PARIS, (Reuters) – World number one Andy Murray defied expectations that he would struggle at this year’s French Open by beating Russia’s Andrey Kuznetsov 6-4 4-6 6-2 6-0 in the first round yesterday, but day three at Roland Garros still served up plenty of other upsets.
Top seed Murray, who came into the tournament in poor form and suffering from illness, saw out a mostly regulation win over his 73rd ranked opponent — the perfect tonic to settle the Scot’s nerves ahead of tougher tests to come.
In the women’s draw, Britain’s Johanna Konta fell at the first hurdle for the third year in a row after suffering a shock 1-6 7-6(2) 6-4 defeat by unseeded Taiwanese Hsieh Su-Wei.
Spanish veteran Fernando Verdasco ousted highly-rated German youngster Alexander Zverev — seeded ninth in Paris after winning the Italian Open — in another shock result when their match resumed yesterday after being suspended the day before.
The day’s other highlights included Argentine Juan Martin del Potro’s successful return to Paris after a five-year hiatus. Del Potro, whose career has been plagued by injury, thrashed compatriot Guido Pella 6-2 6-1 6-4.
Third seed Stan Wawrinka started slowly against Slovak qualifier Jozef Kovalik, but the Swiss did enough to win the rallies that mattered and ultimately emerged victorious in a shade under two hours.
Australian Nick Kyrgios kept his emotions in check to outclass Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber, while women’s third seed Simona Halep moved smoothly into the second round with a 6-2 6-3 win over Slovakia’s Jana Cepelova.
Halep came close to pulling out of the tournament after tearing ankle ligaments less than two weeks ago, but showed no ill effects from the injury and will face Germany’s Tatjana Maria in round two.
Here are the highlights from day three of the French Open tennis championships yesterday (all times GMT):
2010 TSONGA-OLIVIO EPIC BATTLE ENDS WITH PLAY SUSPENDED
– Argentine Renzo Olivio, a Roland Garros debutant, is one game away from pulling off a spectacular upset win against France’s Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the men’s 12th seed.
– Olivio was leading 7-5 6-4 6-7(6) 5-4 before the match was called off due to bad light.
1850 RADWANSKA STEAMROLLERS FRANCE’S FERRO IN FIRST ROUND
– Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska, the ninth seed, trounced France’s Fiona Ferro 6-1 6-1 to reach the French Open second round.
– Radwanska, who hit 19 winners and made just six unforced errors, faces Belgian qualifier Alison Van Uytvanck next.
1810 BERDYCH BLASTS PAST STRUFF IN FOUR SETS
– Tomas Berdych, the men’s 13th seed, beat Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff 6-1 6-1 4-6 6-4 in the first round.
– The Czech faces Russia’s Karen Khachanov in the next round.
– Khachanov beat Chilean Nicolas Jarry 6-4 3-6 7-6(4) 6-1 earlier on Tuesday.
1744 HALEP OVERPOWERS CEPELOVA
– Women’s third seed Simona Halep, who is one of the favourites at Roland Garros this year, beat Slovakia’s Jana Cepelova 6-2 6-3 in the first round.
– Romanian Halep, who will become world number one if she wins in Paris this year, faces Germany’s Tatjana Maria in the second round.
1715 BOUCHARD BOUNCES BACK AGAINST JAPAN’S OZAKI
– Eugenie Bouchard battled back to win 2-6 6-3 6-2 against Japan’s Risa Ozaki in in her opening round encounter.
– The Canadian will face Latvia’s Anastasija Sevastova, the 17th seed, in the second round.
– Sevastova beat Germany’s Annika Beck 6-2 6-4.
1614 MONFILS KEEPS FRENCH HOPES FLYING WITH VICTORY
– Local favourite Gael Monfils, who is seeded 15th at Roland Garros this year, beat Germany’s Dustin Brown 6-4 7-5 6-0 in the first round.
1610 MURRAY FINDS HIS TOUCH TO SEE OFF KUZNETSOV
– Top seed Andy Murray beat Russian Andrey Kuznetsov 6-4 4-6 6-2 6-0 in the first round.
– Murray, who has had an underwhelming year so far and was struck down by illness last week, hit 29 winners during the match and was helped out by Kuznetsov making 45 unforced errors.
– The Briton will face Martin Klizan of Slovakia in the next round.
1515 NISHIKORI THROUGH TO SECOND ROUND
– Japan’s Kei Nishikori, the number nine seed, beat Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis 4-6 6-1 6-4 6-4 and will face France’s Jeremy Chardy in the next round.
