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World number one Djokovic, returning to Grand Slam action for the first time since his disqualification at the US Open, edged out 80-ranked Swede Mikael Ymer in straight sets 6-0, 6-2, 6-3.
Serbian Novak Djokovic returns the ball to Swede Mikael Ymer during the first men’s singles tennis match at Philippe Chatrier court on day 3 of the 2020 French Open Roland Garros tennis tournament in Paris on September 29, 2020. Image: AFP
PARIS – Novak Djokovic was compared to a snake devouring its prey on Tuesday when his bid to become the first man in half a century to win all four Grand Slam titles twice got off to a simple start at Roland Garros, while a row of ‘double rebound’ prompted calls for video replays to be introduced into tennis.
World number one Djokovic, returning to Grand Slam action for the first time since his disqualification at the US Open, edged 80-ranked Swede Mikael Ymer in straight sets 6-0, 6-2, 6-3.
It was his 32nd win in 33 matches in 2020 and kept him on track to a second French Open title following his 2016 win and the 18th major of his career.
“It is always a pleasure to return to Paris at Philippe Chatrier, this important court. The atmosphere is a little different this year with few fans, but I remain motivated to win the title,” said Djokovic, just one of the two men who have defeated 12 -Time champion Rafael Nadal in 15 years in Paris.
The 33-year-old seeded top is in the second round for a record 16th time, matching Guillermo Vilas and Nadal.
Djokovic, who did not suffer an immediate hangover from his controversy at the US Open by quickly finishing with a 36th Masters record in Rome on the eve of Roland Garros, will face Ricardas Berankis of Lithuania.
Ymer, in his fourth major main draw appearance, graphically summed up the challenge of facing Djokovic.
“It felt like a snake killing its prey,” said Ymer, 22. “I had opportunities to go back, but then I suffocated.”
Russia’s Andrey Rublev, the 13th seed to win the Hamburg title just two days ago, made a remarkable two-set, 3-5 comeback in the third to beat American Sam Querrey 6-7 (5/7), 6-7 (4/7), 7-5, 6-4, 6-3.
“My attitude today was really horrible and it must change,” said Rublev, who had lost his previous two games in Paris.
Greek fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas, Hamburg’s runner-up, also needed five sets to reach the second round, beating Spaniard Jaume Munar 4-6, 2-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 in the half. rear of 54 winners.
“I’ve never had a match like this before,” Tsitsipas said after coming back from two sets behind for the first time in his career.
Kristina Mladenovic called for a football-style VAR system to be introduced into tennis after her opponent benefited from a double rebound to help pull the Frenchwoman out of her home Grand Slam.
Mladenovic was 5-1 up and with a set point against Laura Siegemund when the German scored a winning goal despite the ball appearing to bounce twice. Chair Umpire Eva Asderaki ignored the incident.
World number 44 Mladenovic begged in vain before Siegemund took full advantage and advanced to the next round with a 7-5, 6-3 victory.
‘REPLACE HUMANS BY CAMERA’
“It would be great to have that,” Mladenovic said when asked if video replays should be introduced.
“It would be a shame to replace a human with a camera, but to err is human. I don’t see how the referee couldn’t see it. Unfortunately, she is still at Roland Garros, but not me.”
Second-seeded Karolina Pliskova ended Mayar Sherif’s fairytale Grand Slam breakthrough to set up a second-round clash against former champion Jelena Ostapenko.
Pliskova, a semi-finalist in 2017, wasted eight set points in the opening match when Sherif, the world’s 172nd, the first Egyptian woman to play in the main draw of a Slam, took a surprising lead.
However, the Czech’s greater experience was finally noticed as she recovered to progress 6-7 (9/11), 6-2, 6-4.
Latvian Ostapenko, the 43rd in the world, won her first match at the French Open since she swept her surprising 2017 title when she fired 46 winners against Madison Brengle of the United States to win 6-2, 6-1.
‘THE PRESSURE IS GONE’
“After winning here it was a difficult time. I had to get used to the pressure, but now everything is gone,” said 23-year-old Ostapenko.
Danish Clara Tauson, just 17 years old and qualifying, unleashed 48 winners to knock out 21 American and US Open semifinalist Jennifer Brady 6-4, 3-6, 9-7. Tauson also saved two match points on her way to the first main draw victory of her career.
Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin recovered from a break in the final set to defeat Russia’s Liudmila Samsonova, ranked 125th, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.
Fourth-seeded Kenin, who knocked out Serena Williams in Paris a year ago, fought back 2-0 in the decider to advance to a second-round tie against Romanian Ana Bogdan.
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