Rafael Nadal began the defense of his title at Roland Garros with a straightforward 6-3 6-3 6-4 win over French wildcard Quentin Halys.
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Nadal was at his stingy best in the second set, making just one unforced error. However, he faces a stiffer test in the second round against Nicolas Almagro.World No. 1 Novak Djokovic followed Nadal on court and defeated Finnish veteran Jarkko Nieminen, also in three sets.However, Nieminen didn’t go down without a fight. He led 5-3 in the second set, and the crowd — as well as Djokovic — appreciated his effort.Women’s world No. 1 Serena Williams, bidding for a third French Open crown, effortlessly defeated Andrea Hlavackova with a score of 6-2 6-3.Interestingly, the French Open ranks as Williams’ least productive Grand Slam, with only two of her 19 major titles secured in Paris.Unfortunately, Eugenie Bouchard’s slump continues. As a semifinalist the previous year, she was eliminated in the first round by Kristina Mladenovic.
