Casper Ruud and Aryna Sabalenka made impressive performances on a chilly, rainy day at the French Open, advancing to the second round with commanding wins. However, due to the inclement weather, spectators at Roland Garros were deprived of much of the action, as play was limited to the two main showcourts with retractable roofs - Philippe Chatrier and Suzanne Lenglen.
Ruud, a two-time runner-up, defeated Brazilian qualifier Felipe Alves with a score of 6-3 6-4 6-3, demonstrating his determination to clinch his first Grand Slam title in Paris after facing disappointments in previous years. Riding high on confidence from his recent Geneva triumph, the world number seven displayed remarkable serving prowess, securing victory in under two hours.
Sabalenka, last year's semifinalist, swiftly defeated Russian teenager Erika Andreeva 6-1 6-2 in just 68 minutes. The 26-year-old, who successfully defended her Australian Open title earlier this year, aims to achieve a rare feat - winning both the Australian Open and French Open in the same year, a feat last accomplished by Serena Williams in 2015.
Arriving at Roland Garros as a top contender, Sabalenka wasted no time in asserting her dominance on Court Philippe Chatrier, swiftly gaining a lead and ultimately closing out the match in 68 minutes, showcasing her remarkable skills and determination.
Other notable matches included fourth seed Elena Rybakina's victory over Belgian Greet Minnen, Australian Alex De Minaur's win against Alex Michelsen, Petra Martic's triumph over Kristina Mladenovic, and Arantxa Rus stunning three-times Grand Slam champion Angelique Kerber.
As the typically British weather sets in at Roland Garros, the nation's last two hopes in the singles draws, Dan Evans and Katie Boulter, face challenging tests against their opponents, Holger Rune and Paula Badosa.
