TENNIS: Quick and effective: Sabalenka races into French Open second round

World number one Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the second round of the French Open with a straight-sets win over Jessica Bouzas Maneiro. Despite a brief dip in form mid-match, she regained control to secure a comfortable opening victory in Paris.

Reuters

May 26, 2026

Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - May 26, 2026 Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka celebrates after winning her first round match against Spains's Jessica Bouzas Maneiro

Stephane Mahe/Reuters

World number one Aryna Sabalenka blazed through her opening round at the French Open as she brushed aside Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-4 6-2 on Tuesday.

Sabalenka raced to a 4-0 lead on a sun-kissed Court Philippe Chatrier before unforced errors crept into her game, which allowed her opponent to pull two breaks back and serve for 5-5.

A double fault, however, handed the top-seeded Belarusian the first set and she opened up a 5-0 advantage in the second.

Bouzas Maneiro got to survive another couple of games when she held and then broke for 5-2 but a double fault gave Sabalenka a routine win.

“That’s the most enjoyable part of the game that I can come to the net to play points there, it’s so much fun,” last year’s runner-up Sabalenka said.

“I’m so happy I was able to improve on that part of the game and bring it on court.”

-Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Ken Ferris/Reuters