French Open 2016, Day 3 as it happened: Serena, Nadal race into second round; Azarenka retires from Roland Garros

World number one Serena Willaims will start her French Open 2016 campaign shortly!

#French Open Serena Williams is out on Court Phillipe-Chatrier, warming up for her 1st round https://t.co/4f8uX7Zf0F pic.twitter.com/faGAoyu9qP

— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) May 24, 2016

Labouring but battling, Victoria Azarenka saves a match point and wins second set tie-break vs. Karin Knapp as they head into a decider.

Home favourite Jo Wilfried-Tsonga, seeded 6th, wins 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 against Jan-Lennard Struff.

Gutsy stuff from Azarenka as she forces a tie-break. Can she hobble her way to the third set?

Things not going well for the number five seed.

Update on Azarenka’s injury. She held her service after the medical timeout. 

No tape on Azarenka's right knee. Long MTO though, but she resumes the match

— Carole Bouchard 💜💛 (@carole_bouchard) May 24, 2016

#11 David Ferrer is through to the second round with a comfortable 6-1, 6-2, 6-0 win over Russian Evengy Donskoy.

#5 Victoria Azarenka, down 3-6, 3-3 to Karin Knapp, stops mid-game and limps to her chair. She is having lots of trouble with the right knee, in tears as she takes a time out.

Another player having beef with the chair umpire! We seem to be having way too many of these moments at the French Open this year.

#5 Victoria Azarenka led by a break early but she endedn up dropping the first set. Will we see another upset today? 

Upset alert: Karin Knapp takes the first set 6-3 over No. 5 seed Victoria Azarenka. #RG16 pic.twitter.com/2a6zQhEFaP

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 24, 2016

World number one Novak Djokovic crossed the very first hurdle towards winning his maiden French Open. 

It's all about the heart for Nole in Paris this year. He wins over Lu, 6-4, 6-1, 6-1. #RG16 pic.twitter.com/489khGOgEg

— TennisNow (@Tennis_Now) May 24, 2016

What great reflexes from Frenchwoman Oceane Dodin against Ana Ivanovic. 

The 14th seed from Serbia won the first set 6-0, but it’s quite close in the second. 5-all.

Océane Dodin montre ses réflexes ! fin de set serrée face à Ana Ivanovic #RG16 https://t.co/yDeoPVJi8v

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 24, 2016

Translation: “When the party is so easy that you decide to take a break dance dance in the middle of the track.” How lcose did Nadal come to touching the net in that point from his match earlier?

Cuando el partido es tan fácil que decides echarte un baile de break dance en medio de la pista. pic.twitter.com/wOp09CQ9J8

— Reacciones Tenis (@ReaccionesATP) May 24, 2016

Novak Djokovic grabs the first set from Yen-Hsun Lu on Court Phillipe-Chatrier with a late break and hold, 6-4. The world number is looking from his best so far but gets the job done. 

6-4 Djokovic. Still looks bothered, tight or something. Stays under towels in his chair : under the weather ? pic.twitter.com/23lLaNgGvM

— Carole Bouchard 💜💛 (@carole_bouchard) May 24, 2016

Here’s a stat update for you!

#RG16 42 matches in

Straight Sets
Men 20
Women 27

Tiebreakers
Men 21
Women 4

1st Serve Win %
Men 68%
Women 61%

2nds
Men 50%
Women 43%

— Craig O'Shannessy 🇺🇦 (@BrainGameTennis) May 24, 2016

Nadal stuns Groth with this tweener!

News Alert:

Nine-time champion Rafael Nadal stormed into the French Open second round on Tuesday with a 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 mauling of Australia’s Sam Groth.

Nadal, the fourth seed, took his overall record in Paris to 71 wins against just two losses.

The Spaniard needed only 80 minutes to see off the big-serving Groth, committing just two unforced errors in the process.

He next faces either Facundo Bagnis of Argentina or French qualifier Kenny de Schepper.

What a great match we just witnessed! Over two days, 3 hrs 41 min and five sets. The 37-year-old Czech gave the world number two a run for his money.

#Respect pic.twitter.com/n2xmNMhx0c

— Chris Oddo (@TheFanChild) May 24, 2016

Andy Murray, once down 2 sets, and then 2 points from defeat, survives first-rounder against Radek Stepanek, 3-6, 3-6, 6-0, 6-3, 7-5.

Nadal sure is happy!

#HappyRafa defeats Groth, 6-1, 6-1, 6-1. #RG16 pic.twitter.com/YeaI1dCYjV

— TennisNow (@Tennis_Now) May 24, 2016

Rafael Nadal creates a record in the 1st round itself. Super fast victory over Sam Groth, 6-1, 6-1, 6-1.

The Murray-Stepanek match is become more intriguing by the game. The Scot has unable to find in-roads in the Stepanke serve in the fifth set. He’s now serving to stay in the match at 5-4.

Nadal is in complete control as he takes the second set 6-1 in just 23 minutes. He’s in a hurry to get off court!

Scores update:

(#12) Carla Suarez Navarro d. Katerina Siniakova 6-2, 4-6, 6-2
 

Shuai Zhang d. Galina Voskoboeva 7-5, 6-2
 

Malek Jaziri d. Florian Mayer 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2
 

Aljaz Bedene d. Gerald Melzer 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4

The 37-year-old is definitely having fun on court!

@hotdog6969 pic.twitter.com/XYeoNCjIHa

— doublefault28 (@doublefault28) May 24, 2016

Stepanek is so entertaining! Check out the video for his antics.

Stepanek is an absolute treat to watch. Such a laugh.

