By Tennis Now | Wednesday, May 30, 2018

Weary of the waiting game, Simona Halep put her foot down in Paris.

The world No. 1 won just two games in the opening set, then lost just two games the rest of the match defeating American Alison Riske, 2-6, 6-1, 6-1, to roll into the Roland Garros second round.

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The match was originally scheduled for Tuesday, but postponed until today.

Halep didn't really show up until the first set was over. 

The 83rd-ranked Riske reeled off five straight games to open the match as Halep committed 16 unforced errors in a sloppy first set. Then the 26-year-old Romanian found her legs, rhythm and range to slow her slide.

The two-time French Open finalist broke to start the second set running off nine of the next 10 games to take charge.

"Well, I said I had to relax myself and I lost first set so now I have nothing to lose anymore," Halep told Tennis Channel's Jon Wertheim afterward. "Just to go there and try to run more and to relax my legs and to hit the balls. 

"Because at the beginning, my arm was very tight and I couldn't control the ball very much."



The Australian Open runner-up must reach the semifinals or better to retain her world No. 1 ranking.

Halep will play Taylor Townsend in tomorrow's second round. The American wild card swept French wild card Myrtille Georges, 6-4, 6-2.

No. 4-seeded Elina Svitolina, who routed Halep in the Rome final earlier this month, extended her winning streak to seven matches with a 6-3, 6-4, sweep of Viktoria Kuzmova, 6-3, 6-4.

The two-time Rome champion committed just 15 unforced errors compared to 41 for her oppponent, wrapping up an 81-minute win for her fourth straight trip to the third round.

Svitolina will face Romanian Mihaela Buzarnescu for a spot in the round of 16.

The 31st-seeded Buzarnescu broke serve six times beating Rebecca Peterson, 6-1, 6-2, in 63 minutes securing her first trip to a Grand Slam third round.

In her opener, Petra Kvitova was three points from elimination. Today, the two-time Wimbledon winner was a tennis terminator crushing Lara Arruabarrena, 6-0, 6-4, for her 13th consecutive win.

Kvitova, who warmed up for Paris sweeping successive clay-court titles in Prague and Madrid, will meet the dangerous Anett Kontaveit for a place in the round of 16.

The 25th-seeded Estonian hit 20 more winners (31 to 11) than Alexandra Dulgheru, in a 7-5, 6-2 triumph.

Indian Wells champion Naomi Osaka won 10 of 15 trips to net in a 6-4, 7-5, decision over Zarina Diyas for her second trip to the third round in three years. 

The 21st-seeded Osaka will play the winner of the all-American clash between 13th-seeded Madison Keys and Caroline Dolehide next.