The Associated PressDQ forgotten, Djokovic leaves French Open foe 'suffocated'
Novak Djokovic's backhand clipped the net and landed wide, so he shook his head. Later, a too-soft drop shot found the white tape and bounced back on his own side, finally ceding a game in a dominant debut performance at the 2020 French Open. Djokovic simply bowed and walked to the sideline.
ReutersBautista Agut overcomes early jitters to beat Gasquet
Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut recovered from a slow start to beat home hope Richard Gasquet 7-6(5) 6-2 6-1 and reach the second round of the French Open on Tuesday. Bautista Agut, the 10th seed, came into the first-round match against Gasquet on Court Simonne Mathieu with a 6-2 lead in their head-to-head encounters but their ninth meeting was the first on clay. The early signs hinted at an upset win for the 34-year-old Gasquet as he raced into a 5-2 lead with three breaks of serve.
ReutersPlayers digging in for the long haul as damp Paris conditions test patience
The balls are heavier, the air cooler, the clay damper and at this year's autumnal French Open the matches are going longer as players are forced to grind it out on the dirt. Six men's first-round matches have gone past the four-hour mark, including Lorenzo Giustino's six-hour epic against Frenchman Corentin Moutet which he won 18-16 in the fifth set. Juan Ignacio Londero and Federico Delbonis spent nearly five hours settling their all-Argentine first round duel which Londero eventually won 14-12 in the decider.
