Tennis

Venus dazzles as sun beats down in Paris

(Agencies)
Updated: 2010-05-24 11:08

Venus dazzles as sun beats down in Paris

Venus Williams of the US serves during her match against Patty Schnyder of Switzerland at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, May 23, 2010. [Agencies]

PARIS - The sun beat down from a cloudless Parisian sky on Sunday as the French Open began with a sultry Venus Williams raising the on-court temperature and French favourite Jo-Wilfried Tsonga almost getting caught cold.

Williams, wearing a black and red frilly outfit that was more nightdress than tennis attire, jump-started the women's draw with a 6-3 6-3 defeat of wily Swiss Patty Schnyder -- her tennis as eye-catching as her choice of clothing.

Tsonga, France's highest-ranked male player and the eighth seed here, nearly ruined an idyllic day for home fans when he was pushed to the brink by little known German Daniel Brands before emerging victorious in five sets.

Roland Garros fortnight is one of the highlights of the French sporting calendar and hordes of spectators snaked down the leafy Rue D'Auteuil from early morning.

The wine corks were already popping in the chic bars sprinkled across this leafy quadrant of Parisian real estate as women's defending champion Svetlana Kuznetsova opened the action on Philippe Chatrier Court.

Lunchtime exit

The Russian sixth seed, woefully short of form in the run-up the second major of the season, seemed to be lulled into the jovial atmosphere as she went 3-0 down against Romania's Sorana Cirstea but she roused herself in time to avoid the humiliation of a pre-lunchtime exit, winning 6-3 6-1.

"I knew this moment had to pass because I deserve better than that, and I worked harder than these results. I was just concerned about when it was going to pass," Kuznetsova, who had managed just one claycourt win this season, told reporters.

The French Open's Sunday start is unique among the grand slams but a lightweight Day One schedule with no Roger Federer or Rafa Nadal in the mix had the feel of a light entree before the beefy action to come over the next fortnight.