At the changeover, watch this. https://t.co/nnyrb5Kcov

— David Law (@DavidLawTennis) May 24, 2016

Last year’s semi-finalist Timea Bacsinszky is through to the second round with a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Sílvia Soler-Espinosa. She faces Genie Bouchard next.

Last year’s semi-finalist Timea Bacsinszky is through to the second round with a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Sílvia Soler-Espinosa. She faces Genie Bouchard next.

Sam Groth’s hilarious tweet from a couple of days ago. We know what his preferred surface is! (It’s definitely not clay)

With all this rain @rolandgarros, I'm gonna go throw some seed on Chatrier and hope it grows by Tuesday 🌱😂 #RG16 #RolandGarros

— Sam Groth MP (@SamGrothMP) May 22, 2016

#4 Rafael Nadal takes just 26 minutes to win the opening set 6-1 over Sam Groth.

Murray-Stepanek into a fifth set!

#2 Andy Murray has forced a decider after claiming the fourth set, 6-3.

.@tomasberdych gets much needed 6-3 6-2 6-1 win over Pospisil. He'll prepare for winner of Jaziri - F. Mayer. #RG16 pic.twitter.com/3oDYHB339F

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 24, 2016

Nine-time champion Rafael Nadal is now on court, playing his first round against Australian Sam Groth.

On the centre court, Andy Murray and Radek Stepanek have resumed their match from last night. The Scot is currently trailing 3-6, 3-6, 6-0, 5-2.

Nine-time champion Rafael Nadal is now on court, playing his first round against Australian Sam Groth.

On the centre court, Andy Murray and Radek Stepanek have resumed their match from last night. The Scot is currently trailing 3-6, 3-6, 6-0, 5-2.

Score update:

Australian star Bernard Tomic put his recent troubles behind him when he picked up a first claycourt win of the season at the French Open Tuesday.

The 23-year-old Tomic breezed past Brian Baker, the 662nd-ranked American, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 in a rare bright spell for the Australian.

News alert:

Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber crashed out in the first round of the French Open on Tuesday as the German third seed lost 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 to Kiki Bertens, the world number 58.

Bertens, who won her second career title at Nuremberg on Saturday, broke Kerber twice to claim the opening set on Court Philippe Chatrier.

Kerber responded in the second set to force a decider, but Dutchwoman Bertens completed a shock victory to set up a second-round tie against Italy’s Camila Giorgi or French wildcard Alize Lim.

While we were busy with the Kerber match on Phillipe-Chatrier, a number of other players progressed to the second round. 

Genie Bouchard won 6-2, 6-2 over Germany’s Laura Siegemund

Bernard Tomic (#20) defeated Brian Baker 6-3, 6-4, 6-4

Tomas Berdych wasted no time, wrapping up a quick win over Vask Pospisil 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 

Frenchwoman #26 Kiki Mladenovic beat former French Open champion Francesca Schiavone 6-2, 6-4

With Kerber out, it means three of last six @AustralianOpen champs (Wawrinka, Li Na, Kerber) have lost in R1 of subsequent French....

— Jon Wertheim (@jon_wertheim) May 24, 2016

Biggest upset so far! Kiki Bertens rides good form from winning Nuremberg into biggest career win, ousting Australian Open champion #3 Angelique Kerber 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.

With Kerber on the verge of an exit, are we going to see a repeat of this?

Last time the AO champ went out in the 1R of @rolandgarros? Not that long ago: Li Na in 2014, out to Mladenovic in Paris #RG16

— Nick McCarvel (@NickMcCarvel) May 24, 2016

Keber is in trouble in the third set, trailing 0-3. Meanwhile, what do you think about the German’s “zebra” adidas outfit? A lot od people on social media have expressed their dislike for it. 

Kerber's @adidas outfit is really quite ugly....zebra with suspenders? GO GO @kikibertens! #RolandGarros #frenchopen pic.twitter.com/CKvkP3Nnhs

— Kok-Hwa Lie (@KokHwaLie) May 24, 2016

Keber is in trouble in the third set, trailing 0-3. Meanwhile, what do you think about the German’s “zebra” adidas outfit? A lot od people on social media have expressed their dislike for it. 

Kerber's @adidas outfit is really quite ugly....zebra with suspenders? GO GO @kikibertens! #RolandGarros #frenchopen pic.twitter.com/CKvkP3Nnhs

— Kok-Hwa Lie (@KokHwaLie) May 24, 2016

What a crafty point from Eugenie Bouchard! She won the first set over Laura Siegemund**,** 6-2 but is down a break in the second. 

Eugénie Bouchard a un adversaire de génie sur le 17 ;) #RG16 https://t.co/Fdy7moSY9k

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 24, 2016

Keber is fighting back against Bertens and has forced a decider. 2-6, 6-3. This is the first Slam match that the German is playing as a Major champion.

First winner of the day: Alize Cornet!

Kiki Bertens, who just won a clay title last week in Nuremberg, has taken the first set over Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber 6-2 in 26 minutes. Upset brewing already?

#3 Angelique Kerber, #7 Tomas Berdych, #12 Carla Suarez Navarro and planty of other seeds are already in action. We will also be looking at Genie Bouchard playing on Court 16 and Alize Cornet on Court 2.

The matches are live! 

Crt. 1 action begins! Pospisil v Berdych #RG16 https://t.co/G8hifV7Ghy

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 24, 2016

The sun is out in Paris! Hello and welcome to a rain-free (we hope) coverage of Day 3 of the French Open. With Serena Williams, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and Angelique Kerber all playing, it’s going to be one heck of a day at Roland Garros. Lots of tennis coming your way!