Defending French Open champ Barbora Krejcikova ousted in first round by 97th-ranked Diane Parry
PARIS — Barbora Krejcikova arrived at the French Open as the defending champion in singles and doubles. She also was coming off a three-month absence from the tour because of an injured right elbow, so even her own expectations were rather modest.
Krejcikova was right to be apprehensive — and on Monday, she become only the third woman in the professional era to exit in the first round at Roland Garros a year after earning the trophy.
The second-seeded Krejcikova got off to a terrific start before everything fell apart in a 1-6, 6-2, 6-3 loss to Diane Parry, a 19-year-old from France who is ranked 97th and entered the day with a 1-5 career record in Grand Slam matches. Parry received raucous backing from spectators shouting for her at Court Philippe Chatrier, where the noise echoed under the retractable roof pulled shut because of rain.
«It's a dream for me. It was always a dream to play on this court, with the French crowd to support me. They clearly pushed me to victory today,'' Parry said. „I'm the happiest person right now.''
Also Monday, four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka lost her opening match to Amanda Anisimova 7-5, 6-4. Anisimova, a 20-year-old American who reached the French Open semifinals in 2019, also beat Osaka in the third round at the Australian Open in January.
Top-seeded Iga Swiatek, meanwhile, extended her winning streak to 29 matches by advancing to the second round. The Polish player, who won the French Open title in 2020, beat Lesia Tsurenko 6-2, 6-0 in the first round on Court Phillipe Chatrier. Swiatek's winning streak is the longest by any woman since Serena Williams won 34 in a row in 2013. She has won the title at her past five tournaments.
Former Grand Slam champions Petra Kvitova beat