PARIS — Aryna Sabalenka glimmered under the sun during her opening match at the sweltering French Open on Tuesday, where her dazzling diamonds stole the spotlight.
The world’s top player showcased her agility on Court Philippe-Chatrier, effortlessly navigating a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, all while wearing two chunky necklaces.
“I don’t really feel the weight of the diamonds, but I can understand how striking they look,” Sabalenka, last year’s runner-up to Coco Gauff, shared. “Looking good is essential for me.”
Initially, she had planned to don three necklaces but decided that may have been too extravagant.
“It might sound a bit wild, but when I feel great in what I’m wearing and how I look on the court, my performance improves,” Sabalenka expressed. “Bringing a touch of fashion to tennis is something I love. I already have my Grand Slam dress in mind and always aim for a cohesive look.”
Off the court, Sabalenka isn’t concerned about her jewelry’s safety.
“My fiancé acts as my personal security,” she quipped, breaking into a smile. “Plus, my physio practices jiu-jitsu, so I feel pretty secure while out and about. I never venture out alone.”
In the meantime, Gauff began her title defense with a commanding 6-4, 6-0 triumph over fellow American Taylor Townsend, while Naomi Osaka triumphed against Laura Siegemund 6-3, 7-6 (3) on Court Suzanne-Lenglen, dazzling in a sequined gold ensemble.
French player Lois Boisson, who made waves by reaching the semifinals last year while ranked 361st, faced a tough defeat against 22nd-seeded Anna Kalinskaya, losing 6-2, 6-2.
The weather in Paris has been exceptionally hot, soaring to an intense 35°C for the third consecutive day.
“I hail from Florida, so this heat is nothing for me! Shout-out to Delray Beach,” Gauff remarked, utilizing a court-side cooler for her spare rackets during the match.
Medvedev Faces Early Exit Again
The elevated temperatures have led to quicker court conditions.
Despite typically thriving in such heat, Daniil Medvedev stumbled in a challenging five-set match against 97th-ranked Australian Adam Walton.
Walton, who entered the tournament via a wild card, upset Medvedev with a scoreline of 6-2, 1-6, 6-1, 1-6, 6-4. This marked Medvedev’s second consecutive first-round exit and third in four years.
“I understand why Roland Garros isn’t my strongest event, but voicing it feels like making excuses,” Medvedev noted.
Competing during the night session, top-seeded Jannik Sinner easily defeated 171st-ranked French wild card Clement Tabur 6-1, 6-3, 6-4, marking his 30th consecutive victory as he aims to capture the only grand title still missing from his resume.
Stefanos Tsitsipas, the 2021 runner-up to Novak Djokovic, was leading 6-2, 3-0 when his opponent, Alexandre Muller, retired due to a right calf injury, just months after facing a left calf injury.
Ninth-seeded Alexander Bublik fell to Jan-Lennard Struff with a score of 7-5, 6-7 (6), 6-4, 7-5.
Alexander Blockx withdrew from the tournament due to a right ankle sprain, automatically advancing Alex de Minaur to the third round as his scheduled opponent.
French teen Moïse Kouamé kicked off his French Open journey splendidly with a 7-6 (4), 6-2, 6-1 victory over Marin Cilic.
The 17-year-old Kouamé’s win followed closely after 39-year-old Frenchman Gael Monfils’ last appearance at Roland Garros.
With a triumphant raise of his arms, the teenager celebrated his victory over the 37-year-old Cilic, a U.S. Open champion in 2014 and a two-time finalist at other grand slams, including reaching the semifinals in 2022.
The ATP Tour announced that the No. 318-ranked Kouamé became the first male player born in 2008 or later to claim a Grand Slam match victory.
Earlier in March, he made history as the youngest winner in Miami Masters history, defeating Zachary Svajda — an achievement that earned him a congratulations message from Djokovic.
