PARIS: Ons Jabeur got a do-over on Court Philippe Chatrier at the French Open and won this time.
A year after her first-round exit, the No. 7 seed Jabeur beat Lucia Bronzetti 6-4, 6-1 to help erase some bad memories and answer questions about a recent calf injury.
The Tunisian, a crowd favorite in Paris, smiled and expressed relief in not repeating last year’s mistake, when she lost to Magda Linette of Poland.
“I’m very happy to win my first match on Philippe Chatrier — because I’ve never won here,” Jabeur said on court about the clay-court tournament’s main stadium.
Now she can focus on trying to win her first major. She was runner-up at Wimbledon and the US Open last year.
The 28-year-old Jabeur has also battled injuries this season. She had knee surgery after the Australian Open, and was then sidelined with a calf injury. She had stopped playing against top-ranked Iga Swiatek at the clay-court tournament in Stuttgart, Germany, in late April and then pulled out of the Madrid Open.
“It was a very difficult period for me after Stuttgart,” said Jabeur, adding that she’s beginning to find her rhythm.
Jabeur struck 27 winner’s to Bronzetti’s seven, though with 24 unforced errors she’ll have room to improve.
Also Tuesday, 16-year-old Russian Mirra Andreeva had a memorable Grand Slam debut by dominating Alison Riske-Amritraj 6-2, 6-1. Andreeva’s older sister — 18-year-old Erika — was facing Emma Navarro later in the day.
Later, Swiatek gets her French Open title defense started against Cristina Bucsa, who is ranked 70th.
On the men’s side, No. 4 seed Casper Ruud beat qualifier Elias Ymer 6-4, 6-3, 6-2, to remind the higher-profile tournament favorites that he was runner-up to Rafael Nadal last year at Roland Garros.
Jabeur bounces back at French Open, Ruud and Russian teenager advance
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Jabeur bounces back at French Open, Ruud and Russian teenager advance
- A year after her first-round exit, the No. 7 seed Jabeur beat Lucia Bronzetti 6-4, 6-1 to help erase some bad memories
- "I’m very happy to win my first match on Philippe Chatrier — because I’ve never won here,” Jabeur said on court about the clay-court tournament's main stadium
Rybakina holds off Baptiste in testing Indian Wells opener
- A shaky service game from Baptiste gave Rybakina a break for a 3-1 lead in the third and from there she was able to roll home
INDIAN WELLS, United States: Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina fended off a determined challenge from 43rd-ranked American Hailey Baptiste to reach the third round of the Indian Wells ATP and WTA Masters 1000 on Saturday.
The third-seeded Kazakh, who won the Indian Wells title in 2023, needed all of her patience and resolve in the face of an aggressive attack from Baptiste, but steadied herself in the final set to win 7-6 (7/5), 2-6, 6-2.
“It was a really tough match today, but I’m super-happy with the win,” said Rybakina, who beat world number one Aryna Sabalenka to claim her second Grand Slam title in Melbourne in January.
After squandering an early break in the opening set, Rybakina fought off three set points to force the tiebreaker in which three forehand winners put her in command before she pocketed the set with another.
But Rybakina was broken twice in the second set, Baptiste taking advantage to serve it out after Rybakina double-faulted on break point to hand the American a 5-2 lead.
A shaky service game from Baptiste gave Rybakina a break for a 3-1 lead in the third and from there she was able to roll home.
“She played really well,” Rybakina said. “She was staying aggressive. She has a good serve. I had my opportunities, didn’t get them from the beginning and then I was struggling in the second set, was rushing a bit.
“There are things for sure to improve on.
Rybakina was just one of the top women’s stars in action Saturday, along with second-seeded Iga Swiatek, defending champion Mirra Andreeva, and Dubai WTA 1000 winner Jessica Pegula.
Czech Karolina Muchova, winner last month in Doha, opened her campaign with a 7-5, 6-2 victory over Anna Bondar.
World number two Swiatek takes on US qualifier Kayla Day. The Polish star lifted the trophy in Indian Wells in 2022 and 2024 and is hoping a return to a venue she loves will kickstart a season in which fell in the quarter-finals at the Australian Open and in Doha.
Russian 18-year-old Andreeva, seeking to join Martina Navratilova as the only women to go back-to-back in Indian Wells, takes on Argentina’s Solana Sierra.
Fifth-seeded Pegula of the United States faces Croatian veteran Donna Vekic in the night session on Stadium Court.
