By Chris Oddo | Sunday May 27, 2018
Kei Nishikori worked his way past French qualifier Mazime Janvier on Day 1 while Grigor Dimitrov also moved throgh.
Photo Source: Julian Finney/Getty
Kei Nishikori passed his first test on Sunday at Roland Garros.
The two-time Roland Garros enjoyed his first appearance on the Grand Slam stage since Wimbledon last season by defeating French wild card Maxime Janvier, 7-6(0), 6-4, 6-3.
The 21-year-old Frenchman played well but was ultimately undone by his inability to convert any of the ten break points he earned.
Nishikori finished with 15 winners against 14 unforced errors, while Janvier hit 29 winners against 46 unforced.
He struggled to contend with the hard-hitting Frenchman but managed to come away with the biggest points and take a two sets to love lead based on a strong first-set breaker and a lone break in set two.
In the third Nishikori saved another three break points to help his cause, and broke the Frenchman twice.
Nishikori will move on to face Benoit Paire or Roberto Carballes Baena in the second round.
Also moving through on Day 1 was No.4-seeded Grigor Dimitrov. The Bulgarian had dropped first-round encounters on four previous occasions at Roland Garros, so he must have been pleased when Viktor Troicki pulled out of the draw with a back injury and was replaced by 27-year-old Mohamed Safwat of Egypt.
Troicki handed Dimitrov a first-round loss at Paris in 2016 and held two previous wins in total over the Bulgarian.
“Just happy to go through the match,” said Dimitrov. “I really enjoy playing on clay. I just want to do better, just going to take it one match at a time right now.”
Dimitrov responded with a 6-1,6-4, 7-6(1) victory, striking 31 winners against 28 unforced errors and saving two of three break points to book a second-round clash with American Jared Donaldson.
Donaldson battled back from two sets to one down to take out Chilean Nicolas Jarry on Day 1.
Other early winners on Day 1 were Gael Monfils (d. Benchetrit), Martin Klizan (d. Djere), Pablo Carreno Busta (d. Kovalik), Radu Albot (d. Barrere) and Damir Dzumhur (d. Kudla).