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French Open: Tsitsipas survives, Medvedev advances easily, Tsonga retires after defeat
CGTN

Last year's runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas came back from the brink to reach the French Open second round, and world No. 2 Daniil Medvedev kicked off his campaign with a comfortable win on Tuesday.

Fourth-seeded Tsitsipas survived a scare by defeating world No. 66 Lorenzo Musetti 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-2, for a season-leading 32 wins.

The Greek star came into the tournament on the back of a successful defense of his Monte Carlo title and a runner-up spot in Madrid.

Daniil Medvedev of Russia plays against Facundo Bagnis of Argentina during the first round at the French Open at Roland Garros in Paris, France, May 24, 2022. /CFP

Daniil Medvedev of Russia plays against Facundo Bagnis of Argentina during the first round at the French Open at Roland Garros in Paris, France, May 24, 2022. /CFP

Medvedev, the 2021 U.S. Open champion, won 6-2 6-2 6-2 over Argentine Facundo Bagnis.  

The Russian, who briefly held the world No. 1 ranking earlier in the season, played his first clay event of 2022 last week in Geneva after a two-month break but lost in the opening round to Frenchman Richard Gasquet. 

Clay courts have not been Medvedev's strong suit, and he was 0-4 at Roland Garros before last year's tournament but turned around his dismal record by reaching the quarterfinals. 

"... I've been well after my surgery; I didn't think I would be able to play on clay. But with the help of the doctors and the physios, I've been able to be back on my feet to even play a match on clay last week and I'm 100 percent ready to play Roland Garros," he said.

The Russian still yearns to play next month at Wimbledon where is banned from playing because of Russia's military operation in Ukraine. He said it was "very strange" that he could climb to the top of the men's rankings even if excluded from the grass-court Grand Slam tournament.

Holger Rune of Denmark celebrates a point against Denis Shapovalov of Canada during the first round at the French Open at Roland Garros in Paris, France, May 24, 2022. /CFP

Holger Rune of Denmark celebrates a point against Denis Shapovalov of Canada during the first round at the French Open at Roland Garros in Paris, France, May 24, 2022. /CFP

In other first round action, Danish teenager Holger Rune upset 14th-seeded Denis Shapovalov 6-3, 6-1, 7-6 (4). 

The 19-year-old Rune, French Open junior champion in 2019, won the BMW Open this month and was a semifinalist in Lyon last week. 

The rising star shot up from the 400s in the rankings in 2021 to the top 100 early this year. He has already improved his ranking to world No. 40, a major accomplishment considering he played for the first time in the main draw of an ATP tournament just over a year ago. 

France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga receives a trophy to mark his retirement at the end of his men's singles match against Norway's Casper Ruud at the French Open at Roland Garros in Paris, France, May 24, 2022. /CFP

France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga receives a trophy to mark his retirement at the end of his men's singles match against Norway's Casper Ruud at the French Open at Roland Garros in Paris, France, May 24, 2022. /CFP

However, it was a sad day for veteran Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, as the former Australian Open runner-up and world No. 5 bid an emotional goodbye to tennis at Roland Garros on Tuesday after losing in the first round to Casper Ruud. 

The 37-year-old Frenchman, who announced last month he would retire following the French Open, was beaten 6-7 (6/8), 7-6 (7/4), 6-2, 7-6 (7/0) by the Norwegian eighth seed. 

His struggles with a number of different injuries in recent years have seen his ranking tumble to 297. 

Wang Qiang of China reacts in the first round of women's singles match against Jessica Pegula of the United States at the French Open at Roland Garros in Paris, France, May 24, 2022. /CFP

Wang Qiang of China reacts in the first round of women's singles match against Jessica Pegula of the United States at the French Open at Roland Garros in Paris, France, May 24, 2022. /CFP

On the women's court, third seed Paula Badosa made quick work of French wildcard Fiona Ferro by winning 6-2 6-0 in under an hour to book a spot in the second round. 

Chinese tennis players, however, did not make it through, as Zhang Shuai lost to Camila Giorgi of Italy 6-3, 2-6, 2-6, and Wang Qiang lost to 11th seed American Jessica Pegula 2-6, 4-6. 

(With input from agencies)

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