Australia’s top hopes Alex de Minaur and Ash Barty have begun their French Open campaigns in style with a straight sets wins.
The 20-year-old De Minaur, on the comeback from a groin injury, broke a five-match losing streak with the 6-1 6-4 6-4 win over American Bradley Klahn.- his first on clay this season.
The 21st seed’s Monday triumph sets up a date with clay court specialist Pablo Carreno Busta and follow’s countryman Alexei Popyrin’s impressive Sunday win.
Spain-based de Minaur conceded he had struggled with his first serious niggle earlier this year but was confident things were in order ahead of his Roland Garros tilt.
After a nervy first game — he started with a double fault and saved the only two break points against him all match — de Minaur rifled a forehand winner and didn’t look back in the one hour 42 minute clinic.
The right-hander’s quality return game was back as he chipped away at the world No.89’s sliding serve, contributing to his 45 unforced errors and 31 forced errors.
De Minaur, who made just 20 unforced errors to go with an even 20 winners, will play Carreno Busta in the second round after the Spaniard knocked off Joao Sousa 6-3 6-1 6-2.
Later, Barty survived a bumpy ride to book her spot in the French Open second round.
The eighth seed beat American Jessica Pegula 6-3 6-3 to make it three from three for Australians, after Alex de Minaur and Alexei Popyrin’s earlier victories on the Paris clay.
It was far from conventional from the top-ranked Australian, who let break point opportunities slip in both sets, before recovering in time to claim the scrappy win in exactly an hour.