Top-seeded Simona Halep won 10 straight games in beating Sara Sorribes Tormo 6-4, 6-0 to reach the second round of the French Open on Sunday and extend her winning streak to 15 matches.
Wearing thick black leggings and a long-sleeved pink jersey to combat the chilly conditions on Court Philippe Chatrier, the 2018 champion made a series of unforced errors and trailed 4-2.
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Top-seeded Simona Halep won 10 straight games in beating Sara Sorribes Tormo 6-4, 6-0 to reach the second round of the French Open on Sunday and extend her winning streak to 15 matches.
She is ranked second but seeded first at Roland Garros because defending champion Ash Barty skipped coming to Paris because of coronavirus concerns. Halep won titles on clay in in Prague and Rome and her winning run — interrupted by the pandemic — dates to February.
Over on Court Suzanne Lenglen, U.S. Open runner-up Victoria Azarenka experienced a vastly different temperature to Flushing Meadows only two weeks ago.
Before walking off court, Azarenka grumbled “it’s ridiculous. It’s too cold ... What’s the point? Sitting here like ducks.”
But only 150 were there to see 11th-seeded David Goffin begin his match against Next Gen ATP Finals champion Jannik Sinner at just after 11 a.m. under the new Chatrier roof.
But then she found her range, clinching the first set with a hold to love and sealing victory on her first match point when her Spanish opponent clipped a forehand wide.
Romania's Simona Halep serves against Spain's Sara Sorribes Tormo in the first round match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, France, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (AP PhotoChristophe Ena)
She is ranked second but seeded first at Roland Garros because defending champion Ash Barty skipped coming to Paris because of coronavirus concerns. Halep won titles on clay in in Prague and Rome and her winning run — interrupted by the pandemic — dates to February.
She next faces either countrywoman Irina Camelia Begu or Jil Teichmann of Switzerland.
Halep was not alone in wrapping up warm in the cold.
Spain's Sara Sorribes Tormo plays a shot against Romania's Simona Halep in the first round match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, France, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (AP PhotoChristophe Ena)
Over on Court Suzanne Lenglen, U.S. Open runner-up Victoria Azarenka experienced a vastly different temperature to Flushing Meadows only two weeks ago.
The tenth-seeded Azarenka fumed when match officials didn’t immediately send her and opponent Danka Kovinic back to the locker-room during a rain interruption.
“I am going to get frozen,” she complained. “No. I’m not waiting here a couple of minutes because I’m cold. It’s eight degrees, eight degrees, I live in Florida, I am used to hot weather.”
Italy's Jannik Sinner plays a shot against Belgium's David Goffin in the first round match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, France, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (AP PhotoChristophe Ena)
Before walking off court, Azarenka grumbled “it’s ridiculous. It’s too cold ... What’s the point? Sitting here like ducks.”
Still, she made short work of her match, beating Kovinic 6-1, 6-2. She next faces either Venus Williams or Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, who were playing their match later Sunday.
Coronavirus restrictions mean only 1,000 people are allowed per day at the tournament in western Paris.
Belgium's David Goffin plays a shot against Italy's Jannik Sinner in the first round match of the French Open tennis tournament against at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, France, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (AP PhotoChristophe Ena)
But only 150 were there to see 11th-seeded David Goffin begin his match against Next Gen ATP Finals champion Jannik Sinner at just after 11 a.m. under the new Chatrier roof.
Goffin, a former quarterfinalist here, was the first seeded player to be knocked out when he lost 7-5, 6-0, 6-3.
His countrywoman Elise Mertens — the 16th seed — fared better in beating 122-ranked Russian Margarita Gasparyan 6-2, 6-3.
Victoria Azarenka of Belarus plays a shot against Montenegro's Danka Kovinic in the first round match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, France, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (AP PhotoAlessandra Tarantino)
In the pick of Sunday's later matches, three-time Grand Slam winners Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka were playing on Chatrier in the 21st meeting between the veterans. Wawrinka won here in 2015 and Murray lost the final to Novak Djokovic the following year.
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