German fifth seed and reigning Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber saw her hopes of a career Grand Slam ended by Russian teenager Anastasia Potapova at Roland Garros on Sunday as Roger Federer prepared to make his Paris return after a four-year absence.
Fifth-seeded Wimbledon champion Kerber slumped to a 6-4, 6-2 defeat to 18-year-old Potapova who was making her French Open debut.
“I had a lot of confidence and I have to thank my coach for that,” said 81st-ranked Potapova who hit 28 winners past her German opponent.
Kerber, 31, has now lost six times in the French Open first round.
The German left-hander had come into Roland Garros carrying a right ankle injury which forced her to pull out of the Italian Open and retire from her second round tie in Madrid.
“She played really good, I tried my best,” said Kerber who was broken six times in the match which brought the curtain up on a rebuilt Court Philippe Chatrier.
“I didn’t really have great preparation and I was just happy to get on court to play the match.
“I didn’t have many expectations coming in.”
Potapova’s first win over a top 10 player gives her a second round clash against either China’s Wang Yafan or Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic.
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