LATVIAN world number 11 Jelena Ostapenko advanced through to the second round of Roland Garros overnight, defeating Romanian Jaqueline Cristian in a tough two-set match. The ninth seed had to work for her win, eventually getting up 6-4 7-5 to book her place in the Paris Round of 64.

The former Roland Garros champion has won two titles thus far in 2024 and will face Danish young gun Clara Tauson in the next round to try and repeat the feats of her 2017 Grand Slam run. The win over Cristian was a good one or Ostapenko who had lost the only previous meeting between the pair – albeit back in St Petersburg three years ago.

Cristian showed she was up for the fight against her highly rated opponent, breaking early and racing to a 3-1 lead. Trailing at 2-4, Osapenko found her range and started to hit Cristian off the court with some brilliant winners, closing out the set with the last four games.

The second set was nearly identical with Cristian again producing an early break to go 3-1 up, only for Ostapenko to reel off another four consecutive games. This time though, despite the Latvian serving for the match at 5-3, it would be the Romanian who stepped up to the plate, breaking and forcing the match to be extended. It would only be extended another three games however as Ostapenko broke again and served out the match to claim a 6-4 7-5 victory.

“It wasn’t easy at all, she’s a really good player, has had really good wins, I’m just really happy how I was fighting today and never gave up,” Osapenko said post-match.

“I just work very hard and I work on being more consistent, play my game. I won’t say to win another Grand Slam, but try to play as good as I can. If I play well I think I can be a dangerous player.”

Ostapenko hit 28 winners to 10 in the match, while conceding the 10 more unforced errors (31-21). Her ability to convert five of nine break opportunities was crucial as her Romanian opponent only managed the three of eight.

Tauson is next up for the ninth seed after the Dane defeated German Tatjana Maria in straight sets, 6-2 6-3 to reach the second round. The only seed to fall on day one was 29th seeded Russian Veronika Kudermetova who fell to Czech Marie Bouzkova 6-2 6-4.

ROLAND GARROS WTA ROUND OF 128 RESULTS:

[9] Jelena Ostapenko (LAT) defeated Jaqueline Cristian (ROU) 6-4 7-5
[18] Marta Kostyuk (UKR) defeated Laura Pigossi (BRA) 7-5 6-7 6-4
[21] Caroline Garcia (FRA) defeated Eva Lys (GER) 4-6 7-5 6-2
Viktorija Golubic (SUI) defeated Barbora Krejcikova (CZE) 7-6 6-3
Marie Bouzkova (CZE) defeated [29] Veronika Kudermetova (RUS) 6-2 6-4
[30] Dayana Yastremska (UKR) defeated Ajla Tomljanovic (AUS) 3-6 6-3 6-3
[32] Katerina Siniakova (CZE) defeated Dalma Galfi (HUN) 7-5 7-6
Sofia Kenin (USA) defeated Laura Siegemund (GER) 4-6 6-2 6-2
Jana Fett (CRO) defeated Jessica Bouzas (ESP) 6-2 3-6 7-5
Naomi Osaka (JPN) defeated Lucia Bronzetti (ITA) 6-1 4-6 7-5
Yafan Wang (CHN) defeated Maria Timofeeva (RUS) 6-3 6-3
Donna Vekic (CRO) defeated Lesia Tsurenko (UKR) 6-5 RET
Clara Tauson (DEN) defeated Tatjana Maria (GER) 6-2 6-3
Chloe Paquet (FRA) defeated Diana Shnaider (RUS) 6-3 6-1
Amanda Anisimova (USA) defeated Rebecca Sramkova (SVK) 7-6 6-4
Xiyu Wang (CHN) defeated Zhuoxuan Bai (CHN) 7-5 6-7 6-3
Olga Danilovic(SRB) defeated Martina Trevisan (ITA) 6-1 6-2
Katie Volynets (USA) defeated Aleksandra Krunic (SRB) 7-6 6-2
Xinyu Wang (CHN) defeated Jule Niemeier (GER) 0-6 6-2 6-4
Tamara Zidansek (SLO) defeated Rebecca Sramkova (SVK) 7-6 6-4