Last updated 22:39, May 29 2018
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Michael Venus and Raven Klaasen had too much experience for their young French opponents at Roland Garros.
Michael Venus and Raven Klaasen had too much experience for their young French opponents at Roland Garros.
Michael Venus has started his defence of the French Open doubles title with a comfortable first round win.
Playing alongside South African Raven Klaasen, they defeated Corentin Denolly and Alexandre Muller 6-3 6-3 on court four at Roland Garros.
This match was expected to be an easy one for Venus and Klaasen and that proved to be the case.
They were up against the little known French pair of Denolly and Muller, tour rookies who received wildcards into the main draw.
Their lack of doubles strategy at the Grand Slam level was quickly exposed by the vastly more experienced Venus and Klaasen. This was particularly evident when Venus and Klaasen both came to the net to make a wall.
Klaasen and Venus got a break in the first game of the match, but in the next Venus was taken to deuce on his serve, holding his nerve for a 2-0 lead.
At 3-2 to the Kiwi/South African team, the light rain that had been falling since the players walked onto court got heavier and after the umpire inspected the clay he halted proceedings.
Ten minutes later play resumed, and soon after Venus found himself 15-40 on his serve, but again he was able to lift his game at the crucial moments and held once more.
Muller faced a set point at 3-5 and following a short rally Venus put away a crosscourt volley at the net.
Denolly had to save a break point in the fourth game of the second set, which he did, but two games later Muller was broken to love, which put Venus and Klaasen up 4-2.
A second invitation wasn't needed and three games later Venus served out the match, putting a bomb down the middle which Denolly couldn't return.
The match finished just in time for Venus and Klaasen as straight after the rain came down considerably harder, suspending play on every court.
In the second round, they will play the winners of the match between tSpanish duo Fernando Verdasco and David Marrero and the all-French team of Jonathan Eysseric and Hugo Nys.