Safarova eases through in French Open

Paris, May 23 (IANS) The opening day of the 2016 French Open was cut short as rain twice halted play on Sunday, when only 10 out of 32 scheduled matches were completed, including a quick win by women's singles No. 11 seed Lucie Safarova.

The Czech player, last year's runner-up to Serena Williams, eased through to the second round with a 6-0, 6-2 victory over Russian Vitalia Diatchenko, just in time to avoid the second rain suspension on Sunday, reports Xinhua.

Kei Nishikori was not as lucky, however, as the fifth-seeded Japanese was leading 6-1, 5-4 over Italian Simone Bolelli ahead of a mid-match rain delay of nearly three hours.

He resumed under still overcast skies but only wrapped up the second set 7-5 and took a 2-1 lead in the third set before heavy showers came back.

Sixteen matches were cancelled and six were suspended as organisers announced that play wouldn't resume before Monday morning since the clay courts turned too slippery.

--IANS

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