Paris: Rafael Nadal racked up his 80th French Open win as Serena Williams made her eagerly-awaited return to Grand Slam tennis with a win at Roland Garros yesterday. Former World No. 1 Maria Sharapova also battled back from a final set deficit to reach the second round

Nadal, the 10-time champion, defeated Italian lucky loser Simone Bolelli 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (11/9).

World number one Nadal had been two sets up but 0-3 down in the third when rain caused the tie to be suspended late Monday.

He quickly levelled at 3-3 yesterday, saved four break points in the eighth game before saving four set points in the breaker. The top seed eventually claimed victory on a third match point when Bolelli dumped a forehand into the net.

Nadal, bidding for an 11th title in Paris and his 17th major, next faces Argentina’s Guido Pella for a place in the last 32. “I really suffered today but it was a good test,” said Nadal who had been in danger of dropping his first set at Roland Garros since his 2015 quarter-final loss to Novak Djokovic.

“Simone is a very good player and he had lots of chances and was very aggressive.”

Women’s singles

Meanwhile, in the women’s singles, Williams wore a black body suit with long leggings and a red waistband for her first-round French Open match at Court Philippe Chatrier. It called to mind Williams’ black “catsuit” that she wore at the 2002 US. Open.

Still rusty, Williams however made the second round by edging out Kristyna Pliskova 7-6 (7-4), 6-4.

Third seed and 2016 champion Garbine Muguruza defeated 2009 winner Svetlana Kuznetsova 7-6 (7/0), 6-2.

Spain’s Muguruza next faces French wildcard Fiona Ferro, ranked 257, for a place in the last 32.

In other men’s matches third seed Marin Cilic reached the second round with a 6-3, 7-5, 7-6 (7/4) win over Australia’s James Duckworth.

Wimbledon and Australian Open runner-up Cilic, 29, fired 47 winners and 13 aces past the 1,072nd-ranked Duckworth who was playing his first match since the 2017 Australian Open.

Canadian teenager Denis Shapovalov eased to a 7-5, 6-4, 6-2 victory over Australian John Millman in his first ever main-draw French Open match.

The 19-year-old, who lost in Roland Garros qualifying last year but is now the 24th seed, will next take on German world number 70 Maximilian Marterer for a place in the last 32.

“The last couple of weeks I’ve been playing unbelievable on this surface,” said Shapovalov, the youngest player to break into the world’s top 30 since 2005.

With the headlines dominated by the returns of Williams and Sharapova in women’s singles, world number one Simona Halep will begin her latest bid to win a maiden Slam very much under the radar.

The Romanian, who blew a set and 3-0 lead to lose the 2017 final to Jelena Ostapenko, faces Alison Riske, the 83rd-ranked American.