French Open 2022: 5 biggest upsets from Day 2 ft. Naomi Osaka and Stan Wawrinka
The second day at the 2022 French Open saw most of the top players sail through to the second round. However, there were a few high-profile players who failed to clear the opening hurdle.
On a rain-marred day, the men's side saw one seeded player bite the dust. However, there were no problems for 13-time winner Rafael Nadal and defending champion Novak Djokovic, who opened their campaigns with facile straight-set wins.
Things were not so serene in the women's draw, though, as three seeds lost in the first round. The in-form Iga Swiatek, a runaway favourite for the title, dropped only two games in her tournament opener.
Angelique Kerber, seeded 21st, needed to save two match points to beat Magdalena Frech. Meanwhile, Emma Raducanu, on her Roland Garros debut, recovered from a set and a break down to beat 17-year-old Linda Noskova. However, there were other seeded players and former Major winners who weren't so lucky.
On that note, here's a look at the top five upsets on Day 2 of the second Grand Slam tournament of the year:
#5 (17) Reilly Opelka lost to Filip Krajinovic 7-6(5), 6-2, 6-3
Reilly Opelka was the only seeded casualty on the second day of the French Open in the men's singles draw.
Opelka, 24, making his fourth main-draw appearance at the French Open, fell to Filip Krajinovic 7-6(5), 6-2, 6-3. After a competitive first set, which went to a tie-break, the Serb assumed control of proceedings against the lanky American.
Krajinovic broke the reigning Houston champion thrice in the next two sets to close out a straight-sets victory 11 minutes shy of the two-hour mark.
In the process, he evened his head-to-head with Opelka at 1-1 as the American fell in the opening hurdle at Roland Garros for the third time in four years. The Serb will next meet qualifier Borna Gojo for a place in the third round.
#4 (5) Anett Kontaveit lost to Ajla Tomljanovic 7-6(5), 7-5
Anett Kontaveit was one of three seeded casualties on Day 2 on the women's side of the draw.
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The Estonian became the fourth top-10 player in the women's draw to crash out following a straight-sets defeat to Ajla Tomljanovic. The Australian squandered a 3-0 lead in the first set and 4-2 advantage in the second, but still managed to register her first top-10 win in seven matches on clay.
The Australian said the win was especially important given the number of close matches she has lost over the years.
"These are the matches that I love to get up for. I think in my career I played a lot of top players first rounds in Slams and I always feel like I can win, but it never really matters until you really do it," she said.
Tomljanovic will take on Varvara Gracheva in the second round.
#3 Stan Wawrinka (2015 French Open winner) lost to Corentin Moutet 2-6, 6-3, 7-6(2), 6-3
Stan Wawrinka, playing only his third tournament of the year, lost to Frenchman Corentin Moutet in his 2022 Roland Garros opener.
The 2015 champion, making his 17th visit to the tournament, made a bright start against his younger opponent, taking the first set for the loss of just two games. However, Moutet upped the ante in the second to level proceedings.
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The diminutive Frenchman bagged a two-sets-to-one lead after taking a competitive second set to take control of the match. Wawrinka ran out of steam in the fourth. The World No. 264 dropped serve twice as he suffered his first first-round exit at Roland Garros in four years (fourth overall), while Moutet improved to 2-0 against the Swiss.
The Frenchman will take on 13-time winner Nadal in an all-lefty second-round matchup.
#2 Naomi Osaka lost to Amanda Anisimova 7-5, 6-4
Naomi Osaka suffered a defeat to Amanda Anisimova for the second time in as many Grand Slam meetings, going down in straight sets to the 20-year-old American.
After squandering two match points in their previous meeting at the Australian Open this year, Osaka was eyeing revenge, but couldn't provide much resistance this time around. Playing only her second match on clay this season, the four-time Grand Slam champion failed to get going against her inspired opponent.
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In a first set littered with service breaks, Anisimova bagged the decisive break in the 11th game before serving out the opener. She broke at 3-3 in the second and recovered from 0-40 on serve in the next game to close out a straight-sets win in an hour and 30 minutes.
Anisimova said staying aggressive in the heavy conditions was one of the keys to victory.
"I would say the conditions were tough today, because of the rain it was very heavy. But I just was trying to stay aggressive and keep going for my flat shots, because that's what I thought would help me get the win today," she said.
The American will next meet Donna Vekic for a place in the third round.
#1 (2) Barbora Krejcikova lost to Diane Parry 1-6, 6-2, 6-3
Barbora Krejcikova's title defense at the 2022 French Open came to a shuddering halt in the very first hurdle against Frenchwoman Diane Parry.
The Czech, on the comeback trail from injury, was playing her first match in three months. Showing little sign of rust, she pocketed the opening set for the loss of just one game. When she led 2-0 in the second, a swift finish was in the offing for Parry.
However, the World No. 97 reeled off six straight games to restore parity. She dropped only three games in the third to notch up her first-ever main-draw win at any tournament. In the process, Krejcikova became only the third defending ladies' singles champion to bite the dust in the first round.
"You want to do well, because I was playing in front of a lot of people I knew, and I was playing No. 2 worldwide. The titleholder of the French Open. So I wanted to play well," Parry said after the win.
Krejcikova, meanwhile, lamented her lack of match practice.
"I just think I just collapsed physically. It was tough because I didn't play the matches. Usually the matches are different than the practices, and I tried to prepare the best way I could," she said.
Parry will next take on Camila Osorio of Colombia in the second round.
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