The Japan Times - Sinner, Sabalenka aim to stay hot at French Open

Arriving in Paris on the back of winning all three of the clay-court Masters titles to become just the second player after Novak Djokovic to complete the set of nine 1000-level tournaments, Sinner currently stands head and shoulders above his closest competitors.

Few would bet against him now wrapping up his career Grand Slam at the French Open this year as he attempts to go one better than his epic five-set final loss in 2025 to Carlos Alcaraz -- especially with the injured Spaniard out of action.

After a typically efficient first-round win in the night session on Court Philippe Chatrier on Tuesday, Sinner will aim to seal his last-32 berth when he opens Thursday's play on centre court against Juan Manuel Cerundolo.

Sinner's only previous meeting with the 56th-ranked Argentinian was a straight-sets win in the round of 128 at Wimbledon three years ago.

"I'm happy to play night. I'm happy to play day, whenever they put me," Sinner said as talk of the scorching conditions in Paris continues to dominate the opening week.

"I think I handled the heat very well in Indian Wells, was very hot this year, so I didn't have issues there. We prepared in a good way. Of course here, different heat, but the humidity is not as tough as maybe in Australia or US."

If Sinner looms large over the men's draw, Sabalenka has seen her dominance of the women's tour falter somewhat this clay-court season.

After storming to the 'Sunshine double' at Indian Wells and Miami in March, the Belarusian has so far endured a disappointing swing on the red dirt in Europe.

A quarter-final loss to Hailey Baptiste in Madrid was swiftly followed by a third-round exit to Sorana Cirstea at the Italian Open as Sabalenka suddenly looked fallible heading into her latest tilt at winning a maiden Roland Garros title.

If the wet and cold conditions in Italy were not favourable to her style of play, Sabalenka has had no such complaints in Paris.

"I'd say that it was a bit warm," the 28-year-old joked after her commanding straight-sets opening win against Jessica Bouzas Maneiro on Tuesday.

"Especially compared to the first days when I first got here, it was... freezing.

"Now it's boiling hot and balls are flying, everything is much faster. But physically I feel strong, so I feel like it can benefit me."

Scheduled third on centre court and with temperatures again set to surpass 30C, Sabalenka will be confident that her power-hitting baseline game will be too hot to handle for French world number 67 Elsa Jacquemot as she seeks to book her spot in the third round.

- Gauff, Osaka eye last 32 -

Defending champion Coco Gauff will take on Egyptian qualifier Mayar Sherif on Court Suzanne Lenglen as the American fourth seed also bids to progress beyond the second round.

The only time she has fallen at Roland Garros before the last-eight stage was on her debut in 2020, when, aged 16, Gauff lost in the second round to Martina Trevisan.

Four-time major winner Naomi Osaka of Japan will meet Croatian Donna Vekic on Court Simonne Mathieu, before Canadian starlet Victoria Mboko plays Czech Katerina Siniakova.

US teen sensation Iva Jovic will test her mettle against compatriot and former world number eight Emma Navarro.

Felix Auger-Aliassime will hope to avoid another "roller-coaster" match like the one he endured in the first round when the fourth seed from Canada meets Argentina's Roman Andres Burruchaga.

American fifth seed Ben Shelton and French 17-year-old Moise Kouame will also be in action as they bookend the day's play on Roland Garros' second showpiece court.

S.Suzuki--JT