Story highlights
Spain's Rafael Nadal off to perfect start in his quest for a seventh French Open title
World No. 2 dismisses the challenge of Italian Simone Bolelli 6-2 6-2 6-1
Nadal's all-time record at Roland Garros now stands at 46 victories and one defeat
Andy Murray also into round two after 6-1 7-5 6-0 victory over Japan's Tatsuma Ito
Rafael Nadal’s quest for a record seventh French Open title got off to the perfect start as he dismissed the challenge of Italian Simone Bolelli to book a place in round two.
The world No. 2 took his impressive record at Roland Garros to 46 victories and just one defeat with a 6-2 6-2 6-1 win, as he goes in search of an 11th grand slam title.
Should he claim another French Open crown he will pull level with legendary Swede Bjorn Borg and Australian Rod Laver in the all-time list.
But despite the comfortable nature of his victory, save for a losing his serve at the start of the second set, Nadal insisted he had to fight off some nervous moments in the early stages.
“All matches are always difficult – the more so here, as you are a bit more nervous,” he told a press conference.
“It’s not easy to get your bearings right off as the court is big and it’s difficult out there. But I’m always happy to play here – it’s an incredible feeling.
“I’m happy. I played, probably, with less stress or nerves than in other first rounds in the past.
“I relaxed a little bit at 6-2, 4-0, in my opinion. I was playing very well at beginning of the match. After I had the break (at 2-2), that period of of eight, nine games, until 4-0, I was playing well.”
The 25-year-old can boast 35 trophies on clay in his career, behind only Argentina’s Guillermo Vilas (45 titles) and Austrian Thomas Muster (40) in the all-time list.
The No. 4 seed Andy Murray battled through a second set blip to record a 6-1 7-5 6-0 victory over Japan’s Tatsuma Ito.
Murray, from Britain, had to save three break points in the eighth game of the second, but lost just six points in the whole of the third set.
The 25-year-old pulled out of the recent Rome Masters with a back injury but showed no signs of discomfort as he set up a second round clash with Finland’s Jarkko Nieminen.
Spain’s David Ferrer, the No. 6 seed, had little trouble against Slovakia’s Lukas Lacko, winning 6-3 6-4 6-1 but Serbia’s Janko Tipsarevic was made to work harder in a 2-6 6-4 7-6 6-3 success over American Sam Querrey.
Another Spaniard, No. 12 seed Nicolas Almagro, booked his place in round two with a 6-3 7-5 6-4 defeat of Italian Paolo Lorenzi.
Alexandr Dolgopolov, the No. 16 seed, was knocked out by fellow Ukrainian Sergiy Stakhovsky, who triumphed 6-7 6-4 7-6 3-6 6-3.
France’s No. 17 seed Richard Gasquet progressed into round two with a 6-3 6-4 7-6 victory over Estonia’s Jurgen Zopp.
