees Fahrenheit). Heavy rain caused a nearly five-hour delay in play on most courts, with matches only continuing in the two main stadiums equipped with retractable roofs. In one of the matches, Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka cruised to a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Erika Andreeva on Court Philippe Chatrier to advance to the second round. Meanwhile, on Court Suzanne Lenglen, 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina defeated Greet Minnen 6-2, 6-3. It was speculated that Sabalenka and Rybakina could potentially meet in the semifinals of the tournament, with Sabalenka eyeing the opportunity to achieve a rare feat of winning both the Australian Open and Roland Garros in the same season, a feat only accomplished by Serena Williams in 2015.
One of the notable moments of the day was the retirement of veteran French player Alizé Cornet, aged 34, from professional tennis. After her defeat to Zheng Qinwen in a match that ended 6-2, 6-1, Cornet bid adieu to the sport and was honored with a farewell ceremony. In another match, No. 11 seed Alex De Minaur showcased his dominance by dispatching Alex Michelsen in straight sets, with a commanding 6-1, 6-0, 6-2 scoreline. All eyes were on defending champion Novak Djokovic, who was set to begin his title defense against Pierre-Hugues Herbert in the main stadium. Djokovic, who boasts an impressive 24 Grand Slam titles to his name, is yet to secure a tournament victory this year, adding an element of intrigue to his French Open campaign.
In conclusion, the first round of the French Open witnessed some thrilling encounters and standout performances from top players like Casper Ruud, Aryna Sabalenka, and Elena Rybakina. The tournament also saw the emotional retirement of Alizé Cornet, marking the end of an era for the French veteran. As the competition progresses, all eyes will be on Novak Djokovic as he looks to defend his title and add another Grand Slam trophy to his illustrious collection. The French Open promises to deliver more exciting matches and unexpected outcomes as the world’s best players battle it out on the clay courts of Roland Garros.
