Roland Garros opened its gates for the main tournament of the French Open amid tight security on a searing hot Sunday with Petra Kvitova set to make her much-awaited return to competition five months after being stabbed during a burglary.
The Czech two-time Wimbledon champion will hit the first balls of the claycourt grand slam's 116th edition when she takes on American Julia Boserup.
World number one Angelique Kerber was practising on a sunkissed Court Philippe Chatrier, which seemed to have been washed out by the early showers, before the start of play at 0900 GMT.
Spectators had to go through security checks before entering the stadium in western Paris as France has been in a state of emergency since the country was hit by Islamic State claimed attacks in Nov. 2015.
Temperatures are set to reach 33 degrees Celsius in Paris on Sunday and no rain is forecast on day one of a tournament disrupted by poor weather in recent years.
None of the top five seeds from the men's draw will compete on the opening day but nine-time champion Rafa Nadal will be training in the stadium in the morning.
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