Paris, May 26 (Reporter) Iga Swiatek began her French Open title defence in ruthless fashion on Monday, defeating Slovakia's Rebecca Sramkova 6-3, 6-3 in a composed and confident performance on Court Philippe-Chatrier. The top-seeded Pole, who is eyeing a fourth consecutive title at Roland Garros and her fifth overall, was in command from the outset. Although Sramkova, a qualifier ranked outside the top 100, tried to match Swiatek in baseline rallies, the gulf in class became evident as the world number one raised her level at crucial moments. Swiatek broke early in the first set and maintained control with precise groundstrokes and solid serving. Sramkova showed glimpses of aggression, particularly with her forehand, but was unable to convert any of her limited opportunities. The second set followed a similar script. Swiatek broke twice more, using her trademark heavy topspin and footwork to dictate play. She wrapped up the contest in one hour and 31 minutes, marking her 22nd consecutive win at the French Open — a run dating back to 2021. Awaiting her in the second round is Britain’s Emma Raducanu, who edged past China’s Wang Xinyu in a three-set tussle earlier in the day. Their meeting will be the first between the two Grand Slam champions, setting up one of the most anticipated clashes of the second round. With this win, Swiatek underlined her credentials once again as the player to beat in Paris...////...