Paolini survives Yuan challenge, wins 7th straight match
WTA/ATP
Paris
Coming off of a historic title on home soil in Rome, Italy's Jasmine Paolini kept her winning streak going in the first round of Roland Garros on Sunday – although she had to survive a difficult challenge to prevail.
No. 4 seed Paolini, last year's French Open runner-up, outlasted 87th-ranked Yuan Yue of China 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 in their opening-round encounter on Court Suzanne-Lenglen at the year's second Grand Slam event.
'It's great to be back here,' Paolini said on court, after her win. 'Last year, playing Roland Garros and Olympics [both here], it's a special place. I love this city, this club, this surface as well.
'Hopefully I'm gonna play a little bit better the next round, and we'll see.' Back at her career-high ranking of World No. 4, Paolini has now picked up seven match-wins in a row, equaling her career-best winning streak at tour-level. Just over a week ago, she became the first Italian woman in 40 years to win the Internazionali BNL d'Italia singles title.
Paolini continues to be a force on slow red clay of late, having made her first Grand Slam final at Roland Garros last year. She was the first Italian woman to make a Slam final since Flavia Pennetta won the 2015 US Open -- and Paolini backed it up a few weeks later by making her second Grand Slam final on the grass of Wimbledon.
'I won quite easily the first set, then [Yuan] started to play better,' Paolini said. 'Me a little bit so-and-so, a little bit of emotions and nerves came out. ... I'm happy I fight until the end. It was tough, 3-2 down and a break, but I did it.'
Meanwhile, in the men's action, Lorenzo Musetti marked his return to Court Philippe-Chatrier with a dazzling first-round performance.
The eighth seed, competing at the iconic venue for the first time since winning the bronze medal at last year's Paris Olympics, delivered a stylish all-court display to move past qualifier Yannick Hanfmann 7-5, 6-2, 6-0.
'There was pressure being the first man to start this year [on Court Philippe-Chatrier],' said Musetti. 'It's an incredible honour, I've played many beautiful matches and have incredible memories on this court.'
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