Serena returns with good win

Paris: Serena Williams returned to Grand Slam action with a straight sets win in the French Open women singles first round at Roland Garros on Tuesday.

Although not in the best of form, the 23-major winner posted a 7-6, 6-4 win over Kristyna Pliskova on Court Philippe Chatrier.

In her own humble admission, the American said, “She played really well. I don’t know how many aces there were. For every ace there’s money donated to a good cause. 

Two years has been a really long time since my last match on clay but I feel good. 

I trained hard. I’m just happy to have a won match here. I take it one day at a time.”
Meanwhile, ten-time champion Spaniard Rafael Nadal racked up his 80th win at Roland Garros on Tuesday as the 10-time champion defeated Italian lucky loser Simone Bolelli 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (9) to reach the second round.

World number one Nadal had been two sets up but 0-3 down in the third when rain caused the tie to be suspended late Monday.

The top seeded Nadal, bidding for an 11th title in Paris and his 17th major, next faces Argentina's Guido Pella for a place in the last-32.

Meanwhile in the women's section, two-time champion Maria Sharapova survived a serious scare to claim a 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 victory over Dutch qualifier Richel Hogenkamp in her first French Open match since 2015 on Tuesday.

The Russian was controversially not given a wildcard by organisers for the tournament last year, which took place shortly after her return from a doping suspension.

Sharapova, the 28th seed, will face Croatia's Donna Vekic in the second round.

The five-time Grand Slam winner is only seeded at Roland Garros courtesy of a semi-final run in Rome earlier this month which dragged her back into the top 30 for the first time since her ban.

Garbine Muguruza saw off Svetlana Kuznetsova 7-6(0), 6-2 in a rain-disrupted battle of former champions. The Spanish third seed, who lifted the Suzanne-Lenglen Cup in 2016, dropped serve twice in the opening set but easily prevailed in the tiebreak.

Third-seed Marin Cilic defeated unseeded Australian James Duckworth in straight sets in rainy conditions. 

Cilic, who reached his third major final in Melbourne this year, was pushed to seven games in the second and third sets, winning 6-3, 7-5,-6(4). Duckworth is ranked 1072 in the world.

Second-seeded Caroline Wozniacki withstood challenge from Danielle Collins of the United States to move past the women's singles first round 7-6 (2), 6-1.

Canadian teenager Denis Shapovalov eased to a 7-5, 6-4, 6-2 victory over Australian John Millman in his first ever main-draw French Open match.

The 19-year-old, who lost in Roland Garros qualifying last year but is now the 24th seed, was erratic at times but always had too much power for his opponent.