– Both Nishikori and Kokkinakis were returning from injury. The Japanese pulled out of the Barcelona Open and withdrew before his quarter-final clash with Novak Djokovic in Stuttgart with a wrist problem.
– Kokkinakis had played just one match in 2017 after sustaining a shoulder injury that required surgery, costing him his ATP ranking.
1441 VAN UYTVANCK BRUSHES ASIDE OSAKA
– Belgian qualifier Alison Van Uytvanck, a quarter-finalist at Roland Garros in 2015, beat Japan’s Naomi Osaka 6-3 7-5 in the first round.
1434 STRYCOVA BEATS RISKE TO SET UP CORNET CLASH
– Czech Barbora Strycova, the women’s 20th seed, beat American Alison Riske 6-3 6-0 and will face French hope Alize Cornet in round two.
1420 GARCIA BEATS HIBINO TO MOVE INTO SECOND ROUND
– France’s Caroline Garcia, the women’s number 28 seed, pulled off a comfortable 6-2 6-2 victory over Japan’s Nao Hibino in just over an hour.
1315 VERDASCO MAKES EXPERIENCE COUNT BY DOWNING ZVEREV
– Spaniard Fernando Verdasco beat young German Alexander Zverev 6-4 3-6 6-4 6-2 to set up a second round encounter with Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert.
– The match was halted on Monday due to poor light and rain and play resumed on Tuesday with the scores tied at a set apiece.
– Verdasco, 33, was a picture of consistency against the 20-year-old Zverev, who came to Roland Garros on a high after beating Novak Djokovic to win the Italian Open last week.
1300 KOREA’S CHUNG KNOCKS OUT AMERICAN SEED QUERREY
– South Korea’s Chung Hyeon beat men’s 27th seed Sam Querrey 6-4 3-6 6-3 6-3 in the first round.
– Chung faces Uzbekistan’s Denis Istomin in round two.
1250 WAWRINKA WINS FIRST ROUND ENCOUNTER AGAINST KOVALIK
– Switzerland’s Stan Wawrinka, the men’s third seed, beat Jozef Kovalik of Slovakia 6-2 7-6(6) 6-3.
– Wawrinka, the 2015 champion, will face Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov in the second round.
1220 KEYS CRUISES INTO SECOND ROUND AFTER BEATING BARTY
– American Madison Keys, the women’s number 12 seed, beat Australia’s Ashleigh Barty 6-3 6-2 for her first win on clay this season.
– Keys will face Petra Martic in round two after the Croat beat Ukrainian Kateryna Bondarenko 6-2 7-5 earlier on Tuesday.
1145 FRENCH HOPE CORNET ADVANCES TO SECOND ROUND
– France’s Alize Cornet beat Hungary’s Timea Babos 6-2 6-7(5) 6-2 in an evenly contested first-round encounter.
– Cornet, who reached the fourth round in Paris in 2015, will face Czech Barbora Strycova in the next round.
1130 KONTA BOWS OUT AFTER SHOCK DEFEAT BY HSIEH SU-WEI
– Unseeded Hsieh Su-wei of Taiwan beat women’s seventh seed Johanna Konta of Britain 1-6 7-6(2) 6-4 in the first round.
– The defeat marked Konta’s third consecutive first-round exit from the French Open.
– Hsieh will next play American Taylor Townsend, who beat Japanese qualifier Miyu Kato 6-4 6-0.
1100 KYRGIOS BATTLES PAST KOHLSCHREIBER
– Australia’s Nick Kyrgios beat Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-3 7-6(4) 6-3 in the first round.
– Kyrgios, seeded 18th, completely outclassed his opponent, serving 20 aces and hitting 40 winners as he closed out the match in just under two hours.
– The 22-year-old will face either Tunisia’s Malek Jaziri or South African Kevin Anderson in the second round.
1100 DEL POTRO DOWNS PELLA
– Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro beat compatriot Guido Pella 6-2 6-1 6-4 to book a second round spot.
– Del Potro served 13 aces to Pella’s three and dished out 33 winners as he sealed a comfortable victory.
– The match was del Potro’s first at Roland Garros since 2012, when he lost in the quarter-final to Roger Federer.
1030 SVITOLINA EASES PAST SHVEDOVA
– Fifth seed Elina Svitolina of Ukraine beat Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan 6-4 6-3 in the first round.
– Italian Open champion Svitolina, who reached the quarter-finals of the French Open in 2015, will face Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova in the second round.
– Pironkova, who reached the quarter-finals at Roland Garros last year, beat German Mona Barthel 6-0 6-4.
