French Open 2024: Aryna Sabalenka blitzes Erika Andreeva to get Roland-Garros campaign off to winning start
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ByOli Gent
Updated 28/05/2024 at 18:57 GMT+1
Aryna Sabalenka got off to the perfect start at this year's French Open with a routine victory over Erika Andreeva in the first round, coming through the Russian teenager 6-1 6-2. The Belarusian second seed, who was defeated in the semi-finals by Karolina Muchova last year, will face either the Spanish qualifier Irene Burillo Escorihuela or Moyuka Uchijima in the second round.
French Open highlights - Sabalenka cruises past Andreeva in first round
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Aryna Sabalenka started her French Open campaign as she means to go on with a comprehensive 6-1 6-2 victory over Erika Andreeva.
The world No. 2 was in ferocious form on Court Philippe-Chatrier, racing into a one-set lead after just 26 minutes against her teenage opponent.
It was Sabalenka's sheer power and experience that gave her the upper hand, as Andreeva conceded the first set with a double-fault, having saved two previous set points with some brilliant defence.
The second set was more competitive as both players traded breaks, and Andreeva's confidence began to grow, so much so that she threatened another break of her own at 3-2, but the Belarusian's wiliness staved off that particular danger.
The teenager's belief was shot after that, and Sabalenka capitalised, breaking once more before serving out the affair.
She will face a qualifier in the second round - either Spain's Irene Burillo Escorihuela or Japan's Moyuka Uchijima.
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'Just trying to bring my best tennis every time' - Sabalenka on opening win
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Sabalenka expectedly flew out of the blocks with aggressive groundstrokes as she stepped inside the baseline to dictate the points.
Her early pressure paid dividends in the fourth game as she cracked Andreeva’s serve for the first time; a fizzing return winner followed by a blistering backhand set up her first break points, of which she only needed one as Andreeva double faulted.
The second seed continue to whip her shots all over the court, running her opponent from corner to corner as she set up another break-point opportunity at 4-1 with a ferocious forehand winner, and another Andreeva double fault gave her the double-break.
She finally served out the set at the third time of asking after a missed overhead putaway spurned the first set point, and an excellent Andreeva backhand down the line saved the second, but a wide forehand from the Russian wrapped it up.
Andreeva withdrew to the locker rooms for an extended break between the sets in a bid to slow Sabalenka’s momentum, but that particular ploy did not work for her, as she was broken in the opening game of the second, with two electrifying winners and a lax Andreeva dropshot doing the damage.
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Wilander on Sabalenka's attitude - 'When you're that committed, good things happen'
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The Russian rallied, and broke back impressively and immediately, with a loose dropshot from Sabalenka clipping the net to level the scores.
However, the Belarusian utilised her experience to assert her dominance once more, breaking back straight away with a ripping inside-out forehand winner.
Andreeva refused to go away with her strongest serving showing of the match at 3-2, and continued to put pressure on the Belarusian’s booming serve in the following game - earning a break point - but Sabalenka closed the door quickly.
That would see any lingering Andreeva hope dissipate, as her serve fell apart to give the world No. 2 a double-break, which she built on brilliantly to serve it out and see herself safely into the second round.
“I’m super happy to be back on this special court,” Sabalenka said afterwards.
“Super happy to see all of you here supporting us, it was a really great atmosphere. I know you guys didn’t have a choice as it’s raining outside and you had to be on this court, but anyway, thank you so much.
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Sabalenka 'too good' as she beats Andreeva in straight sets
Video credit: TNT Sports
“I don’t know [if I’m becoming a clay-court specialist]. I’m trying to do well on clay and it’s tough conditions here but I really enjoy playing here. You can call me whatever, I just try and play my best tennis every time [no matter] if it’s hard court, clay, grass.
“I just try to show my best. It’s tough to have fun when you’re not playing your best. You have to bring your best tennis, and then you can have fun with it.
“I don’t practise [the drop shots], but I was hoping that I could use it well on the match court. It didn’t start working before, but now it’s started working well - finally after so many years practising my touch game.
“Against someone like Andreeva - a smart player who puts lots of balls back - I just tried to bring different games to make her think a little bit.”
You can watch every day of the 2024 French Open live and on-demand on discovery+.
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