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Roland Garros got underway in the “ridiculous” cold and wet Paris on Sunday with Victoria Azarenka walking off the pitch, complaining that it was “too cold” to play, before Stan Wawrinka ruled out his three-time winner teammate. of a major Andy Murray in the marquee crash of the day.
The French Open, which was delayed from its traditional May-June schedule due to the coronavirus, began with a steady drizzle and temperatures struggling to reach 10 degrees (50F).
It was too much for Azarenka, 31, who left Suzanne Lenglen almost deserted after just three matches.
“I don’t see the point in sitting on the court when it’s eight degrees.”
Victoria Azarenka, two-time Major winner
On the court he complained: “We are sitting like ducks. It’s too cold, eight degrees, I live in Florida. This is getting a little ridiculous. I’m not waiting, ”he said before going to seek shelter.
She came back to complete a 6-1, 6-2 victory, playing in black leggings and a tracksuit top.
“Does it increase the risk of players getting injured? Absolutely, I think so, ”he added ahead of a week in which cold and wet conditions are expected to continue.
That echoed fears voiced by 12-time champion Rafael Nadal, who said the conditions at Roland Garros combined with a new, heavier ball could cause problems for players’ elbows and shoulders.
On court Simonne Mathieu, 16th Belgian seeded Elise Mertens and Russian Margarita Gasparyan left the arena twice after also stopping play due to slippery conditions.
‘Perfect birthday’
At least the rain was gone when 2015 champion Wawrinka and Murray stepped onto the court Philippe Chatrier with the retractable roof open for the first time that day.
Murray, who is playing his first clay-court match since losing a five-set semi-final to the Swiss star in 2017, may have wished he had stayed close when 16th seed Wawrinka won 6-1, 6-3, 6- two. .
The 35-year-old fired 42 winners beyond wild card Murray, now ranked 111th in the world after being on the brink of retirement from his long battle with a hip injury.
“I should be analyzing so hard and trying to understand why the performance was like this,” said Murray, 33.
On a gloomy day for Britain, ninth-seeded and 2019 semi-finalist Johanna Konta was eliminated by teenage sensation Coco Gauff.
The 16-year-old American, who made her main draw debut after being a junior champion just two years ago, scored a 6-3, 6-3 victory despite serving 12 double faults.
Simona Halep, first seed at Roland Garros and 2018 champion, moved into the second round with a 6-4, 6-0 win over Spanish world number 70 Sara Sorribes Tormo.
Playing under the roof, second-ranked Halep trailed 4-2 but claimed the last 10 games to progress in 82 minutes.
“The perfect gift was that I won today.”
Simona halep
Italian teenager Jannik Sinner was honored to score the first victory under the roof, knocking down Belgian eleventh seed David Goffin 7-5, 6-0, 6-3.
Another rookie winner was Sebastian Korda, son of 1992 Roland Garros runner-up and 1998 Australian Open champion Petr, who beat Italian Andreas Seppi 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.
Venus Williams, now 40 and who played her first Roland Garros in 1997, saved two match points, but not her third, as she fell in a 6-4, 6-4 loss to Anna Karolina Schmiedlova of Slovakia who failed he had won a match at a Slam in five years.
Williams, runner-up to her sister Serena in 2002, has now lost in the first round in Paris for three years in a row.
Schmiedlova will face Azarenka in the second round.
The winter weather, which is expected to last all week, was the last thing the organizers needed after playing cat and mouse with the impact of Covid-19.
A resurgence of cases has reduced attendance to just 1,000 viewers a day. In 2019, more than 500,000 people watched the two-week tournament at the venue.
Masks, scarves, jackets at Roland Garros
The few who were at the scene Sunday wore scarves, winter coats and the required masks. Shops, food outlets and other normally bustling commercial stalls are closed.
Nadal, who is looking to win a thirteenth Roland Garros and match absent Roger Federer in a record 20 majors, will play Egor Gerasimov, the 83rd-ranked Belarusian, on Monday.
World No. 1 Novak Djokovic, who is chasing a major No. 18, will start Tuesday with a 2020 record of 31 wins and just one loss due to his breach of the US Open. The 33-year-old Serbian faces Swede Mikael Ymer.
Chasing an elusive 24th major, Serena Williams starts Monday against fellow American Kristie Ahn.
By David James for Agence France-Presse (AFP)
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