Stan Wawrinka’s latest attempt at a conclusive comeback from a left knee injury which has already cost him three months of the 2018 season ended in a discouraging defeat at Roland-Garros.
The world No 67 Guillermo Garcia-Lopez outlasted the 2015 French Open champion to a 6-2, 3-6, 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-3 victory in three hours and 30 minutes – a result which will see Wawrinka’s world ranking plummet to No 256.
The Swiss was repeatedly hampered on his serve and movement around Court Suzanne-Lenglen, requiring an injury timeout in the first set. The culprit looked certain to be the left knee problem which saw his 2017 season curtailed by surgery last August. Yet afterwards Wawrinka insisted the knee pain here was entirely unrelated, and that it had all cleared up less than half an hour after the handshake at the net.
Vamos! 🇪🇸
For the second time, @GuillermoGLopez knocks out Wawrinka in Roland-Garros 1R with a 6-2 3-6 4-6 7-6(5) 6-3 win.#RG18 pic.twitter.com/1ctOf3njks
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 28, 2018
Novak Djokovic was made to work hard before overcoming Brazilian Rogerio Dutra Silva. It was all hugely entertaining, with a series of compelling rallies, but ultimately Djokovic’s opening win in his quest to another Roland-Garros title saw him give another impression of a man scrambling around deep in his memory bank to discover the great champion he once was. The 2016 victor eventually prevailed 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 after a wholly enjoyable first-round clash.
Defending champion Rafael Nadal was leading Simone Boleli by two sets to love, but trailed 3-0 in the third set when play was suspended due to rain. They will continue their clash tomorrow morning.
Other selected men’s results:
Richard Gasquet defeated Andreas Seppi 6-0, 6-2, 6-2
Sam Querrey defeated Frances Tiafoe 6-1, 6-2, 7-6 (6)
Jaume Munar defeated David Ferrer 3-6,3-6, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (4), 7-5
Borna Coric defeat Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
On the women’s side, Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki endured a tricky first set before steamrolling to victory over Danielle Collins. Wozniacki wore an expression of delight after her 7-6 (2), 6-1 first-round victory. Not for a moment did she betray any awareness that many observers had wondered if she might be vulnerable in this match.
Former world No 1 Victoria Azarenka crashed out after a 7-5, 7-5 opening-round defeat to tricky Czech Katerina Siniakova, who carried over momentum from a semi-final run in Nuremberg only days ago to book a second-round clash with Jelena Ostapenko’s conqueror Kateryna Kozlova.
Meanwhile, No 8 seed Petra Kvitova narrowly avoided the same fate as Azarenka, surviving a torrid three-set affair to beat Veronica Cepede 3-6, 6-1 and 7-5.
Maria Sharapova’s match against Richèl Hogenkamp was moved to day three, also due to the rain.
Other selected women’s results:
Sloan Stephens defeated Arantxa Rus 6-2, 6-0
Elina Svitolina defeated Ajla Tomljanovic 7-5, 6-3
Lucie Safarova defeated Jessika Ponchet 6-4, 6-1
Heather Watson defeated Oceane Dodin 6-3, 6-0
Photo: Rolandgarros.com
