Berrettini holds off Daniel, Pliskova powers on

Top Italian Matteo Berrettini opened his fourth Roland-Garros campaign on a winning not on Tuesday with a 6-0, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 victory over Japan's Taro Daniel.

The ninth seed clocked 14 aces and won 90 per cent of his first-serve points to deny the 113th-ranked qualifier after two hours and 22 minutes.

The 25-year-old Roman was aware of the danger Daniel posed after the Japanese player pushed him to three sets in the semi-finals of his Belgrade title run leading in.

He will next meet Argentine Federico Coria, who defeated Spanish veteran Feliciano Lopez, 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-2.

One of the elder flag-bearers of Italian men's tennis also had cause for celebration on Tuesday as Andreas Seppi upset No.20 seed Felix Auger-Aliassime to land his first tour-level victory of the season and first at Roland-Garros in four years.

The 20-year-old Auger-Aliassime fell to 4-6 on clay for the season while Seppi moved on to face South Korean Soonwoo Kwon a 7-5, 6-4, 2-6, 7-6(4) winner over South African Kevin Anderson.

Women's ninth seed Karolina Pliskova emerged triumphant in a high-quality shoot-out with Croatian Donna Vekic to reach the second round.

The Czech, a runner-up in Rome leading in, advanced 7-5, 6-4 in 97 minutes, hitting 26 winners to her opponent's 21. Pliskova's compatriot, Australian Open semi-finalist Karolina Muchova also progressed. The 18th seed held off former semi-finalist Andrea Petkovic 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 in two hours and 12 minutes.

No.3 seed Rafael Nadal commenced his quest for a record-extending 21st Grand Slam title and a 14th Roland-Garros crown with a 6-3, 6-2, 7-6(3) triumph over Australian world No.63 Alexei Popyrin.

The Mallorcan fired seven aces and won 81 per cent of his first-serve points to book a second round date with French veteran Richard Gasquet.

Nadal's inconceivable Roland-Garros record now stands at 101-2 win-loss.

"I'm happy to win that third set, I don't know how I won it, but I did, and I'm glad," the Spaniard said on court.

Over on Court Suzanne-Lenglen, Gael Monfils posted his first match-win at a Grand Slam since the 2020 Australian Open by outlasting clay specialist Albert Ramos-Vinolas 1-6, 7-6(6), 6-4, 6-4 in the Roland-Garros first round.

Entering the tournament, the 34-year-old Monfils had just one victory to his name this season while Ramos-Vinolas had 18 wins to his name, 17 of which had come on clay.

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Monfils has openly discussed his struggles since the tour restarted from the pandemic hiatus last August and Tuesday's success will no doubt give him a welcome boost.

The Frenchman's next challenge comes in the form of 22-year-old Swede Mikael Ymer.

Meanwhile, seventh-seeded Andrey Rublev suffered a shock 6-3, 7-6(6), 4-6, 3-6, 6-4 defeat to big-serving German Jan-Lennard Struff in a three-hour 46-minute battle on Court 14.

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The Russian, who had made the quarter-finals at his last three majors, was considered one of the top contenders for the title, having made the Monte Carlo final in the build-up, scoring a big win over Rafael Nadal en route.

Struff, ranked 42 in the world, enjoyed his best run at a Grand Slam in Paris two years ago when he reached the fourth round.