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Roland Garros 2017

Kerber’s elimination first major tournament surprise

Angelique Kerber suffered the indignity on Sunday of becoming the first top seed to lose in the first round at the French Open.

Germany's Angelique Kerber in action during her first round match against Russia's Ekaterina Makarova.
Germany's Angelique Kerber in action during her first round match against Russia's Ekaterina Makarova. Reuters/Pascal Rossignol
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In the absence of Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova, the German was one of the hot favourites to add the 2017 Roland Garros title to her triumphs last year at the Australian Open and US Open.

But instead of surging, she slumped. The Russian Ekatarina Makarova deconstructed her 6-2 6-2 in 82 minutes. It was Makarova’s first win over a world number one at her fourth attempt.

“It’s a special day and a special moment,” said Makarova, who has twice reached the last 16 at Roland Garros in her nine visits.

But during those journeys into the second week, she said she was always placed on the second show court Suzanne Lenglen. “I’d played doubles on centre court but never singles,” she said. “I really enjoyed the match.”

Pleasure has not been a feature of Kerber’s clay court season. She has struggled for results on what she admits is her least favourite surface. She lost her opening match at the Italian Open in Rome in May and fell in the third round at the Madrid and Stuttgart events before that.

“On clay I don’t feel good especially with my movement,” Kerber conceded. “It’s always been difficult for me. But I don’t want to take anything away from Ekatarina. She played a good match. It was a tough first round but I had chances in the first set and also in the second set but I couldn’t take them.”

Kerber said she would return home and reboot her game – both mentally and physically - for the grass court season and an attempt to win Wimbledon where Serena Williams beat her in last year’s final.

“The pressure has always been there,” added the 29-year-old. “But there is more now that I have won Grand Slams and am world number one. I also have more expectations on myself because of what I have achieved last year.”

 

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