Li Na, 2014 Australian Open winner and No. 2 women’s tennis player in the world (per the WTA) lost in the first round of the French Open to up-and-coming youngster No. 103 Kristina Mladenovic. “The problem is myself,” Li said. “I don’t think I’m doing well on the court. And also, even during the match, I don’t think totally [about] what I should do, like especially I didn’t follow the game plan. … In my mind, I didn’t have any idea how to play the match.” This came just 24 hours after the Men’s Aussie open winner, Stan Wawrinka lost in the 1st round which makes the first time EVER that both Australian Open winners lost in the first round of the French Open.
Mladenovic won the match 7-5, 3-6, 6-1. “This is really big,” she said. “You don’t beat Li Na every day.” “I gave it away,” Li said. Mladenovic next plays American Alison Riske, who defeated Mirjana Lucic-Baroni 7-6 (2), 6-3.