The 2020 edition of French Open began on a controversial note after the US Open runner-up Victoria Azarenka and her opponent refused to wait on court for the supervisor to arrive because of extremely cold conditions.
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Azarenka, who had earlier expressed surprise over the organisers allowing 1000 fans each day at Roland-Garros, complained about the drizzly and cold weather in which she was playing in her opening round match against Danka Kovinic, with the score reading 2-1 in the first set at that stage.
In a chat with the supervisor who came on to the court and asked the players to remain there till a call was made if the match could continue, Azarenka argued:
“No, it’s eight degrees, I live in Florida, I’m used to hot weather.”
The Cincinnati Open winner then asked her opponent Kovinic if she wanted to wait on court and both agreed it wasn’t the most sensible call to continue remaining on the court.
Azarenka continued: “No, it’s ridiculous, it’s too cold. What’s the point? Sitting here like ducks.”
The players made their way back to the court when the rain subsided after nearly an hour of break and Azarenka went on to complete a facile 6-1, 6-2 over Kovinic Incidentally, the match lasted about the same time as they were off the court with Azarenka now poised to take on the winner of the Venus Williams-Anna Karolina Schmiedlova match.
Picking up where she left off.@vika7 through to the second round 6-1 6-2 over Kovinic.#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/ULHVdm4B3L
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) September 27, 2020
In some of the other early matches on day one of the 2020 French Open, Maria Sakkari defeated Ajla Tomljanovic 6-0, 7-5 and Ekaterina Alexandrova routed Maddison Inglis 6-3, 6-3.
Kaia Kanepi surprised Marie Bouzkova in another opening round match, while Russian qualifier Kamilla Rakhimova stunned American Shelby Rogers 6-2, 6-3 to move into the second round for the very first time in her career
The biggest early upset of the tournament came at the hands of Italy’s Jannik Sinner who did not just send David Goffin packing but did so in straight sets in their opener.
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