Roland Garros: Stefanos Tsitsipas eases into second round

The Greek star defeats Maximilian Marterer in straight sets.

Published : May 26, 2019 19:00 IST

Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas clenches his fist after scoring a point against Germany's Maximilian Marterer during their first round match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, Sunday, May 26, 2019. (AP Photo/Michel Euler )
Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas clenches his fist after scoring a point against Germany's Maximilian Marterer during their first round match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, Sunday, May 26, 2019. (AP Photo/Michel Euler )
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Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas clenches his fist after scoring a point against Germany's Maximilian Marterer during their first round match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, Sunday, May 26, 2019. (AP Photo/Michel Euler )

Rising Greek star Stefanos Tsitsipas moved into the French Open second round on Sunday with a comfortable straight-sets win over Maximilian Marterer on Court Philippe Chatrier.

The 20-year-old sixth seed, a semifinalist at the Australian Open earlier this year, brushed aside German Marterer 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (7/4).

Read | Is Nadal vulnerable?

Tsitsipas raced into a 2-0 lead and edged a third-set tie-break to see off an opponent who reached the fourth round in Paris last year. “It was a difficult first match... In the tie-break I managed to play like I did in the first two sets,” said Tsitsipas, who was playing on the Roland Garros show court for the first time.

“These are the moments we're practising for and dreaming of, I'm really happy to play here.”

Tsitsipas will next face Bolivia's Hugo Dellien as he looks to reach the third round for the first time.

- Injured Auger-Aliassime withdraws from French Open -

Rising star Felix Auger-Aliassime has withdrawn from the French Open due to a groin injury.

The 25th seed from Canada was due to face Jordan Thompson in the first round at Roland Garros but will be replaced by lucky loser Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.

Auger-Aliassime suffered the injury during a run to the final of the Lyon Open this week.

The 18-year-old said he was "not physically well" after losing 6-4 6-3 to Benoit Paire in the decider on Saturday.

Auger-Aliassime failed to make it through qualifying in Paris last year and will have to wait until 2020 to feature in the main draw for the first time at the clay-court Grand Slam.

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