Wozniacki manages major expectations at Roland Garros

Caroline Wozniacki, in contention to return to the world No.1 ranking she claimed after victory at the Australian Open, kicked off her French Open campaign with a 7-6(2) 6-1 win over Danielle Collins.

The reigning Australian Open champion is one of 13 women in the 2018 French Open draw to have won a Grand Slam title and also among six WTA players who could claim the No.1 ranking after the French Open concludes.

.CaroWozniacki advances to @rolandgarros second round!

Defeats Danielle Collins 7-6(2), 6-1! pic.twitter.com/pbaZ3IYSqy

— WTA (@WTA) May 28, 2018

Managing the pressure imposed early by the improving American – who was making her Roland Garros debut – the second-seeded Wozniacki is also managing expectations with a first Grand Slam title at last secured.

“It feels great to be at a Grand Slam for the first time as a Grand Slam winner,” she commented after securing victory over Collins in an hour and 34 minutes.

“A little bit less pressure. I have one Grand Slam now so no matter what happens, no one can take that away from me. It definitely gives you confidence. But this is a new tournament, a new day, and you just have to keep trying to be better every day.”

The 2018 French Open marks Wozniacki’s 44th major appearance, the 27-year-old making her Grand Slam debut at the clay-court major in 2007. She has twice been a French Open quarterfinalist, including last year when she lost a hard-fought three-set match to eventual champion Jelena Osptankeo.

Wozniacki next faces big-serving Spaniard Georgina Garcia Perez, another Roland Garros debutante who could pose a threat to the second seed.

“You just have to be out there and keep grinding, keep trying to be better every day,” Wozniacki said.

“I think that’s really the main thing. You know you have a target on your back and everyone wants to find a way to beat you. But I embrace the challenge, and I love it.”

Azarenka, Mladenovic high-profile casualties

While Victoria Azarenka’s comeback to Grand Slam-winning form suffered a setback with a first-round loss to Katerina Siniakova, the returning star is maintaining a positive long-term view.

The former world No.1 has contested only one Grand Slam – 2017 Wimbledon – in the past two years. Azarenka’s injury-affected loss at the same stage of the 2016 French Open was followed by the birth of her son Leo and a drawn-out custody dispute.

“I know there is going to be up and downs in my game, and I have to work through them,” said a reflective Azarenka following Siniakova’s 7-5 7-5 win.

“I just didn’t find the right choices today, and I have to just keep going. It’s not going to be an easy way for me. So I need to get back and to practice, and I need to figure some things out why I’m not doing the right things that I do in the practice during the matches.”

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The Belarusian wasn’t the only high-profile casualty of the women’s draw, with 2017 quarterfinalist Kristina Mladenovic stunned in straight sets by Andrea Petkovic.

Petkovic, a former world No.9, reached the final four of the French Open in 2014 but has claimed only two main draw WTA wins this year.

A winning record against the Frenchwoman helped, Petkovic dropping only one set against Mladenovic – in that 2014 French Open semi-final run – in their four previous matches on tour.

“I knew what I had to do, stuck with the game plan and what I know has worked in the past,” she commented after the 7-6(10) 6-2 win.

“There were a lot of emotions because it was an important win for me and I know it was a difficult moment for her.”

Petra powers on

Petra Kvitova recovered from a slow start to defeat Veronica Cepede Royg into 3-6 6-1 7-5 and record her 12^th straight match win on clay.

The two-time Wimbledon champion took two hours and seven minutes to overcome the Paraguayan, who surprised with a fourth-round run in 2017.

A winner of the Prague and Madrid titles leading in, Kvitova entered Roland Garros as a title favourite.

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Her next test is against Lara Arruabarrena in the second round.

Another high-profile Czech, Karolina Pliskova, defeated Barbora Krejcikova 7-6(6) 6-4 to set up yet another meeting with another countrywoman in Lucie Safarova.

Runner-up to Serena Williams at Roland Garros in 2015, Safarova defeated Jessika Ponchet in straight sets.

Other players to advance on day two included Madison Keys, a 6-3 6-3 winner over Saschia Vickery and Carla Suarez-Navarro, who allowed Ana Konjuh just one game in her 6-0 6-1 win.

Belinda Bencic, on the comeback from a foot injury, defeated Deborah Chiesa 3-6 7-6(2) 7-5 and Maria Sakkari advanced with a 7-6(5) 6-2 win over Mandy Minella.