2020 Roland Garros: Sofia Kenin looks past rainy horizon to claim 1R win

Sofia Kenin weathered a tough opponent and a two-hour rain delay to make it through to the second round of 2020 Roland Garros. The fourth seed came from a set down to beat Russia’s Liudmila Samsonova 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 in an hour and 58 minutes.

After the match, the 2020 Australian Open champion told the press, “Conditions weren't the best. It was really tough with the courts, and it was raining and we went inside and then it started raining again. Yeah, conditions weren't easy at all, but I'm just happy with the way I competed and found a way to win. I didn't feel like I was playing my best tennis, but of course she was playing really well, but I'm just happy to have gone through the first round.”

Kenin’s next opponent will be Romanian Ana Bogdan.

Eighth-seeded Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka had an easy path into the round-of-64. The world no. 1 defeated American Jessica Pegula 6-3, 6-1 in an hour and 13 minutes. For a place in the third round, Sabalenka will take on Russian Daria Kasatkina. Kasatkina defeated France’s wildcard entrant Harmony Tan 6-2, 6-1.

Tan’s compatriots Fiona Ferro and Pauline Parmentier had contrasting results in their respective opening-round matches. Ferro beat the last remaining British woman in the draw Heather Watson in straight sets 7-6(4), 6-4 in an hour and 51 minutes. Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova defeated Parmentier, who had received a wild card, 6-2, 6-3 in an hour and 19 minutes.

Ferro will play 14th seed Elena Rybakina while Kudermetova will take on Petra Martic.

2020 Roland Garros: Donna Vekic, Alison Riske bow out

The 13th seed from Croatia won her round-of-128 match against Japan’s Misaki Doi 7-6(2), 7-5 in an hour and 48 minutes. Martic had 31 winners and unforced errors each while Doi finished with 22 winners and 23 unforced errors.

Martic’s compatriot, 26th seed Donna Vekic, however, lost her opening-round match. Romanian qualifier Irina Bara upset Vekic in straight sets 6-3, 6-4 in an hour and 57 minutes. Bara will play Alison van Uytvanck next.

Ons Jabeur shrugged off the loss of the opening set to clinch a comeback win over Zarina Diyas. The 30th-seeded Tunisian won 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 in an hour and 47 minutes. She will play Nao Hibino for a chance to reach the round-of-32.

Alison Riske, the 19th seed, crashed out in the first round at the hands of Julia Goerges. The German won the two hour 17-minute encounter 6-3, 6-7(4), 6-1. Goerges will play fellow German Laura Siegemund in the second round.

2018 finalist and 29th seed Sloane Stephens also advanced to the second round of 2020 Roland Garros. Stephens defeated Russia’s Vitalia Diatchenko 6-2, 6-2 in 66 minutes. Stephens’ second-round opponent is Spain’s Paula Badosa. Badosa defeated Ukraine’s Kateryna Kozlova 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 in two hours and four minutes.

Photo Credit: Roland Garros Twitter

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