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Tsitsipas survives scare to reach French Open second round

The Greek fifth seed, who blew a two-set lead to lose the 2021 final to Novak Djokovic, won 7-5, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) on Court Philippe Chatrier

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Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas plays a forehand return to Czech Republic's Jiri Vesely. — AFP

By AFP

Published: Sun 28 May 2023, 9:42 PM

Stefanos Tsitsipas held off a spirited comeback from Jiri Vesely to reach the second round of the French Open on Sunday with a four-set win.

The Greek fifth seed, who blew a two-set lead to lose the 2021 final to Novak Djokovic, won 7-5, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) on Court Philippe Chatrier.

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"The match was very inconsistent from my side," said Tsitsipas.

"I felt like I haven't played a match with so much inconsistency in a very long time.

"But otherwise I'm happy with how things turned around, and my fighting spirit kind of went on full display in those last few points of the tie-breaker."

He will next face either Spaniard Roberto Carballes Baena or qualifier Emilio Nava on Wednesday.

"It gives me a chance to go practice a bit more," Tsitsipas added when asked about his upcoming two days without a match in Paris.

"Today I got to feel the court a little bit by staying in it for a few hours. I hope that helps, too. Yeah, red wine and baguettes."

Tsitsipas, who could face world number one Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter-finals, is still chasing a first Grand Slam title after his Australian Open final loss to Djokovic earlier this year.

Meanwhile, Aryna Sabalenka said she understood Marta Kostyuk's decision to skip customary post-match handshakes with Russian and Belarusian players following Moscow's conflict with her country Ukraine but the player did not deserve jeers from the French Open crowd.

Booing and jeering could be heard from the thin Court Philippe Chatrier crowd as Kostyuk left the venue after a 6-3 6-2 loss to Belarusian world number two Sabalenka on Sunday.

"I understand why they're not shaking hands with us. I can imagine if they shake hands with us, what's going to happen to them from the Ukrainian side. I understand that this isn't personal. That's it," Sabalenka said.

"I think she didn't deserve to leave the court that way."

American Sebastian Korda claimed his first victory since January by battling past Mackenzie McDonald on Sunday and said he had spent the last few months learning to play again after a wrist issue wrecked his strong start to 2023.

Korda's hopes of emulating his father Petr's 1998 Australian Open triumph ended in pain and disappointment as he retired with a wrist problem in the Melbourne Park quarterfinal.

The 22-year-old returned to action at the end of April but crashed to early defeats in Madrid and Rome.

"I'd say I went two-three months without touching a racket. I even still had a little bit of pain in Madrid and Rome was the first tournament where I had nothing, which was a really big positive for me," said Korda, who won 6-4 7-5 6-4 on Sunday.

"Now I have zero pain in my wrist. Just kind of learning how to play again a little bit."

Korda enjoyed a breakthrough year at Grand Slam level in 2020 by reaching the Roland Garros fourth round where he lost to eventual champion Rafa Nadal.

Nadal, 36, is not playing in Paris this year due to a hip problem but is no stranger to making comebacks on the tour after injury and Korda backed the 22-times Grand Slam champion to return stronger next year.

"Ever since I started watching tennis he was always the guy," Korda said.

"He didn't lose too many times. That's one of the most impressive things in tennis history, maybe sports history how many times he's won and how much he's dominated here.

"It definitely opens up the draw, that's for sure. But there are still so many unbelievable players. He's definitely missed, but next year he'll be back and back to his old ways."

AFP

Published: Sun 28 May 2023, 9:42 PM

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