Serena slams door on Pliskova in French Open return

Serena Williams won in her first Grand Slam match in 16 months and served up a statement or two in the process at the French Open on Tuesday.

Williams knocked off Kristyna Pliskova with a 7-6 (4), 6-4 decision on Court Philippe Chatrier to reach the second round and set up a meeting with 17th-seeded Australian Ashleigh Barty. Barty was a 6-3, 6-1 winner over NataliaVikhlyantsev.

Williams turned heads when she hit the court at Roland Garros with a superhero-looking black Nike bodysuit with a red waistband.

It was her first appearance at a major since the 2017 Australian Open, where Williams won her 23rd Grand Slam title.

“All the moms out there that had a tough pregnancy and have to come back and try to be fierce, in a middle of everything … that’s what this represents,” Williams said. “You can’t beat a cat suit, right?”

Due to her prolonged absence from tennis, Williams was not seeded at the French Open and entered with a world ranking of 453.

In other action Tuesday, Maria Sharapova won her first French Open match since 2015 with a three-set victory over Dutch qualifier Richel Hogenkamp, 6-1, 4-6, 6-3.

Garbine Muguruza beat 2009 French Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova 7-6 (0), 6-2 to reach the second round

Nadal, Isner in control as rain ends French Open play early

Rain brought Day 2 of the French Open to an early end Monday, with both the favorite and the top-seeded American man still on the court but in control.

Top overall seed Rafael Nadal of Spain led Italian Simone Bolelli 6-4, 6-3, 0-3 when play was suspended. Nadal is looking for his record 11th French Open title. He is 79-2 all time at Roland Garros and has lost just once on clay this season.

American John Isner, the ninth seed, also won the first two sets of his match before the rain. Isner leads fellow American Noah Rubin 6-3, 7-6 (9).

Earlier in the day, Novak Djokovic overpowered Rogerio Dutra Silva in straight sets to move into the second round.

Djokovic, the 12-time grand slam winner, eased past the Brazilian opponent, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4, but did not always look comfortable doing it.

“Experience helps,” Djokovic said. “Especially in the early rounds. I’ve played many times here. I’m still a bit rusty on the court. I need to get some things to a higher level.”

The Serbian Djokovic is returning from a hiatus prompted by an elbow injury and is seeded 20th at Roland Garros, the lowest he has been seeded at a Grand Slam tournament since the 2006 U.S. Open.

“You don’t get to feel always your best but at the end of the day you try to get the best out of it.”

Stan Wawrinka, on the other hand, is out of the Open after a first-round, five-set loss to Guillermo Garcia Lopez of Spain.

Wawrinka needed extended treatment during the first set but battled for almost three-and-a-half-hours before dropping an epic match.

Lopez beat the No. 23-seed Wawrinka 6-2, 3-6, 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3.

Wawrinka, who is battling knee issues, failed to consistently land his serve and had 72 unforced errors. The three-time Grand Slam winner finished as runner-up last year.

“I know exactly where I want to be. I won three Grand Slams in my career and I know what it takes to do it. And my goal is to get to my top (level). Sooner or later I will be (there),” Wawrinka said. “My knee is good. I’m happy with that. That’s really positive to see, but it’s been now a few weeks that I’m feeling great with that sort of injury I did. So that’s good. I’m in the right way, and I need to keep pushing.”

American No. 12 seed Sam Querrey beat countryman Frances Tiafoe 6-1, 6-2, 7-6 (6) to advance to Round 2.