'Intense' Aryna Sabalenka 'having so much fun' as world No. 1 amid French Open title tilt - 'She's so relaxed'

The world No. 1 dropped serve three times in a tricky encounter at Roland-Garros, but ultimately made her credentials show by beating the Spaniard 6-4 6-2 to set up a second-round meeting with either Linda Fruhvirtova or Elsa Jacquemot.

Speaking after the match, TNT Sports expert Wilander said: "It's a joy to watch Sabalenka embracing her place at the pinnacle of women's tennis.

"She is so relaxed all the time. She’s not really relaxed when she’s playing, in one way, because she’s intense, but she’s having so much fun.

"I love that she’s having so much fun. She’s laughing and smiling, coming to the net, hitting drop shots. She’s playing the complete game.

"But the fact she’s loving being No. 1 in the world is huge, because I did not enjoy it that much. A lot of people don’t enjoy it that much, because it’s a lot of pressure, and she loves it."

Fellow expert Henri Leconte added: "Some of the players love to have that pressure. [John] McEnroe, [Pete] Sampras, Jannik Sinner, they don’t really care. They produce the tennis. It’s something you can accept - or it's more complicated."

The sun-baked clay, basking in temperatures of nearly 30 degrees Celsius on Court Philippe-Chatrier, provided the perfect base for Sabalenka's big-hitting to thrive, the surface playing fast and bouncy.

And the world No. 1, helped by the conditions, initially forged a sizeable advantage - racing into a 4-0 lead with a double-break advantage.

However, Bouzas Maneiro refused to succumb to the power of her counterpart, and began to stick with her - applying pressure by absorbing Sabalenka's pace and eliciting unforced errors.

The Spaniard immediately cut into her deficit by converting her second break point to get herself on the scoreboard, Sabalenka firing into the net while backpedalling.

With Sabalenka serving for the set, Bouzas Maneiro made her momentum count, and put the opener back on serve, with unforced errors once again Sabalenka's downfall. That is not to discount some delightful shot-making from Bouzas Maneiro, who earned the break point with a delightful cross-court backhand winner, before Sabalenka went into the net for 5-4.

Ultimately, though, Bouzas Maneiro would not take Sabalenka the distance. A timely break - disappointingly sealed when the world No. 50 double-faulted - ensured last year's runner-up would take a big stride towards the second round.

In the second set, Sabalenka raced into a 5-0 lead via another double break, causing harm to her opponent with some strong variety and willingness to come up to the net.

Bouzas Maneiro, though, did not lie down, and battled just as she did in the first. She applied some pressure to break Sabalenka when she was serving for the match.

It was too late for a comeback, however, Sabalenka once again thwarting her opponent's serve to close out victory.

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