There will be no first-round exit for Alexander Zverev at Roland Garros this year. The 6’6” German dominated his opener on Sunday, cruising past Lithuania’s Ricardas Berankis 6-1, 6-1, 6-2 in only 69 minutes. The second seed hit 11 aces and dropped only four points on his first serve (27/31).

Last year, Zverev, after winning his maiden ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title in Rome, lost to Fernando Verdasco in the first round in Paris. Zverev is now a two-time clay-court Masters 1000 titlist after winning the Mutua Madrid Open earlier this month (d. Thiem), and he’s looking to reach his first Grand Slam quarter-final this fortnight.

“On clay especially I have been playing well… I have won two tournaments (Munich, Madrid), made the finals in Rome; again, losing to Rafa in a close match. I feel good, and today was a good start to the tournament,” Zverev said.

His best showing at a Grand Slam was a fourth-round run at 2017 Wimbledon (l. to Raonic). Zverev made the third round at Roland Garros two years ago. He will next meet Serbian Dusan Lajovic or Czech Jiri Vesely.

The highest-seeded Frenchman in the draw cruised in his opener. Fifteeenth seed Lucas Pouille routed Russian Daniil Medvedev, a titlist in Sydney earlier this year, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 on Court Philippe-Chatrier. Pouille won 82 per cent of his first-serve points and won almost half of his return points against the 22-year-old Medvedev.

“The beginning of a tournament is always complicated, and it’s reassuring when you have a problem of confidence to realise that you were playing well during training and you could apply the game today,” Pouille said.

“I tried to focus on very simple things. I tried to have a sound and sturdy game without trying any wild things, play effective tennis without trying to shine… I’m very happy with the way I managed to cope with my emotions.”

France’s No. 1 enjoyed his best Roland Garros showing last year when he reached the third round (l. to Ramos-Vinolas). He’s into the second round for the fifth time. Pouille will next meet Brit Cameron Norrie or German Peter Gojowczyk, who finished as the Banque Eric Sturdza Geneva Open runner-up on Saturday (l. to Fucsovics).

It’s been 35 years since France’s Yannick Noah won Roland Garros in 1983. No other Frenchman has matched the feat – or won another Grand Slam title – in the Open Era.

In other action, 26^th seed Damir Dzumhur of Bosnia and Herzegovina saved nine of 10 break points to beat American qualifier Denis Kudla 6-4, 6-2, 6-2. Dzumhur, a two-time ATP World Tour titlist, will next meet Radu Albot of Moldova, who came back to beat Frenchman Gregoire Barrere 4-6, 0-6, 7-5, 6-1, 6-2 in two hours and 33 minutes.

“I have sort of lukewarm feelings,” Barrere said. “I’m obviously disappointed to lose like that, but I’m very happy about my playing level for the first three sets. I’ll have to continue playing like that and seizing the game in my hands.”

Did You Know?
Pouille broke into the Top 10 of the ATP Rankings in March for the first time. View ATP Rankings

Grigor Dimitrov adapted well to the challenge of facing a late replacement in the draw on Sunday, beating lucky loser Mohamed Safwat 6-1, 6-4, 7-6(1) to reach the second round at Roland Garros.

Dimitrov had prepared to face Viktor Troicki in the opening match of the tournament on Philippe-Chatrier Court before the Serb withdrew with lower back pain, handing Egypt’s Safwat a place in the main draw. Safwat, the first Egyptian man to compete at a Grand Slam since Tamer El Sawy at the 1996 US Open, handled the occasion well, testing the World No. 5 after a slow start.

The fourth seed hit 31 winners and won 88 per cent of first-serve points to snap a three-match losing streak after just over two hours. Dimitrov entered Roland Garros after opening-match losses at ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events in Madrid (l. to Raonic) and Rome (l. to Nishikori).

Dimitrov awaits the winner of the first-round encounter between Chile’s Nicolas Jarry and Jared Donaldson. Dimitrov is yet to meet either player on the ATP World Tour.

Dimitrov controlled the opening set from the baseline, hitting with greater power than his opponent off both wings to take a one-set lead after 22 minutes. The reigning Nitto ATP Finals champion dropped just eight points in the opener, taking charge of important points on his forehand side to outmanoeuvre the lucky loser.

The second set appeared to be following the same pattern, with Dimitrov, once again, using his forehand to great effect to secure an early break. But Safwat rallied, after taking a medical time-out at a set and 4-1 down, to come to within a point of levelling proceedings at 4-4. Dimitrov saved break point, taking the initiative with a strong forehand before finishing at the net, to maintain his advantage before sealing the set with a composed hold to love two games later.

The Egyptian carried his improved level into the third set, bravely saving break points at 3-3 and 4-4 to keep pace with Dimitrov before reaching a tie-break. At that point, Dimitrov rediscovered his first-set form, dominating with the forehand to race to the finish line.

Did You Know?
Grigor Dimitrov is now one victory away from his 50th Grand Slam match win (49-30). The 27-year-old has won 20 matches at the Australian Open (20-8), six at Roland Garros (6-7), 15 at The Championships (15-8) and eight at the US Open (8-7).