Gauff Defeats Konta, Korda Earns First Slam Win at Roland Garros; Venus and Peers Claim ATP Title in Hamburg; Min Takes $25K Title in Czech Republic

The first day of the French Open was as miserable as promised, with temperatures in the 50s and intermittent rain, but with 22 of the 23 matches were completed, with American men going 3-0, and Gauff upsetting last year's semifinalist to pick up the lone win for US women.

Twenty-year-old Sebastian Korda, who had won all three of his qualifying matches in straight sets, posted his first ATP-level win today, beating veteran Andreas Seppi of Italy 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3. Korda took a medical timeout for his back after the third set, and had more treatment during a changeover in the fourth set, but after trailing 1-3, he won the last five games to secure the win. Korda, the son of Petr Korda, a French Open men's finalist in 1990, had the more penetrating shots and was able to use them to his advantage on the key points in the fourth set. The 2018 Australian Open boys champion will play No. 21 seed John Isner next, after Isner defeated Elliot Benchetrit, a wild card from France, 6-4, 6-1, 6-3.

Taylor Fritz, the No. 27 seed, had a much tougher time subduing qualifier Tomas Machac of the Czech Republic, but Fritz took control in the fifth set to beat the 19-year-old 7-5, 7-6(2), 1-6, 2-6, 6-3.

Expectations are so high for 16-year-old Coco Gauff that her first round losses at the Western and Southern and the US Open were considered disappointing. But the 2018 French Open girls champion, who has been training on Florida's green clay for many years, is comfortable on the surface, and she did get a good win over Ons Jabeur in the Italian Open before falling to semifinalist Garbine Muguruza in three tough sets. Today Gauff looked comfortable against No. 9 seed Johanna Konta of Great Britain, defeating the 2019 semifinalist 6-3, 6-3 despite 12 doubles faults. For highlights of her win, see this from the tournament website.

Of the four collegians on today's schedule, three won, with Isner(Georgia), Dominik Koepfer(Tulane) of Germany, and lucky loser Astra Sharma(Vanderbilt) of Australia advancing to the second round. 

Fifteen Americans are on the schedule for Monday, but the forecast continues to call for rain, and with 50 matches (plus the unfinished match from today), getting through that schedule is unlikely if there are any delays. 

Sunday French Open first round matches featuring Americans:

Sebastian Korda d. Andreas Seppi(ITA) 62, 46, 63, 63

Taylor Fritz[27] d. Tomas Machac(CZE)[Q] 75, 76(2), 16, 26, 63

John Isner[21] d. Elliot Benchetrit(FRA)[WC] 64, 61, 63

Kamilla Rakhimova(RUS)[Q] d. Shelby Rogers 62, 63 

Barbora Strycova(CZE)[32] d. Varvara Lepchenko[Q] 75, 62

Coco Gauff d. Johanna Konta(GBR)[9] 63, 63

Anna Karolina Schmiedlova(SVK) d. Venus Williams 64, 64

Monday’s French Open first round singles matches featuring Americans:

Kristie Ahn v Serena Williams[6]

Madison Keys[12] v Shuai Zhang(CHN)

Christina McHale v Karolina Muchova(CZE)[22]

Lauren Davis v Katerina Siniakova(CZE)

Amanda Anisimova[25] v Tamara Korpatsch(GER)

Cici Bellis v Bernarda Pera

Tommy Paul v James Duckworth(AUS)

Mackenzie McDonald v Steven Diez(CAN)[Q]

Reilly Opelka v Jack Sock[Q]

Frances Tiafoe v Jan-Lennard Struff(GER)[30]

Tennys Sandgren v Hubert Hurkacz(POL)[29]

Michael Mmoh[Q] v Pierre-Hugues Herbert(FRA)

Michael Venus(LSU) of New Zealand and John Peers(Baylor) of Australia won the ATP 500 doubles title today in Hamburg Germany, their second title of this year, which marked the beginning of their partnership. The unseeded pair, who saved a match point in their semifinal win, defeated the Croatian team of Mate Pavic, who won the US Open title this month with Bruno Soares, and Ivan Dodig 6-3, 6-4 in the final. It's the 22nd ATP title for Peers, while Venus now has 12. For more on the final, see this article from the ATP website.

The sole title for Americans this week on the ITF World Tennis Tour was claimed by Grace Min, who was the last player standing at the $25,000 tournament in the Czech Republic. The unseeded Min, who had not won a tournament in over a year, defeated No. 6 seed Georgina Garcia-Perez of Spain 6-3, 0-6, 7-5 in the final, in just under three hours. Min got a second round walkover from top seed Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic, who ended up playing in the French Open and won her first round match today.

Strong Kirchheimer(Northwestern) lost in the final of the WTT $15K in Portugal today. The No. 7 seed fell to No. 6 seed Lucas Catarina of Monaco 6-2, 3-6, 7-6(11).