French Open 2017: Garbine Muguruza launches title defence with win over Francesca Schiavone

Updated 29/05/2017 at 17:46 GMT

Returning to the stage of her greatest triumph inspired defending champion Garbine Muguruza to down 2010 winner Francesca Schiavone 6-2 6-4 in the first round of the French Open on Monday.

Spain's Garbine Muguruza celebrates during her first round match against Italy's Francesca Schiavone

Image credit: Reuters

Spaniard Muguruza, the fourth seed at Roland Garros, laid out her intentions with a dominant first set, including this magnificent point.

Muguruza, who had been woefully out of form in the run-up to Roland Garros, never looked in danger of joining Russian Anastasia Myskina as the only reigning women's champion to lose in the opening round of the claycourt major.

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The Spaniard easily outclassed the skilful Italian with her poise and power in muggy conditions.

There were several top-notch rallies and Schiavone pulled a few tricks from her bag, threatening in the second set. However, she made too many unforced errors to sustain any form of challenge.

"I was so excited to play here against another champion. Francesca is a legend," Muguruza said courtside.

"I played my game, which means being aggressive and going forward."

Muguruza raced to a 3-0 lead in the opening set and just when Schiavone was starting to work around her opponent's power as she reduced the arrears to 3-2, the match was interrupted for 10 minutes as a spectator was attended to by first-aiders.

Highlights: Muguruza sees off Schiavone

The Spaniard won 19 of 20 points after play resumed and led 2-0 in the second set.

That is when Schiavone's game fell into place. She broke back and had two break chances in the sixth game, which Muguruza saw off confidently.

The champion then broke decisively for 5-4. Schiavone saved three match points but volleyed wide on the fourth.

Big-hitting Australian teenager Jaimee Fourlis served up a major scare for Caroline Wozniacki at Roland Garros on Monday, making light of the 300-plus ranking places separating them to push the 11th seeded Dane to three sets.

Wozniacki, who appeared to be carrying the after-effects of a lower back injury that forced her to retire during last week's Strasbourg tournament, pulled away towards the end of a testy encounter, winning 6-4 3-6 6-2 in just over two hours.

Highlights: Wozniacki wins against Fourlis

Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands needed three sets to defeat Australia's Ajla Tomljanovic.

Zhang Shuai of China defeated Donna Vekic in straight sets, and Yulia Putintseva beat Myrtille Georges.

RESULTS IN FULL

Garbine Muguruza Blanco (SPA) [4] beat Francesca Schiavone (ITA) 6-2 6-4
Ons Jabeur (TUN) beat Ana Bogdan (ROM) 6-3 6-4
Anett Kontaveit (EST) beat Monica Niculescu (ROM) 7-5 6-1
Yulia Putintseva (KAZ) [27] beat Myrtille Georges (FRA) 6-3 6-0
Richel Hogenkamp (NED) beat Jelena Jankovic (SRB) 6-2 7-5
Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) [11] beat Jaimee Fourlis (AUS) 6-4 3-6 6-2
Zhang Shuai (CHI) [32] beat Donna Vekic (CRO) 7-5 6-4
Kiki Bertens (NED) [18] beat Ajla Tomljanovic (AUS) 4-6 6-1 6-1
Catherine Bellis (USA) beat Quirine Lemoine (NED) 6-3 3-6 6-1
Johanna Larsson (SWE) beat Natalia Vikhlyantseva (RUS) 6-4 6-4
Elise Mertens (BEL) beat Daria Gavrilova (AUS) [24] 7-6(4) 1-6 6-4
Ana Konjuh (CRO) [29] beat Danka Kovinic (MON) 7-5 7-6(4)
Francoise Abanda (CAN) beat Tessah Andrianjafitrimo (FRA) 6-3 6-4
Ekaterina Alexandrova (RUS) beat Katerina Siniakova (CZE) 6-4 2-6 6-2
Elise Mertens (BEL) beat Daria Gavrilova (AUS) [24] 7-6(4) 1-6 6-4
Ana Konjuh (CRO) [29] beat Danka Kovinic (MON) 7-5 7-6(4)
Sara Errani (ITA) beat Misaki Doi (JAP) 7-6(7) 6-1
Karolina Pliskova (CZE) [2] beat Zheng Saisai (CHI) 7-5 6-2
Samantha Stosur (AUS) [23] beat Kristina Kucova (SVK) 7-5 6-1
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) [16] beat Patricia Tig (ROM) 6-1 1-0 (Tig retired)
Ekaterina Alexandrova (RUS) beat Katerina Siniakova (CZE) 6-4 2-6 6-2
Magda Linette (POL) beat Alize Lim (FRA) 6-0 7-5
Kirsten Flipkens (BEL) beat Mandy Minella (LUX) 6-3 6-3
Mariana Duque (COL) beat Irina Begu (ROM) 7-6(2) 6-4
Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) [13] beat Jennifer Brady (USA) 3-6 6-3 9-7
Pauline Parmentier (FRA) beat Irina Khromacheva (RUS) 6-3 6-0
Varvara Lepchenko (USA) beat Andrea Petkovic (GER) 6-4 3-6 6-3

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