On the other hand, winning return for Alexander Zverev: the German, former world N.2 now 27th, managed to enter the competition a year after seriously injuring his right ankle in the middle of the semi-final against Rafael Nadal.

Zverev defeated South African Lloyd Harris (7th) 6-8 (6/7), 6-6 (0-6), 1-294.

"It's very nice to be back. After last year, it's a tournament that I really ticked off in my calendar, I really wanted to play here, do well," said the German who will face Slovakia's Alex Molcan (86th) in the second round.

"The way the tournament ended for me last year was very disappointing, I enjoy playing in front of a full stadium even more, I had a lot of fun," he continued to the crowd of the sun-drenched Simonne-Mathieu court.

Shortly after, it was on the Philippe-Chatrier court that lightning fell: with his false Roger Federer looks, Thiago Seyboth Wild (172nd and from qualifying) also recalled the Master in the game with some brilliant shots to beat Medvedev 7-6 (7/5), 6-7 (6/8), 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 in 4h15.

"I've always dreamed of playing on this court against these kinds of players. Beating him here is a dream come true," said the 23-year-old Brazilian, who is playing in the main draw of a Grand Slam tournament for the second time after losing in the first round of the 2020 US Open.

"Physically tough"

"Physically, it was hard," he agreed, admitting to having suffered from cramps. But mentally, I kept trying to play my best tennis and it worked."

Medvedev had seemed to take a liking to clay, a surface he had hated until then, by winning the Masters 1000 in Rome just before coming to Paris. He had thus become one of the main potential threats for the favorites Carlos Alcaraz (N.1) and Novak Djokovic (3rd), in the absence of Rafael Nadal.

Brazil's Thiago Seyboth Wild, winner of his match against Russia's Daniil Medvedev at Roland Garros, on May 30, 2023 in Paris © Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP

In addition, he came to Roland Garros with the record of titles (5), finals (6) and matches won (39) since the beginning of the season.

But it is Seyboth Wild who will face the Frenchman Quentin Halys (88th) or the Argentine Guido Pella (423rd) for a place in the third round.

Another serious outsider, strong on ochre in 2023 of two finals in Monte-Carlo and Rome, more than one title in Munich in the meantime, Holger Rune (6th), only six days older than Alcaraz, did not experience the same misadventure as Medvedev.

But the young Dane was pushed to his limits by the American Christopher Eubanks (74th), a thin figure with a formidable serve, before getting out 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-2 in nearly three hours.

Swiatek despite the wind

World N.1 and outgoing champion, Iga Swiatek did not let herself be destabilized by the wind that rushes into the Parisian Central: on the eve of her 22nd birthday, the Polish dismissed 6-4, 6-0 the Spaniard Cristina Bucasa 6-4, 6-0 in less than 1h15.

The two outgoing finalists, World No. 4 Casper Ruud and World No. 6 Coco Gauff, also successfully launched their fortnight.

Poland's Iga Swiatek, winner of her match against Spain's Cristina Bucsa at Roland-Garros, on May 30, 2023 in Paris © Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP

The former did not hang around against Elias Ymer of Sweden, 6-4, 6-3, 6-2. The second needed three sets against Spain's Rebeka Masarova (71st) 3-6, 6-1, 6-2.

"The start was difficult, I'm happy to have been able to turn the game around," she said.

The 19-year-old American will face Austria's Julia Grahber (61st) in the next round, while the 24-year-old Norwegian will face qualifying Italian Giulio Zeppieri.

Ons Jabeur, world N.7 but surprise entry a year ago, was expeditious: the Tunisian double finalist in Grand Slam (Wimbledon and US Open 2022) dominated the Italian Lucia Bronzetti (65th) 6-4, 6-1.

Her next opponent is France's Océane Dodin (122nd), who fell to compatriot Selena Janicijevic 0-6, 6-2, 6-1.

Quiet start also for one of the favorites, the Kazakh Elena Rybakina (4th), champion of Wimbledon 2022 and finalist of the Australian Open in January, who dismissed without forcing the Czech Brenda Fruhvirtova (146th) 6-4, 6-2.

While waiting in the night session for the long-awaited return of Gaël Monfils, Diane Parry (79th) signed a good performance at the expense of the Ukrainian Anhelina Kalinina, 26th in the world and recent finalist in Rome, dominated 6-2, 6-3.

ES-IG-CTO-RBO/CPB/OLE

© 2023 AFP