Alcaraz in cruise control at French Open: 'I have been dreaming of playing here'

Carlos Alcaraz lived up to the mounting hype with a winning start at the French Open on Sunday but Arab trailblazer Ons Jabeur fell at the first hurdle as full crowds returned to Roland Garros after two pandemic-hit years.

Alcaraz, bidding to become just the eighth teenager to capture a major men's title, defeated Argentine lucky loser Juan Ignacio Londero 6-4, 6-2, 6-0 without facing a break point on his Court Philippe Chatrier debut.

Widely tipped to end the dominance of 13-time champion Rafael Nadal and two-time winner Novak Djokovic, Alcaraz extended his season record to 29 wins and just three losses.

The 19-year-old crashed 22 winners past Londero who matched the Spaniard's challenge early on until he was broken in the 10th game of the opening set.

Alcaraz then raced away with the tie courtesy of a double break in the second set and triple break in the third to set up a second round clash with compatriot Albert Ramos-Vinolas.

"I have been watching this tournament many years. It's a unique place to play and I have been dreaming of playing here," said Alcaraz who made the third round in 2021 having come through qualifying.

Alcaraz has a season-leading four titles in 2022. At the Madrid Masters, he defeated Nadal, Djokovic and Alexander Zverev to take the title.

German third seed Zverev, a semi-finalist last year and who is scheduled to face Alcaraz in the quarter-finals, also eased into the second round with a 6-2, 6-4, 6-4 win over Austria's Sebastian Ofner, the world number 218.

'Expecting better'

Jabeur, seen as a potential champion this year, despite never having previously got past the fourth round, was the opening day's highest-profile casualty when she lost 3-6, 7-6 (7/4), 7-5 to Poland's 56th-ranked Magda Linette.

Jabeu