Halep wins challenging first round match at French Open

Paris, May 30: Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, world No. 1, advanced to the second round of the French Open on Wednesday despite a spirited challenge from the United States’ Alison Riske 2-6, 6-1, 6-1.

Halep, finalist in 2017, lost the first set in this year’s debut on Parisian clay against the world No. 83, reports Efe.

However, the Romanian star came back strongly in the next two sets and broke through Riske’s resistance, winning the match in one hour and 34 minutes.

In the second round, Halep is to face US player Taylor Townsend, who beat France’s Myrtille Georges 6-4, 6-2 in the first round.

Meanwhile Czech tennis player Petra Kvitova, eighth seed, advanced to the third round of the French Open on Wednesday after beating Spain’s Lara Arruabarrena 6-0, 6-4. Kvitova knocked out her world No. 91 opponent in just one hour and eight minutes in their second career encounter, reports Efe.

Kvitova is scheduled to square off against world No. 24 Anett Kontaveit of Estonia in her bid to make it to the fourth round for the first time in her career. In other Roland Garros action, Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina, world No. 4, nailed the tournament’s second round for the fourth consecutive year, defeating Viktoria Kuzmova of Slovakia 6-3, 6-4.

The 2018 Brisbane International champion took one hour and 21 minutes to beat world No. 84 Kuzmova in their first career match.

Svitolina, 23, is next to take on 31st seed Mihaela Buzarnescu of Romania, who prevailed over Rebecca Peterson of Sweden 6-1, 6-2. (IANS)