Swiatek Advances French Open Defense, Alcaraz Sinner Launch Campaigns

At the French Open, defending women's champion Iga Swiatek began her campaign with a straight-sets victory over Slovakia's Rebecca Sramkova, aiming to become the first woman in the professional era to win four consecutive titles at Roland Garros. Despite a recent performance slump and no titles this season, Swiatek has prepared by arriving early for practice and is focusing on improving her serve and forehand. On the men's side, defending champion Carlos Alcaraz started strong with a win against Italian qualifier Giulio Zeppieri, while his main rival Jannik Sinner, returning from a three-month doping ban, faces Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech. Alcaraz recently defeated Sinner in the Italian Open final and expects the Italian to be a significant threat as he regains form. Sinner acknowledged the challenges ahead, emphasizing the need for time to adjust from practice to match play. Both Swiatek and Alcaraz are favorites, with viewers closely watching whether Swiatek can break records and how Sinner's comeback unfolds.