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Nadal, Serena win Roland Garros openers as Thiem aces early test

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French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - September 28, 2020 Spain's Rafael Nadal in action during his first round match against Belarus' Egor Gerasimov REUTERS

Rafael Nadal began his pursuit of a record-tying 20th men's Grand Slam title with a straight-sets victory at the French Open while Serena Williams made a slow but successful start in her latest bid to equal Margaret Court's all-time mark.

Nadal, 34, needs one more Slam to match Roger Federer's record but has described the defence of his Roland Garros crown as the "most difficult ever" given the cold and damp conditions of a tournament delayed four months by the coronavirus pandemic.

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