Muguruza tops Townsend in three to win first match on Simonne Mathieu

Former Roland Garros champion Garbine Muguruza overcame a shaky first set and a confident start from Taylor Townsend to win their first-round match, 5-7, 6-2, 6-2, in the debut of Court Simonne Mathieu on Sunday.

"It's actually cool to be the first player [to win] in it," said Muguruza. "I have been training this week on it for a couple of days. I liked it. It's a very cute court. It's not small, but it's cozy."

Townsend broke the Spaniard at love with a forehand down-the-line winner, her 13th overall, to open a one-set lead. Muguruza was misfiring on both wings, spraying 15 unforced errors, but was quick to adjust and put the deficit behind her. The 2016 French Open champion greatly increased her first-serve success rate in the second set—making 88 percent—to gain stronger positioning of the baseline and deny Townsend the chance to run around and take her forehand early.

After holding to begin the third set, the 23-year-old Townsend had break point, though Muguruza confidently wiped it away by coming forward to close a forehand volley—a tactic she found success with throughout the match. The two-time major winner soon surged, with her down-the-line backhand in particular, to run off five consecutive games. Townsend fought to erase three match points at 0-40 to end the streak, but Muguruza closed out the victory with a forehand drop-shot winner in the ensuing game.

"She managed to get the first set, and immediately I realized I've got to do something different to turn things around," Muguruza assessed. "A little bit more going forward and playing longer points. I started to feel better in the court and getting my rhythm."

Muguruza, a semifinalist in Paris last year, has reached the quarterfinal stage in four of her past five Roland Garros appearances. Townsend’s best major result came in Paris five years ago when she advanced to the third round in her tournament debut. The two were squaring off for the first time.

The sunken court, named after the former French champion who famously triumphed in 1938 and 1939 after losing in six previous finals, seats 5,000 spectators. It’s surrounded by greenhouses and connects with the Serres d’Auteuil botanical garden, which visitors can take in during tournament play. The garden uniquely features plants from five continents. A ceremony to celebrate the court's opening was held following Muguruza's win.

In addition to winning 13 Grand Slam titles (two singles, nine doubles and two mixed), Mathieu was also a distinguished war veteran. With news of the Second World War in 1939, Mathieu dropped her tennis career in New York and returned home to serve her country. General Charles de Gaulle later requested Mathieu command her own army, the French Women’s Volunteer Corps.

When the war was over, Mathieu, now a Captain and still donning her military uniform, returned to Roland Garros to umpire a ‘Liberation Match’ between compatriots Yvon Petra and Henri Cochet. Petra took the match 6-1, 6-2 on September 17, 1944.