French Open first round sees Andy Murray lose in straights sets

Stan Wawrinka got the better of Andy Murray at Roland Garros as the three-time Grand Slam winner Murray ended up on the end of a straight sets defeat.

The Swiss master’s booming groundstrokes that take time to wind up suited the heavy balls and cold weather perfectly as Murray, a former U.S. Open and two-time Wimbledon champion, got taught a tough tennis lesson in the tepid French weather.

Roland Garros is usually abuzz with fans, sunshine and all the glamour of the ATP tour for the kick-off of the French Open. Of course, that would normally take place in June, the 2nd Grand Slam stop of the year ahead of Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. But the blazing sun has been replaced by a heavy autumnal chill, appropriately enough given tennis is taking place inside a bubble amid the global Coronavirus pandemic, but not conducive to the best tennis imaginable.

Wawrinka took advantage of these factors to devastating effect as he dominated Murray almost from the first ball to the last.