Rybakina overcomes slow French Open start to down Fruhvirtova

PARIS: Elena Rybakina shook off a sluggish start and continued her fine run on clay as the world number four moved into the second round of the French Open with a 6-4 6-2 victory over Czech qualifier Brenda Fruhvirtova on Tuesday.

The Wimbledon champion announced herself as a player for all surfaces by capturing the Italian Open title earlier this month, but dropped serve in the seventh game against Fruhvirtova before breaking right back and easing through the opening set.

The Moscow born-Kazakh broke back to draw level at 2-2 in the second set before switching gears again to quell the challenge of the 16-year-old Fruhvirtova, whose sister Linda also fell in the first round a day earlier.

Rybakina takes on another Czech in Linda Noskova in the next round as she continues her quest for a second major.