Reigning French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova said she physically “hit the wall” as she crashed out in the first round at Roland Garros on Monday, losing 1-6, 6-2, 6-3 to French teenager Diane Parry.
The Czech world No. 2 was playing her first match since February after having been sidelined with an elbow injury.
She looked to be in control up a set and a break, but dropped six games in a row to the 19-year-old Parry before again blowing an early lead in the deciding set.
Photo: AFP
“I think set and 2-0, that was where I hit the wall,” said Krejcikova, who had yet to play on clay this season. “I just think I just collapsed physically, and, I mean, it was tough because I didn’t play the matches.”
Krejcikova was booed when she returned from a bathroom break between the second and third sets, as the crowd on Court Philippe Chatrier got behind Parry.
Krejcikova said she had no regrets about making her comeback at a Grand Slam.
“For sure, I didn’t want to miss this one,” said Krejcikova, who last year became the first player since Mary Pierce in 2000 to win the singles and doubles at Roland Garros.
Four-time Grand Slam winner Osaka was knocked out 7-5, 6-4 by Amanda Anisimova — the same player who ended the Japanese star’s title defense at the Australian Open this year.
Osaka served eight double faults and committed 29 unforced errors on her return to Roland Garros, after withdrawing last year when she refused to honor mandatory media commitments before revealing that she had been depressed.
“I thought I tried really hard, and I just feel like it was a bit unfortunate because I wasn’t able to play as many matches leading into this tournament,” said Osaka, unseeded at a Grand Slam for the first time since the 2018 Australian Open.
Fifth-seeded Anett Kontaveit became the fourth top-10 player to fall before the end of the second day, going down 7-6 (7/5), 7-5 to Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic.
Iga Swiatek stretched her winning streak to 29 by dispatching Ukrainian qualifier Lesia Tsurenko 6-2, 6-0 in 54 minutes.
The 20-year-old Swiatek, who took over as world No. 1 following Ashleigh Barty’s shock retirement, has won her past five tournaments and is bidding for a second French Open in three attempts.
“I’m pretty sure that it can end, but I just want to keep going,” Swiatek said. “I’m sure someday my streak will stop.”
Reigning champion Novak Djokovic defeated Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka 6-3, 6-1, 6-0 in the first night session at full capacity in Paris.
“I’m happy to be back. Roland Garros is one of the biggest tournaments in the world, and the memories from last year still are fresh in my head, in my mind,” Djokovic said.
The world No. 1 converted eight of 18 break points against Nishioka under the roof on Court Philippe Chatrier on a rain-interrupted day.
“I have to be pleased overall. I always expect highest from myself, so I can always do better,” he added.
Thirteen-time Roland Garros winner Rafael Nadal brushed aside Australia’s Jordan Thompson 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 to improve his French Open record to 106 wins and just three losses since his 2005 title-winning debut.
“It’s a good start, of course, straight sets,” said Nadal, seeded fifth. “I played good for a while. Then things that I could do better and I need to do better. But it’s a positive start.”
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