Music: {allcanada} Raonic powers past Malisse in French Open

Sunday, May 26, 2013

{allcanada} Raonic powers past Malisse in French Open

PARIS — Canadian Milos Raonic hit 16 aces, won 32 points at the net and defeated Xavier Malisse, 6-2, 6-1, 4-6, 6-4. The 14th-ranked player is hoping to win his first French Open title.

Meanwhile, Serena Williams won her opening match at the French Open, then achieved a career breakthrough by speaking French to the crowd for the first time.

"'I'm a beginner," Williams said — referring to her French, not tennis.

Her play spoke volumes Sunday. Williams returned to the red clay that tripped her up in the first round a year ago, channeled any lingering frustration into her overpowering strokes and drubbed Anna Tatishvili 6-0, 6-1.

Also advancing on a chilly, grey first day of play were Sara Errani, the 2012 runner-up to Maria Sharapova, and 2008 champion Ana Ivanovic.

Williams lost her opening match at a Grand Slam tournament for the only time in her career a year ago, when she was beaten by France's Virginie Razzano. That was the most shocking in a succession of losses for Williams at Roland Garros, where she hasn't won the title since 2002 and hasn't reached the semifinals since 2003.

Determined to avoid another bad start, Williams won the first nine games, and 30 of the first 37 points. There was no letup from there, and she was still pumping her fist and shouting "Come on!" a game from the finish.

Williams won 56 of 78 points, including 28 of 33 on her serve, and hit eight aces. She maintained a stern expression throughout the match, and allowed herself only a brief smile when Tatishvili pushed a forehand wide on match point.

Williams, who keeps an apartment in Paris, was then interviewed on centre court and spoke French with only a slight accent.

"I think I am French because I have a flat here," she said. "I love Paris."

She'll face tougher competition in the rounds to come — Tatishvili fell to 2-11 this year and 0-3 at the French Open.

Play began with the temperature in the mid-50s (13 C), and an hour into the tournament, Errani was into the second round. The tenacious Italian beat Arantxa Rus 6-1, 6-2 in the opening match on Court Suzanne Lenglen.

Errani reached a Grand Slam final for the first time a year ago at Roland Garros.

"Last year was an unbelievable tournament, the best tournament of my life," Errani said. "But I don't want to think about that. I just want to come here and play another tournament. I try to concentrate on my tennis, not too much about last year."

Now ranked a career-best No. 5, Errani dominated Rus from the baseline and won four games at love. Rus double-faulted seven times and lost her 13th consecutive match on the WTA Tour.

Ivanovic, seeded 14th, beat Petra Martic 6-1, 3-6, 6-3. Ivanovic improved to 30-4 in the first round of Grand Slam tournaments.

In men's play, former No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt, playing in his 13th French Open, lost a seesaw marathon against No. 15-seeded Gilles Simon, 3-6, 1-6, 6-4, 6-1, 7-5. Simon overcame a two-set deficit to win for the first time in his career despite blowing a 5-love lead in the final set.

No. 23 Kevin Anderson beat lucky loser Illya Marchenko 6-3, 7-5, 6-4.