Romanian top seed Simona Halep started slowly before hitting top gear against Spaniard Sara Sorribes Tormo to celebrate her 29th birthday with a breezy 6-4 6-0 win in the French Open first round.
The former world No.1, who won her maiden Grand Slam at Roland Garros in 2018, took her winning streak to 15, dating back to her Dubai victory in February shortly before the professional circuit shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Halep did not travel to the US Open due to concerns over the pandemic and spent her time playing on the claycourts in Europe.
She arrived in Paris after winning in Prague and Rome and with world No.1 and defending champion Ashleigh Barty skipping the tournament, Halep is considered the overwhelming favourite to lift a second French Open title.
“I am really pleased with the victory,” Halep said after the sparse crowd under the newly-built roof at the court Philippe Chatrier sang to wish her on her birthday.
“It feels really special and I am really honoured to play here today under the (new) roof. It was a unique moment for me playing on my birthday at Roland Garros. For ever I will keep it (memory) and I want to enjoy it as it’s really special.”
American teenager Coco Gauff made an impressive return to the grand slam stage when she brushed aside last year’s semi-finalist Johanna Konta 6-3 6-3.
Less than a month after a first-round exit at the US Open, Gauff was all business on a floodlit Court Suzanne Lenglen in front of a dozen spectators in chilly Parisian weather.
The 16-year-old, the youngest player in the main draw whose best result at a grand slam was reaching the fourth round at the Australian Open earlier this year, will next face Italian qualifier Martina Trevisan.
Belgium’s Elise Mertens progressed with a 6-2 6-3 triumph against Russian Margarita Gasparyan and will face Estonia’s Kai Kanepi after she recovered against Czech Marie Bouzkova to win 4-6 6-4 6-2.
The French Open is usually a summer tournament held between May and June but this year it was moved because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Azarenka, the Belarusian 10th seed, started the match in her warm-up gear and walked off the Suzanne Lenglen court leading 2-1 because of the cold weather.
The umpire asked her to wait, but she responded: “It’s too cold. I”m not sitting here because I’m going to get frozen. I live in Florida, I’m used to warm weather. What’s the point sitting here like ducks?”
Seven-time major champion Venus Williams is out after the American was beaten 6-4, 6-4 by Slovakia’s Anna Schmiedlova, who faces Arazenka next. Williams says it was her last match of the year.
“There is nowhere to go. And even if there was, I’m done, anyway,” she said.
Greece’s Maria Sakkari is also through after she dispatched Australian Alja Tomlijanovic 6-0 7-5, and she agreed with Azarenka that conditions are tough to play on.
“Of course here nothing feels good,” said the 20th seed who plays 19-year-old Russian qualifier Kamilla Rakhimova in the second round.
“It’s very cold, the balls get so big because it’s wet.”