Top 10 stars Kevin Anderson (Philadelphia Freedoms) and John Isner (New York Empire) each advanced in straight sets on Tuesday to begin their Roland Garros title quests.
The sixth-seeded Anderson dismissed Paolo Lorenzi 6-1, 6-2, 6-4, requiring just one hour and 42 minutes to overcome the Italian. Anderson dominated off the ground, hitting 49 winners (18 aces) to 19 unforced errors. The South African has previously reached the round of 16 in Paris on three occasions (2013, 2014 and 2017).
Isner completed a rain-interrupted clash with countryman Noah Rubin, finishing off the USTA Roland Garros Wild Card Challenge winner, 6-3, 7-6(7), 7-6(7). The ninth seed, Isner rifled 28 aces to zero double faults and was not broken in the two hour-and-18-minute victory. Isner faces Horacio Zeballos for a spot in the third round.
Fellow American Taylor Townsend (Freedoms) shone through in her opener, brushing aside wild card Myrtille Georges 6-4, 6-2. Townsend saved all seven break points she faced and now awaits the winner of world No. 1 Simona Halep and Alison Riske. In 2014, Townsend achieved her best major singles result when she progressed to the third round.
Neal Skupski (Empire) and older brother Ken prevailed over #WTTFamily members Mike Bryan (Washington Kastles) and Sam Querrey (Orange County Breakers) 7-5, 6-4 in a first-round encounter. The Skupskis, making their team debut at the French Open, won their first title together earlier this year in Montpellier. Their best result at a Grand Slam came during their run to the Wimbledon quarterfinals in 2017.
Wednesday Schedule
Court 3
Venus Williams (w/Serena) – third on
Court 4
Tatjana Maria (w/Watson) – first on
Nicole Melichar (w/Peschke) – fourth on
Court 5
Abigail Spears (w/Rosolska) – fourth on
Court 7
Sam Querrey – third on
Sloane Stephens – fourth on
Court 12
Robert Lindstedt / Marcin Matkowski – fourth on
Court 13
Marcelo Demoliner (w/Gonzalez) – first on
Court 14
Tennys Sandgren (w/Lipsky) – second on
Jack Sock (w/Johnson) – third on
Court 15
Stephane Robert (w/Hemery) – second on
Daniel Nestor (w/Chardy) – fourth on
Court 16
Taylor Townsend (w/Voracova) – fourth on
Fabrice Martin (w/Raja) – fifth on
Court 18
Naomi Osaka – first on
