French Open day two: Carlos Alcaraz hits a worldie, Roland Garros balls ‘terrible and silly’

French Open
Carlos Alcaraz in action

A look at day two of the French Open as Cameron Norrie defeated Benoit Paire – who was not happy with the balls – and the French Open crowd to reach the second round, edging through in five sets.

The 14th seed is the only British player to make it through the first round in singles after Jack Draper was forced to retire with a shoulder problem against Tomas Etcheverry.

Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz both won their openers in straight sets while Petra Kvitova was among the women’s seeds to fall. Meanwhile, Italian veteran Fabio Fognini notched up his biggest win at Roland Garros to date.

Picture of the day

Caroline Garcia during a match

Caroline Garcia plays a backhand against China’s Wang Xiyu (Jean-Francois Badias/AP)

Shot of the day

Top seed Carlos Alcaraz kicked off his campaign with a 6-0, 6-2, 7-5 win and also got this sexy shot in.

Stat of the day

A landmark moment for 37-year-old Fognini.

Paire talking balls

Benoit Paire was unhappy with the balls being used for this year’s tournament, saying after his loss to Norrie: “You have to hit every ball really hard because it’s not moving. It’s terrible. It’s Roland Garros, one of the greatest tournaments in the world, and we’re playing with these silly balls.”

History maker

Zhang Zhizhen became the first from China to win a match in the main draw at Roland Garros in 86 years when he defeated Dusan Lajovic in the first round – the Serbian retired due to illness when while 6-1, 4-1 behind.

Fallen seeds

Men: Felix Auger-Aliassime (10), Jan-Lennard Struff (21), Botic Van De Zandschulp (25), Bernabe Zapata Miralles (32)

Women: Petra Kvitova (10), Veronika Kudermetova (11), Belinda Bencic (12), Karolina Pliskova (16), Martina Trevisan (26)

Who’s up next?


Women’s defending champion Iga Swiatek begins her campaign on Philippe Chatrier against Spaniard Cristina Bucsa.

Fourth seed Elena Rybakina takes on Czech teenager Brenda Fruhvirtova, while Coco Gauff faces Rebeka Masarova.

In the men’s draw, second seed Daniil Medvedev meets Brazilian Thiago Seyboth Wild, and sixth seed Holger Rune faces American Chris Eubanks.

READ MORE: Novak Djokovic retirement comments may be his French Open inspiration

Cameron Norrie Carlos Alcaraz Novak Djokovic

Latest