French Open: Berdych advances, Radwanska bows out

Czech player enters second round after win over Japanese qualifier


Afp May 25, 2015
Berdych, a semi-finalist in 2010, required less than half an hour to win the opening set. PHOTO: AFP

PARIS: World number four Tomas Berdych eased into the French Open second round, but there was more Paris misery for ex-world number two and former Wimbledon runner-up Agnieszka Radwanska, who was a shock first-round loser.

Berdych, a 2010 semi-finalist, continued his solid claycourt season with a 6-0, 7-5, 6-3 win over Japanese qualifier Yoshihito Nishioka, the world number 146.

The 29-year-old Berdych will face Davis Cup-winning teammate Radek Stepanek, the oldest man in the draw at 36, for a place in the last 32.

“There are still a lot of room to improve, which is good,” said fourth-seeded Berdych. “It is always good to have the first one down and now I’ll just keep focusing on my next opponent.”

Stepanek became the oldest man to win a match at Roland Garros since 38-year-old Jimmy Connors in 1991 when he saw off Croatian journeyman Ivan Dodig 5-7, 6-3, 6-4, 6-1.

Spain’s 11th seed Feliciano Lopez was the biggest men’s casualty so far on the day when he lost to Russian world number 74 Teymuraz Gabashvili, 6-3, 7-6 (11/9), 6-3.

In the women’s event, Spanish eighth seed Carla Suarez Navarro, a quarter-finalist in 2008 and 2014, beat Romania’s Monica Niculescu 6-2, 6-2.

But Polish 14th seed Radwanska went down 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 to Germany’s Annika Beck.

The defeat was only the third time in 34 Grand Slam tournaments that 26-year-old Radwanska had lost in the first round.

There were home wins for French 29th seed Alize Cornet, who defeated Roberta Vinci 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 for her first victory over the veteran Italian in five attempts, and wildcard Amandine Hesse, ranked 272, who hit back to beat Australia’s Jarmila Gajdosova 2-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Hesse’s reward is a second-round match-up with 2010 runner-up Samantha Stosur, the winner in Strasbourg at the weekend, who defeated Madison Brengle of the US 6-1, 6-3. 

Published in The Express Tribune, May 26th,  2015.

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