PARIS-. The most successful tennis player in history has an outstanding account that can only be settled in Paris. The Serbian Novak DjokovicThe 24-time Grand Slam champion began his quest to claim his missing Olympic gold medal with a 6-0, 6-1 victory over Australian Matthew Ebden in less than an hour on Saturday at Roland Garros’ Stade Philippe-Chatrier.
At 37, the world number two is unlikely to get another chance.
Nole became the top seed at the Olympic tennis tournament after the withdrawal of world number one, Italian Jannik Sinner, due to tonsillitis.
Her only Olympic medal was the bronze in Beijing 2008.
In the second round, Djokovic could face his eternal rival on the circuit, Rafael Nadal, if the Spaniard beats Hungarian Marton Fucsovics.
Second seed Carlos Alcaraz of Spain beat Lebanese Hady Habid, an unknown player who came to Paris thanks to an invitation granted by the International Tennis Federation to representatives of underrepresented countries. It was his debut on the clay of Roland Garros and Alcaraz was the first Top 80 rival of his career.
The world number three won 6-3, 6-1 at the Suzanne-Lenglen indoor stadium.
As has happened throughout Saturday, tennis also suffered from the persistent rain. A dozen matches on open courts have been postponed until the weather conditions improve.
In the women’s draw, world number one Iga Swiatek of Poland beat Romania’s Irina-Camelia Begu 6-2, 7-5, also at the Philippe-Chatrier indoor stadium.
Swiatek has won the French Open in four of the last five years, playing on the same clay courts as Roland Garros.
Italian Jasmine Paolini beat Romanian Ana Bogdan 7-5, 6-3 on the Suzanne-Lenglen indoor court.
Source: AP