American Coco Gauff dispatched Australia’s Olivia Gadecki in straight sets to get her French Open campaign off to a confident start on Tuesday.
Second seed Gauff, a former French Open finalist, won 6-2, 6-2 in one hour and 11 minutes against 91st-ranked Gadecki.
The 21-year-old Gauff next meets either French wildcard Chloe Paquet or Czech qualifier Tereza Valentova in the second round.
“It was really windy. I knew it wasn’t going to be a clean match with the wind, but overall, I’m really happy with the way I played,” said Gauff, who hit seven double faults.
“It was two different matches depending on what side of the court you are on.”
Gauff played her first Grand Slam final at senior level against Iga Swiatek at the 2022 French Open, losing in straight sets.
A year after that, she won the US Open title.
The American is coming off back-to-back final defeats in both Roland Garros warm-up tournaments in Madrid and Rome, losing to world number one Aryna Sabalenka and Italy’s Jasmine Paolini, respectively.
Andreeva hits the ground running in Paris
Title contender Mirra Andreeva eased into the French Open second round with a 6-4 6-3 victory over Spain’s Cristina Bucsa on Tuesday to continue her fine form this season.
Andreeva, a surprise semifinalist in Paris at the age of 17 last year, needed time to get going after quickly finding herself two breaks down and 3-0 behind in the first set.
The Russian teenager had trouble finding her range, with 11 unforced errors in the opening six games.
“I can say she played amazing, especially in the beginning,” Andreeva said. “I felt I was playing not bad, but how is it I am 0-3 behind? I told myself to keep playing.”
“Step by step, point by point, I found my rhythm, in the end, it was easier to push and stay aggressive.”
American third seed Jessica Pegula also cruised into the second round with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Romania’s Anca Todoni. Pegula, last year’s US Open runner-up, will take on either fellow countrywoman Ann Li or Argentinian qualifier Maria Lourdes Carle for a place in the last 32.
