Under the very gray and rainy Parisian sky, Rafael Nadal still moves well and hits well for at least two hours. The Spaniard beats Australian Jordan Thompson with a triple 6-2.
The first sacrificial victim on Iga Swiatek’s journey to the Roland Garros is Lesia Tsurenko. Fifty-six minutes to seal the success at 6-2 6-0 and to reach twenty-nine consecutive successes. Quite easy victory also for Novak Djokovic against Yoshihito Nishioka. Emma Raducanu suffers, however she gains access to the second round.
Chapter surprises: eliminated Stan Wawrinka but, above all, Naomi Osaka, who after what happened a year ago in Paris, is unable to find herself again.
And speaking of Naomi Osaka, the Japanese, who immediately says goodbye to the second Slam of the season by losing to the young Amanda Anisimova in two sets, in the press conference after the defeat she said that probably she will not play at Wimbledon:
“This year I played only two games on clay-courts. I would have liked to play more and stay in Europe longer to prepare for this tournament. It’s a bit disappointing, but I’m happy with my attitude. The last time I played with Anisimova, I was more angry at myself.
Wimbledon Won’t Award Points? I believe this decision will affect my choice to go or not. I’m not sure I’m attending. I would like to be able to go and get more experience on grass, but I think, I don’t want to say it doesn’t make sense, I’m a player who is motivated to move up in the rankings. Also, on the grass I got very badly injured and that scares me. We will see what happens and then I will decide. But without points, Wimbledon will be like a performance. You can’t give 100%!”
Iga Swiatek also commented on Wimbledon: “It seems to me a rather complicated situation and whatever happens will always be wrong for some people or some players. It has been a difficult two weeks in which we have participated in the discussion.
The problem is represented by the organization of the tournaments. and from the WTA, ATP and ITF. Everyone has different opinions. It’s a complicated issue, sport has always been used in politics.Ā I hope the people in charge find an agreement. The WTA, the ATP, the ITF and tournament organizations they have different opinions. We too feel this division in the locker room.”
We are at Roland Garros, but it seems to be already in London, on the grass courts of the All England Club.