Advertisement

Serena, Wozniacki, Kvitova, move on; Bouchard bounced in Paris

Serena Williams waltzed past Czech Andrea Hlavackova 6-2, 6-3 to improve to a stellar 26-1 this year.

American Serena Williams hits a shot during her French Open women's first round match against Andrea Hlavackova of the Czech Republic at Roland Garros in Paris on May 26, 2015. Williams defeated Hlavackova 6-2, 6-3 to advance to the next round. Photo by David Silpa/UPI
1 of 4 | American Serena Williams hits a shot during her French Open women's first round match against Andrea Hlavackova of the Czech Republic at Roland Garros in Paris on May 26, 2015. Williams defeated Hlavackova 6-2, 6-3 to advance to the next round. Photo by David Silpa/UPI | License Photo

World No. 1 superstar Serena Williams, fourth-seeded Petra Kvitova and fifth seed Caroline Wozniacki notched opening- round wins, while struggling Canadian star Genie Bouchard was shown the door Tuesday at the 2015 French Open.

The 19-time Grand Slam champion Williams waltzed past Czech Andrea Hlavackova 6-2, 6-3 to improve to a stellar 26-1 this year.

Advertisement

The reigning Australian and U.S. Open titlist is a two-time French Open champ (2002, 2013). Her second-round opponent will be German Anna-Lena Friedsam.

The Wimbledon champion and recent Madrid titlist Kvitova gutted out a 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 win over New Zealand's Marina Erakovic, while the U.S. Open runner-up Wozniacki waltzed past last week's Nurnberg clay-court champ Karin Knapp of Italy 6-3, 6-0.

And in-form Frenchwoman Kristina Mladenovic erased the sixth-seeded Bouchard 6-4, 6-4. Mladenovic was a clay-court runner-up in Strasbourg, France, last week.

The 2014 Wimbledon runner-up Bouchard, who reached at least the quarterfinals in four of the previous five majors, has been playing poorly since appearing in the Australian Open quarters back in January.

Advertisement

Bouchard said she "had no expectations coming in."

A French Open semifinalist a year ago, Bouchard is now 7-10 overall this season, including five tournament-opening losses.

One of this year's Aussie Open semifinalists, 16th-seeded American Madison Keys, avoided an upset on Tuesday by topping fellow countrywoman Varvara Lepchenko 7-6 (7-3), 6-3.

Meanwhile, 10th-seeded German Andrea Petkovic whipped American Shelby Rogers 6-2, 6-1 and 18th-seeded Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova held off Dutchwoman Kiki Bertens 6-1, 4-6, 6-2. The two-time Grand Slam winner Kuznetsova was the French Open champion in 2009 and runner-up in 2006.

Bulgaria's Sesil Karatantcheva posted an upset by taking out 25th-seeded former world No. 1 Jelena Jankovic 6-3, 6-4. The former U.S. Open runner-up Jankovic is a three-time French Open semifinalist, but hasn't reached the final four here since 2010.

Also on Day 3, 23rd-seeded rising Swiss Timea Bacsinszky handled Spaniard Lara Arruabarrena 6-3, 6-4 and 32nd-seeded Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan doused German Dinah Pfizenmaier 6-4, 6-1.

Several other women reached the second round, including former French Open champion Francesca Schiavone of Italy, American Irina Falconi and German Julia Goerges.

Advertisement

[SportsNetwork.com]

Latest Headlines