Nadal overcomes opening hurdle, defending champion out

The 13-time Paris champion defeated Australian Jordan Thompson 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 on Monday. Nadal appears to have a realistic chance of winning his 22nd Grand Slam title despite a rib injury and chronic foot problems that hampered his preparation. “It's incredible to play here again. This is the most important place in my career,” said the 35-year-old. “It was difficult for me because I haven't played for a long time. It's only the first round, but it was a very positive match for me.” There was little to no sign of pain in the foot.

With his 106th match win in Paris, Nadal set a new record at a Grand Slam tournament. The Spaniard surpassed Roger Federer's mark, who has won a match at Wimbledon 105 times. In the second round, Nadal will face Frenchman Corentin Moutet, who eliminated former Paris winner and Federer's compatriot Stan Wawrinka from Switzerland in four rounds during his Grand Slam comeback after a year and a half. Krejcikova out A Frenchwoman also eliminated the defending champion. The only 19-year-old Diane Parry, number 97 in the world, defeated Krejcikova 1:6, 6:2, 6:3. The Czech, who had been sidelined since the tournament in Dubai in mid-February due to an elbow injury, was in tears afterwards. During her comeback, the 26-year-old committed a total of 45 unforced errors after clearly winning the first set.

For Parry, however, it was a dream come true. “I always dreamed of playing on this court with the support of the French crowd,” said the local hero. “They pushed me to win. I am the happiest person right now. Against the defending champions, I was a bit tense in the first set. But then I caught myself.” Parry is now playing against the Colombian Camila Osorio.

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Nadal overcomes opening hurdle, defending champion out

Rafael Nadal started the French Open with an easy victory despite his recent health problems.

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