Three-time quarter-finalist Elina Svitolina, fresh from a baby break, stepped back onto the Roland Garros clay on Monday and emerged after barely an hour later a 6-2, 6-2 winner.
The Ukrainian mother of a daughter with French husband Gael Monfils put out 2022 semi-finalist Marta Trevisan of Italy 48 hours after winning her first title since 2021 in Strasbourg.
Svitolina, an outspoken fundraiser for her country during the invasion by Russia, kept politics out of her on-court speech as she looked ahead to the next round at her first Grand Slam since the Australian Open nearly a year and a half ago.
“It’s extremely special for me to get the first win of a Grand Slam,” the No. 192 who rose more than 300 places as a result of her title said.
“I’m really, really happy with how I played today, I’m looking forward to net one
“It was a great match. I played very solid. I knew I had to bring my best game today. I have a lot of confidence after Strasbourg.”
Svitolina improved to 31-6 in the first round here, winning 27 of her last 28 opening round matches at the Slams dating to the 2015 Australian Open . Her lon loss came at 2018 Wimbledon
Fifth seed Caroline Garcia scored a morale-boosting home win 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-4 over China’s Wang Xiyu, breaking in the final game.
The French No. 1 who claimed the WTA year-end title in October needed nearly two and three-quarter hours to advance.
“The crowd really lifted me, I gave all of my energy here,” the winner said.
“It was a tough match but I kept a positive attitude.I was able to find a solution to a complicated situation.”
Swiss 12th seed Belinda Bencic, playing for the first time since April and sporting a heavily taped shoulder, went down 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 to tournament debutante Elina Avanesyan.
Former US Open winner Sloane Stephens beat Karolina Pliskova for the second time at Roland Garros and fifth overall as she dismissed the former No. 1 in a 6-0, 6-4 hammering.
It took 84 minutes for the American who won the US Open six years ago to reach the second round.
No. 30 Stephens has pulled out of a 2023 slump, winning 10 of her last 12 matches; Pliskova has been dealing with a knee injury since Madrid last month.
The Czech sent over a 31st unforced error on the first match point for Stephens.
No. 138 qualifier Kayla Day was victorious in her first main draw match at a major since 2016 in New York, defeating France’s former WTA No. 10 Kristina Mladenivoc 7-5, 6-1.
Main photo:-Caroline Garcia (FRA) wins first round match by Roger Parker International Sports Fotos Ltd
