French Open 2024: Sinner cruises into Roland Garros second round; Tsitsipas beats Fucsovics

The Italian star struck 32 winners and broke Eubanks’ serve five times as he set up a second-round meeting with French veteran Richard Gasquet.

Italy’s Jannik Sinner celebrates after winning his first round match of the French Open against Christopher Eubanks of the U.S. | Photo Credit: Lisi Niesner/ REUTERS

Second seed Jannik Sinner swatted aside Wimbledon quarterfinalist Christopher Eubanks in straight sets to reach the French Open second round on Monday.

The Italian star eased to a 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 win under the new roof on Court Suzanne Lenglen as rain fell at Roland Garros.

Australian Open champion Sinner showed no signs of struggling with his fitness despite missing the recent Rome Open with a hip injury.

The Italian star struck 32 winners and broke Eubanks’ serve five times as he set up a second-round meeting with French veteran Richard Gasquet.

“I’m just happy to be back on court. I was injured so very happy to be back here,” said Sinner.

“It’s a very special tournament for me.

“The hip is good, I’m very happy... The general shape isn’t at 100 percent yet so we’re trying to build every day.”

Sinner is playing only his third tournament since winning the Miami Masters in March, after losing to Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Monte Carlo Masters semi-finals and then withdrawing from the Madrid Open before his quarter-final match.

His victory on Monday took his win-loss record for the season to 29-2.

The 22-year-old is hoping to improve on his best French Open performance -- a run to the quarter-finals on his debut in 2020.

American Eubanks enjoyed a breakthrough at Wimbledon last year when he was beaten by Daniil Medvedev in the last eight in five sets, but has now lost seven consecutive matches.

Tsitsipas eases into French Open second round

Former runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas kicked off his French Open 2024 campaign with a no-nonsense 7-6 (9-7), 6-4 and 6-1 victory over Hungarian journeyman Marton Fucsovics on Monday.

The ninth-seeded Greek, who won the Monte Carlos Masters this year, showed his range of qualities on clay to set up a second-round meeting with German Daniel Altmaier.

Sporting a black and yellow outfit, Tsitsipas ended his opponent’s resistance in a one-sided third set. The 25-year-old wrapped up victory when Fucsovics sent a return wide under the roof on Court Suzanne Lenglen.

With inputs from Reuters