Sunday, May 22, 2011

Stosur, Jankovic ease into French Open round two


 Last year's beaten finalist Samantha Stosur and former world number one Jelena Jankovic led the way into the French Open second round on Sunday's low-key opening day.Eighth seed Stosur, the highest-seeded woman in action on the tournament's first day, defeated Czech Iveta Benesova 6-2, 6-3 to set up a clash with Romanian teenager Simona Halep, who she beat in last year's first round.Jankovic, beaten by Stosur in the semi-finals 12 months ago, overcame Ukrainian Alona Bondarenko 6-3, 6-1 and will now face Russia's Vera Dushevina.Stosur, returning to the scene of her defeat by Francesca Schiavone in last year's final, was broken in her opening service game on Court Philippe Chatrier but broke straight back before romping to a 4-1 lead.The 27-year-old Australian converted her second set point when Benesova, the world number 52, miscued a stretching forehand and Stosur concluded a straightforward victory with a love service game in the second set.Jankovic, who also reached the Roland Garros last four in 2007 and 2008, rarely looked unsettled as she recorded a 13th victory over Bondarenko in 14 encounters.The Serb spurned two break points but then broke for a 4-2 lead before taking the first set when Bondarenko scuttled a forehand into the net at 5-3 down.A pair of breaks put the 26-year-old Jankovic 4-1 to the good in the second set and she overcame belated resistance from the Ukrainian to prevail on her third match point.

Schiavone begins her title defence against American 19-year-old Melanie Oudin on Monday, with Danish top seed Caroline Wozniacki kicking off her campaign against 40-year-old Japanese veteran Kimiko Date Krumm

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