The top men’s and women’s contenders including Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Ashleigh Barty all advanced after first-round play at the 2021 French Open on Tuesday.
The 34-year-old Nadal defeated Alexei Popyrin in straight-sets, looking to win at Roland Garros for the fifth straight year. Djokovic easily won against Tennys Sandgren 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 in a match completed in under two hours. Ashleigh Barty, the top seed on the women’s bracket, won against unranked American Bernarda Pera.
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