Hello and welcome to coverage from the French Open as Daniel Evans gets his campaign underway against Holger Rune.
This is the first meeting between the two players and both come into the match in search of form and confidence.
Evans has failed to get past the first round in his past five ATP Tour level tournaments and recently dropped to the Challenger Tour to gain confidence. But he was beaten by 19-year-old Shang Juncheng from China in the quarter-finals.
Earlier this month, Evans split from coach Sebastian Prieto for the second time after a breakdown in their relationship.
Rune remains one of the best young talents on the ATP Tour but has also been struggling this year for results and consistency.
With Andy Murray, Jack Draper and Cameron Norrie already out there will be hope at the LTA that at least one British man makes it past the first round. Evans is the last hope, and on the women’s side the last hope is Katie Boulter, who faces Paula Badosa later this evening. Two poor results and it would mean all of Britain’s singles interest over before the first Tuesday is over.
Elsewhere today, fourth seed Elena Rybakina beat Belgium’s Greet Minnen 6-2 6-3, overcoming a late fightback to ease through to the second round. Australian Open finalist Zheng Qinwen beat crowd favourite Alize Cornet 6-2, 6-1 in the Frenchwoman’s 20th and final appearance at Roland Garros.
It was a good day for second seed Aryna Sabalenka, who breezed into the second round thanks to her 6-1, 6-2 demolition job on Erika Andreeva. The highly rated Russian teenager will have to put this defeat down to experience, she simply had no answer to the Belarusian this afternoon.
Norwegian seventh seed Casper Ruud, French Open runner-up in the last two years, beat Brazilian qualifier Felipe Alves 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 to reach the second round.
And last year’s quarter-finalist Tomas Etcheverry beat Frenchman Arthur Cazaux 3-6, 6-2, 6-1, 6-4.
