Mladenovic maintains form on grass after Roland Garros doubles title

Kristina Mladenovic (WTA-32) has survived the opening round of the Ricoh Open. The new Roland Garros women’s doubles champion defeated Yaroslava Shvedova (WTA-94) from Kazakhstan with 6-4, 6-3.

Shvedova, who reached the quarter-finales at Rosmalen in her three last visits, registered a break in both sets, but also had one per set against her.

Mladenovic, the third seed, played attacking tennis and was especially forceful at her opponent’s second service.

The French player will meet Russia’s Natalia Vikhlyantseva (WTA-254) in the next match. The 19-year-old qualifier surprised everybody by beating Czech player Denisa Allertova (WTA-80) with 6-2, 6-1 in just 51 minutes.

The curtain fell in the first round for Belgium’s Kirsten Flipkens (WTA-61). The losing finalist from 2013 was not strong enough to beat Japan’s Risa Ozaki (WTA-124): -4, 6-2. In addition to her place in the final three years ago, Flipkens also reached the semi-finals twice (2010 and 2012).

Qualifier Ozaki has to pass fellow qualifier Viktorija Golubic (WTA-113) to get to the quarter-final stage. The Swiss caused a stir by beating eighth seed Anna-Lena Friedsam (WTA-52) from Germany with 6-3, 7-5.