Angelique Kerber suffers shock first-round French Open defeat to Anastasia Potapova at Roland Garros

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George Flood26 May 2019

Angelique Kerber will not complete a career Grand Slam at Roland Garros this year after being dumped out of the French Open in the first round.

The reigning Wimbledon champion, who claimed a memorable Australian Open and US Open double in 2016, suffered a shock 6-4, 6-2 defeat to Russian teenager Anastasia Potapova on Philippe Chatrier court on the opening day of action in Paris.

A French Open quarter-finalist for the second time in 2018, fifth seed Kerber has been bothered by injury of late and was forced to withdraw from the Madrid Open earlier in May following a first-round win over Lesia Tsurenko after twisting her ankle in practice.

"She really played good," Kerber said.

"I tried my best. I was able to practise the last few days really good, but it was not really a long clay-court preparation with everything.

"I was happy to at least go on court, playing a match. Of course it's not like I hoped for."

Following a memorable start to her first main draw appearance at Roland Garros, a meeting with the Czech Republic's Marketa Vondrousova or Wang Yafan of China is next on the agenda for 18-year-old Potapova.

Roger Federer and women's second seed Karolina Pliskova are among the other high-profile names set to play their first-round matches on Sunday.

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