Kevin Anderson sails into second round at Roland Garros
Doubles specialist Raven Klaasen also impresses on a good day for South Africa.
South Africa’s Kevin Anderson plays a return to Italy’s Paolo Lorenzi during their men’s singles first round match on day three of The Roland Garros 2018 French Open tennis tournament in Paris on May 29, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / Thomas SAMSON
Big-serving South African Kevin Anderson and doubles specialist Raven Klaasen opened the nation’s campaign in style at the French Open on Tuesday, romping to straight-sets victories in their first-round matches at Roland Garros.
Anderson, the No 6 seed, had no trouble against Italian veteran Paolo Lorenzi as he secured a convincing 6-1 6-2 6-4 victory in the opening round of the men’s singles competition.
The lanky SA player, who was in superb form this year after reaching three ATP Tour finals and winning the New York Open, was set to face former French Open doubles champion Pablo Cuevas of Uruguay in the second round.
Meanwhile, Klaasen and partner Michael Venus of New Zealand, who won the doubles title in Paris last year with American Ryan Harrison, also coasted through the opening round.
The duo earned a 6-3 6-3 win, sweeping aside the wild card French pairing of Corentin Denolly and Alexandre Muller.
Klaasen and Venus would meet either Spaniards David Marrero and Fernando Verdasco or Frenchmen Jonathan Eysseric and Hugo Nys in round two.
