Musetti, Sabalenka ease into second round at Roland-Garros

PARIS (AP) — Lorenzo Musetti and Aryna Sabalenka eased into the second round of the French Open without dropping a set on Sunday's opening day.

The eighth-seeded Musetti won 7-5, 6-2, 6-0 against qualifier Yannick Hanfmann of Germany, after the top-ranked Sabalenka earlier beat Kamilla Rakhimova 6-1, 6-0.

Jasmine Paolini, last year's runner-up at Roland-Garros and Wimbledon, had a tougher first-round match. The fourth-seeded Italian dropped serve five times in a 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 win against Yuan Yue on Court Suzanne-Lenglen.

Musetti has been in strong form on clay, reaching at least the semifinals in the past three Masters tournaments at Rome, Madrid and Monte Carlo, where he lost in the final to four-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz. But he was hampered by a right-leg injury in that match.

Musetti did not look troubled on Sunday, however, and cupped his ear to the crowd after making an improbable forehand winner down the line from Hanfmann's drop shot during the third set.

The 23-year-old Musetti reached the semifinals on grass at Wimbledon last year, but has not reached the quarterfinals at any other major.

Still, he believes he can win the French Open.

“I feel ready to try to go for the trophy. That’s the goal, for sure,” Musetti said. “I think clay probably is the surface which I feel the most comfortable.”

After winning his match, Musetti got a huge ovation from the crowd on Court Philippe-Chatrier.

Was it because Musetti won Italy’s first Olympic tennis medal in 100 years with the men's singles bronze at the Paris Games last year? Or perhaps because, as a 19-year-old, Musetti was once up by two sets against Novak Djokovic in the fourth round before losing a five-set thriller in 2021.

Unlikely.

For in all honesty much of the Chatrier crowd — dressed in clay-colored jerseys and packing the stands that were half-empty an hour earlier — were in such an enthusiastic mood because they were waiting for someone else to turn up.

Rafael Nadal.

The recently retired Nadal, who won 14 of his 22 major titles on the same court, was given a special trophy during an emotional ceremony where his old rivals — Djokovic, Roger Federer and Andy Murray — all turned up to bid the suit-wearing Nadal farewell.

Earlier, Sabalenka hit five aces and saved the two break points she faced against the unseeded Rakhimova.

Sabalenka is a three-time major champion and reached the semifinals at Roland-Garros two years ago.

Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen of China joined her in the second round by beating 2021 French Open runner-up Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-4, 6-3.

Who else won at the French Open on Sunday?

American players Tommy Paul and Frances Tiafoe both advanced to the second round, while another American — Ben Shelton — was in action later Sunday against Italian Lorenzo Sonego in the night session on Chatrier.

The 12th-seeded Paul won 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-3, 6-1 against Elmer Moller, an unseeded Danish player ranked 112th, while the 15th-seeded Tiafoe — a two-time U.S. Open semifinalist — beat Roman Safiullin 6-4, 7-5, 6-4.

Paul has been in decent form on clay.

Earlier this month, he reached the semifinals of the Rome Masters without dropping a set and then took the first set off No. 1 Jannik Sinner before losing that contest.

Swiatek and Sinner in action on Monday

Three-time defending champion Iga Swiatek begins her bid for a fifth title at Roland-Garros when she faces Rebecca Sramkova of Slovakia on Monday.

That match starts play at noon on Chatrier, followed by four-time major champion Naomi Osaka's match against 10th-seeded Spaniard Paula Badosa.

Osaka has never been past the third round at Roland-Garros.

Sinner, a three-time major winner and semifinalist here last year, is in action later Monday against Arthur Rinderknech.

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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis