French Open: Novak Djokovic hands fan Kovacevic a first-round defeat; Sloane Stephens makes a statement

Eighteen years after having watched a teenaged Novak Djokovic play on one of the outer courts of Flushing Meadows at the US Open, Aleksandar Kovacevic found himself on Roland Garros' showpiece court, this time standing across the net from the 22-time Grand Slam champion.

The American's fanboy-turned-competitor day out in the Paris summer lasted a little under two-and-a-half hours, in which he did cause a few problems for Djokovic but not nearly enough to cause any alarm bells. Djokovic came out a 6-3, 6-2, 7-6(1) winner in his first round of the French Open on Court Philippe-Chatrier on Monday.

The two-time Roland Garros champion lost serve a few times and quelled a late fight from the 24-year-old Grand Slam debutant but restored his level in the third-set tiebreaker, in which he gave the American just one point.

“I’m very motivated to stay in this tournament for a long time, it’s just the start now,” said Djokovic, speaking in French for his on-court interview. “I’m happy. I’ve started well and hope I can improve further for the next match.”

The 36-year-old will take on Hungarian Marton Fucsovics in the second round.

Djokovic came into the match with some concerns about his fitness after an elbow injury troubled him during the clay season. However, he showed little signs of trouble while also being largely clinical in his opening test. Djokovic finished with 41 winners, including 10 aces, and won an impressive 73 % of the 26 points coming to the net.

Kovacevic, ranked 114 in the world, caused Djokovic a few headaches, especially with his single-handed backhand but wasn’t consistent enough with it. The Serb got the first break in the sixth game of the opening set, which was enough for him to run away with it and the second set.

Djokovic kicked off the third set with a break to love before his serve was put under pressure in the next game. Djokovic saved three break points there, but his serve again faltered in the sixth game as Kovacevic levelled the set at 3-3. Kovacevic though lost serve immediately. With an opportunity to serve out for the match, Djokovic unusually dropped guard and allowed Kovacevic to come back again. Not for long, however, as the tiebreaker was one-way traffic.

Auger-Aliassime exits

In the first big upset in the men's draw, Canadian 10th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime crashed out in the opening round after a 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 defeat against seasoned Italian Fabio Fognini on Court Simonne Mathieu.

The 22-year-old revealed he was ill and wasn't physically at his best. Auger-Aliassime, who has now exited from the first round of the French Open in three of the last four outings, had pulled out of the Lyon quarter-final last week with a shoulder issue.

“I woke up this morning trying — I mean, it’s like I’ve been struggling with a few things,” he said after the defeat. “I tried to warm up. I tried to see the doctor, see what I could take, but after one set, just cramping and just can’t move anymore.”

Former French Open champion Stan Wawrinka came through a five-set rollercoaster, beating Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas 7-6(5), 6-4, 6-7(2), 1-6, 6-4. British 14th seed Cameron Norrie also went through five sets in defeating the unpredictable Frenchman Benoit Paire 7-5, 4-6, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4.

Stephens makes a statement

In women, Sloane Stephens started the proceedings on Philippe-Chatrier on Monday and made quite an impression in her 6-0, 6-4 rout of two-time Grand Slam finalist Karolina Pliskova.

American Stephens, the 2017 US Open champion, has enjoyed consistent success at the French Open, losing the 2018 final to Simona Halep and reaching two more quarter-finals.

“This is my favourite court in the world, so I’m super happy to be back,” Stephens said on court. “To start a Slam on your favorite court, your favorite surface, is always incredible.”

Another French Open runner-up, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia, was equally dominant in her 6-2, 6-2 win over rising Czech star Linda Fruhvirtova.

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