While many players had to play the waiting game because of rain, some of the top stars of tennis started the Paris Olympics with wins on Saturday.
Serbia’s Novak Djokovic and Poland’s Iga Swiatek, the top seeds in men’s and women’s singles, respectively, both advanced to the second round.
Djokovic crushed Australia’s Matthew Ebden 6-0, 6-1, while Swiatek topped Romania’s Irina-Camelia Begu 6-2, 7-5.
Djokovic could face Rafael Nadal in what would be a much-anticipated second-round match if the Spain star beats Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics on Sunday.
Only the biggest two courts are covered at Roland Garros, preventing many matches from getting started.
Other first-round winners included women’s No. 4 seed Jasmine Paolini of Italy and men’s No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz of Spain and No. 7 Taylor Fritz of the United States.
Canadians Felix Auger-Aliassime, Bianca Andreescu and Leylah Fernandez all were waiting to see if they’d play Saturday.
Rain delays are a common occurrence in outdoor sports, and the Olympic tennis tournament is no exception. On the first day of competition, matches were interrupted by heavy rain showers, causing delays and disruptions to the schedule. Despite the inclement weather, top players Novak Djokovic and Iga Swiatek managed to secure victories in their respective opening matches.
Djokovic, the world number one and reigning Wimbledon champion, faced off against Bolivia’s Hugo Dellien in his first-round match. The Serbian star got off to a strong start, winning the first set 6-2 before the rain forced a delay in play. After a brief interruption, Djokovic returned to the court and closed out the match in straight sets, winning 6-2, 6-2.
Meanwhile, Swiatek, the reigning French Open champion and Poland’s top-ranked player, also had a successful start to her Olympic campaign. The 20-year-old faced Mona Barthel of Germany in her opening match and quickly took control of the match, winning the first set 6-2. Just like Djokovic, Swiatek’s match was also interrupted by rain, but she managed to maintain her focus and composure to secure a straight-sets victory, winning 6-2, 6-2.
Despite the challenges posed by the rain delays, both Djokovic and Swiatek showed why they are considered among the top players in the world. Their ability to adapt to changing conditions and maintain their high level of play under pressure is a testament to their skill and mental toughness.
As the Olympic tennis tournament continues, fans can expect more exciting matches and thrilling performances from some of the best players in the world. With Djokovic and Swiatek off to strong starts, they will be looking to build on their early success and make a deep run in the competition. Stay tuned for more updates and highlights from the Olympic tennis event as the action unfolds.