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Not entirely happy with the conditions: tennis star Victoria Azarenka
Photo:
Gao Jing / imago images / Xinhua
The French Open in autumn - not all tennis players fit this corona-related scheduling.
In the first round of Roland Garros, the unusual temperatures caused discussions.
Victoria Azarenka in particular was critical.
"I live in Florida, this is a bit ridiculous," she said during her 6-1, 6-2 win over Danka Kovinic.
Azarenka, who only failed to Naomi Osaka in the final at the US Open, wore leggings and a training jacket to her game and had previously come onto the pitch in a winter jacket.
Instead of spring, the French Open will take place in autumn this year because of the corona crisis, in the evening the temperatures in Paris fell and it rained again and again.
During a brief rain break, the Belarusian scolded: "It's eight degrees," said Azarenka.
They don't see it as waiting "like a duck" in the square.
"The conditions were crazy at the beginning," said Azarenka.
She and her opponent had been asked to wait in the square until the rain subsided a little.
But Azarenka and Kovinic left the court: "I don't sit in my chair at eight degrees and wait and get cold," said the former number one in the world.
Zverev against the Austrian Novak
Alexander Zverev had also dressed warmly, against the Austrian Dennis Novak he wore a long-sleeved top under his T-shirt.
The German won 7: 5, 6: 2, 6: 4 without any major problems.
Zverev got off to a difficult start - not entirely surprising.
The world number seventh had not played a match on clay in preparation for the tournament in Paris after losing the final at the US Open, and had to accept a break early.
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Long-sleeved into the next round: Alexander Zverev in Paris
Photo: JB Autissier / imago images / PanoramiC
At the score of 1: 4, Zverev found his rhythm after all, he only let Novak go through one service game.
In the second half he followed up with a quick break, Novak could no longer keep up.
Zverev's next opponent is the American Micheal Mmoh or local hero Pierre-Hugues Herbert from France.
The top favorites in Roland Garros are Rafael Nadal and world number one Novak Djokovic;
Zverev, who is sixth, can meet Nadal in the quarterfinals at the earliest, and Djokovic only in the final.
Wawrinka beats Murray
Previously, Stan Wawrinka had defeated Andy Murray in a game between two former superstars.
At the Philippe Chatrier, the largest stadium on the Parisian site, Wawrinka only needed 97 minutes to make it 6: 1, 6: 3, 6: 2.
Murray especially struggled with his serve, only 36 percent of his first serves came into the field.
The Briton had a new hip joint at the beginning of 2019 and had already announced the end of his career before he fought his way back this year.
The former number one did not want to accept that as an excuse for the clear defeat.
"I have to think hard about it, this is not the kind of game that I can just brush aside," said Murray.
Wawrinka meets the German Dominik Koepfer in the second round.
You can find all results and encounters of the French Open in the SPIEGEL Sports Center.
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hba / sid / dpa / AP
