Sabalenka takes advantage of heat wave in Paris win; Medvedev loses

PARIS, May 26: Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka took advantage of the heat wave at the French Open to impose her attacking game in the first round Tuesday.

Daniil Medvedev struggled, though, in a five-set loss to 97th-ranked Australian opponent Adam Walton.

Sabalenka beat 50th-ranked Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-4, 6-2 on Court Philippe-Chatrier with an array of approaches to the net and volley put-aways.

The unusually hot conditions at Roland Garros make net-rushing usually better reserved for hard and grass courts — a viable option because the court is drying out quicker and playing faster.

For a third consecutive day, the temperature in Paris was forecast to be at least 32 degrees Celsius.

Sabalenka reached the final in Paris last year, losing to Coco Gauff. She has won the Australian Open and the US Open on hard courts.

Gauff was opening her title defence later against fellow American Taylor Townsend.

Also advancing was 17th-seeded Iva Jovic, who beat good friend Alexandra Eala 6-4, 6-2.

Four-time champion Iga Swiatek eliminated 136th-ranked debutant Emerson Jones 6-1, 6-2 in her opener.

The only real issue for the third-ranked Swiatek came when she needed a trainer to re-tape the middle finger on her tennis-playing right hand for an apparent blister after the first set.

Swiatek has not won a title on clay this season and recently made a coaching change. She hired Francisco Roig, who previously worked with 14-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal.

Also advancing were Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina, who beat Veronika Erjavec 6-2, 6-2; and recent Italian Open winner Elina Svitolina, who rallied past Anna Bondar 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (3).

Walton, who received a wild card invitation from tournament organizers, beat Medvedev 6-2, 1-6, 6-1, 1-6, 6-4.

Stefanos Tsitsipas, the 2021 runner-up to Novak Djokovic, was leading 6-2, 3-0 against Alexandre Muller when his French opponent retired. Muller wiped away tears as he left the court and later said he injured his right calf, three months after injuring his left calf.

Later, top-ranked Jannik Sinner looks to extend his 29-match winning streak when he opens against French wild card Clement Tabur in the night session.

French teenager Moise Kouame made the perfect start to his French Open career with a 7-6 (4), 6-2, 6-1 win against veteran Marin Cilic.

The 17-year-old Kouame won one day after the 39-year-old Frenchman Gael Monfils made his last appearance at Roland Garros.

He raised his arms in triumph and tilted his head back after defeating the 37-year-old Cilic, who won the 2014 US Open, finished runner-up at two other majors, and reached the French Open semifinals in 2022.

The ATP Tour said No. 318-ranked Kouame became the first man born in 2008 or later to win a Grand Slam match, and the crowd on a sun-baked Court Simonne-Mathieu showed their appreciation by chanting “Mo-ise! Mo-ise! Mo-ise!” and clapping in-between.

In March, he became the youngest winner in Miami Masters history when he beat Zachary Svajda in the first round — earning a congratulatory message from Djokovic.

Monfils bowed out for the last time after losing to fellow Frenchman Hugo Gaston 6-2, 6-3, 3-6, 2-6, 6-4) just before midnight.

Eighth-seeded Alex De Minaur defeated Toby Samuel 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 and No. 15 Casper Ruud – a two-time French Open runner-up – won against Roman Safiullin 6-2, 7-6 (5), 5-7, 0-6, 6-2. (AP)