Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) tennis players Jarmila Groth and Olivia Rogowska have both produced tremendous performances at the French Open, winning their first round matches in straight sets.

Groth beat the French wildcard Kinnie Laisne in an impressive 6–4 6–3, while the 17-year-old Rogowska — who ranks 256th in the world and was a wildcard entry — had an outstanding 6–4 6–4 win over world number 47, Russian Maria Kirilenko.

The AIS is working closely with Tennis Australia to support the ongoing training and development of young tennis talent and to help improve the performance of Australian players on clay courts.

The AIS Tennis program’s return to Canberra has given players the chance to train on purpose-built clay courts modelled on the French Open surface both at home as well as at the AIS training facilities in northern Italy, which has had a significant role in preparation for the grand slam.

AIS Tennis head coach Brent Larkham said it was a massive breakthrough for Rogowska and Groth to win their first round matches at the French Open and indicated that the clay court training had greatly benefited the athletes.

‘Earlier this year the girls had a solid six week training block down here before they played two clay court tournaments up in Queensland ahead of the French Open.

‘It looks like the hard work has paid off,’ Larkham said.

Groth, currently ranked number 73, will go on to play Columbian Mariana Duque Marino who is ranked number 124, and Rogowska will face world number 60, the Ukraine’s Kateryna Bondarenko.