Aryna Sabalenka eases through tense Roland Garros opener against Marta Kostyuk

WATCH: Sabalenka talked through her opening-round win at Roland Garros.

PARIS—Arriving to Court Philippe-Chatrier dressed all in pink, Aryna Sabalenka has lived la vie en rose in 2023 and kept the good vibes despite an at-time uncomfortable start to her Roland Garros campaign, dispatching Marta Kostyuk, 6-3, 6-2 to reach the second round and win her 30th match of the season.

Sabalenka-Kostyuk was immediately earmarked as a first round to watch, both for their combined clay-court prowess and for the geopolitical implications that emerge any time a Russian or Belarusian athlete draws a Ukrainian. But aside from the lack of a post-match handshake—which triggered boos from the crowd and a theatrical bow from Sabalenka in response—it was an otherwise high-quality contest as the No. 2 seed advanced in just over an hour on Sunday.

Sabalenka has all but seamlessly carried the high level she first found on hard courts last summer onto the clay courts this spring, collecting titles in Adelaide and Melbourne before capturing a second Mutua Madrid Open title over Iga Swiatek. Still, against a former junior standout playing for something bigger than herself, an upset certainly seemed possible.

“It was an interesting feeling,” she told Jon Wertheim of playing her first Grand Slam match as a major champion. “I’m happy to have won a Grand Slam in my pocket, but this isn’t everything I want and I’m doing everything I can to get more Grand Slams. Hopefully I can do well here.”

Kostyuk has indeed become the de facto spokeswoman for the Ukrainian tennis contingent, criticizing Sabalenka for continuing to train—however periodically—in Russia, for failing to move her family out of Belarus, who have joined Russia in its unprovoked invasion into her country, and for declaring that sport and politics should remain separate in her Media Day press conference.

I’m happy to have won a Grand Slam in my pocket, but this isn’t everything I want and I’m doing everything I can to get more Grand Slams. Hopefully I can do well here. Aryna Sabalenka

“After this tournament, Sabalenka might become No. 1 in such a popular sport,” she told Ukrainian Tennis BTU on Saturday. “Having such a large platform and such influence in the world, she refuses it. What kind of message is this for the world? We are talking about people being murdered and as a response, we hear that we should leave sports out of politics. But war does not choose whether you are an athlete or not when it comes to your home.”

The unseeded 20-year-old narrowly missed out on a seed at this year’s Roland Garros but nonetheless enjoyed a bright start against Sabalenka, saving two break points before breaking at love, cracking several backhands into the open court.

Sabalenka surged from there, navigating multiple long games before finding a groove at 5-3, serving out the opening set at love and channeled that momentum into an immediate break in the second.

“It was tough first round, and especially after such tough loss in Rome,” she said in press, referencing her shock upset against Sofia Kenin. “I mean, I know I was exhausted, but still this match is in your head. Emotionally, I was a little bit nervous at the beginning.”

Kostyuk put on a brave last stand, threatening to break the reigning Australian Open champion with a pair of break points, but Sabalenka was undaunted, ending the match with 19 winners to 21 unforced errors—compared to a -9 differential from her young opponent.

Drama colored the match’s conclusion when Sabalenka thought the boos from the crowd were directed at her—causing her semi-sarcastic reply—but once the confusion was resolved, Sabalenka regained her rose-colored glasses and reaffirmed her belief that sports and politics ought not to mix.

“I'm naturally like a positive person," she said. “On court just my style of the game, I play aggressive, so I'm more aggressive on court. But off court, yeah, I seem to be more positive.

“I focus on things like what they saying about me, like on positive things. If people don't like me or hate me, I kind of understand that, it's okay, it's their decision, their opinion. I don't want to prove them that I'm a good person or bad person. I just focus on people who likes me.”

Sabalenka will go for nine straight wins at major tournaments against countrywoman and qualifier Iryna Shymanovich.