PARIS — Thornhill’s Milos Raonic defeated Xavier Malisse at the French Open on Sunday, hitting 16 aces and winning 32 points at the net.Raonic, No. 14, took the match 6-2, 6-1, 4-6, 6-4. Malisse, ranked 56th, fell to 0-5 this year on clay.
Play began under cloudy skies with the temperature around 13 C.
Just an hour into the French Open, 2012 runner-up Sara Errani was into the second round.
The tenacious Italian beat Arantxa Rus 6-1, 6-2 Sunday in the opening match on Court Suzanne Lenglen.
Errani reached a Grand Slam final for the first time a year ago at Roland Garros, then lost to Maria Sharapova.
“Last year was an unbelievable tournament, the best tournament of my life,” Errani said. “But I don't want to think about that. I just want to come here and play another tournament. I try to concentrate on my tennis, not too much about last year.”
Now ranked a career-best No. 5, Errani dominated Rus from the baseline and won four games at love. Rus double-faulted seven times and lost her 13th consecutive match on the WTA Tour.
Serena Williams and Roger Federer were among others on the first day's schedule.
Williams won her opening match at the French Open, and then achieved a career breakthrough by speaking French to the crowd for the first time.
“'I'm a beginner,” Williams said — referring to her French, not tennis.
Her play spoke volumes Sunday. Williams returned to the red clay that tripped her up in the first round a year ago, channelled any lingering frustration into her overpowering strokes and drubbed Anna Tatishvili 6-0, 6-1.
Federer swept qualifier Pablo Carreno Busta in the first round, 6-2, 6-2, 6-3.
Playing at Roland Garros for the 15th year in a row, Federer earned a big roar from the centre court crowd after he closed out the victory with a picturesque backhand winner. Federer lost only seven points on his first serve and was broken just once by Carreno Busta.
Federer, the 2009 champion, remained unbeaten in first-round matches at major tournaments since 2003.
No. 14-seeded Ana Ivanovic, the 2008 champion, beat Petra Martic 6-1, 3-6, 6-3. Ivanovic improved to 30-4 in the first round of Grand Slam tournaments.
No. 23 Kevin Anderson beat lucky loser Illya Marchenko 6-3, 7-5, 6-4. Reported by Toronto Star 8 hours ago.