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Paris - Garbine Muguruza hailed the incredible longevity of Francesca Schiavone after defeating the veteran Italian in a first-round battle of French Open champions.
Spaniard Muguruza, who won her maiden Grand Slam title at Roland Garros last year, swept aside 2010 champion Schiavone 6-2, 6-4 on Monday.
"I cannot believe in the first round we have two ex-champions. Not only that but Francesca is a legend and I was very excited to play on Philippe Chatrier court with her," said Muguruza.
"She has been on the tour for such a long time, and when I look back on some videos, I heard her name since I'm, like, I don't know how old.
"She's still playing. She's fitter than most of the players. I'm, like, how is it possible? I think she loves it. She kind of enjoys out there."
The fourth seed admitted Schiavone's surprise 2010 final victory over Sam Stosur was a fond memory.
"I saw her match in the final here, and I kind of like it. I was happy that she won the French Open at that time," said Muguruza.
However, the 23-year-old doesn't believe she can emulate Schiavone, who turns 37 next month, in terms of a career spanning two decades.
"I don't see myself playing at 36 with that shape. I think she has a spectacular body, also, to be able to do that.
"I don't know if my body can handle with how many injuries I have, and I'm 23. So it's going to be tough."
Schiavone reached the quarter-finals on her French Open debut in 2001, with this year's appearance her 17th in a row in the main draw.
A year after winning her lone Grand Slam title, Schiavone returned to the final at Roland Garros only to lose to China's Li Na.
The Italian outlined in January her plan to retire at the end of the season, but she conceded there was still a chance she could postpone her farewell.
"You never know. For the moment, I want to live this moment this year. I have to see how I feel physically," said the Italian.
"You know, it's not easy to wake up and run again for six hours and push yourself. But we will see. I think after US Open I will ask myself what I want to do."
Schiavone cited the enduring quality of Venus Williams, who became the oldest Australian Open finalist in the Open era at this year's tournament, as inspiration to keep plugging away.
"It's something that you do just step by step, years by years. Can you see Venus that she's playing 20 years here? It's amazing.
"It's something I think very special that just if you love the sport you can do it.
"Just if you go through problems physically and you keep going to work and push your limits every time, I think it's fantastic.
"I see Venus here, and I say, 'Wow', this is a big example for everybody."
French Open results on Monday, the second day of the 2017 tournament at Roland Garros (x denotes seeding):
Men
First round
Pierre-Hugues Herbert (FRA) bt Jared Donaldson (USA) 6-4, 7-6 (7/5), 6-4
Nicolas Kicker (ARG) bt Damir Dzumhur (BIH) 6-3, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4
Pablo Cuevas (URU x22) bt Maxime Hamou (FRA) 6-3, 6-2, 6-4
Andreas Seppi (ITA) bt Santiago Giraldo (COL) 4-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2
Fabio Fognini (ITA) bt Francis Tiafoe (USA) 6-4, 6-3, 3-6, 1-6, 6-0
Richard Gasquet (FRA x24) bt Arthur De Greef (BEL) 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-3
Victor Estrella (DOM) bt Teimuraz Gabashvili (RUS) 6-7 (9/11), 2-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-3, 6-2
David Ferrer (ESP x30) bt Donald Young (USA) 5-7, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, 13-11
Feliciano Lopez (ESP) bt Bjorn Fratangelo (USA) 6-4, 7-6 (7/4), 6-3
Konstantin Kravchuk (RUS) bt Federico Del Bonis (ARG) 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (8/6)
Marin Cilic (CRO x7) bt Ernests Gulbis (LAT) 6-3, 6-3, 6-3
Milos Raonic (CAN x5) bt Steve Darcis (BEL) 6-3, 6-4, 6-2
Rogério Dutra Silva (BRA) bt Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) 4-6, 7-6 (7/5), 2-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-2
Jiri Vesely (CZE) bt Jack Sock (USA x14) 7-5, 7-5, 6-3
Aljaz Bedene (GBR) bt Ryan Harrison (USA) 6-4, 6-0, 3-6, 6-1
Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP x17) bt John Millman (AUS) 6-2, 6-2, 0-6, 6-1
Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO) bt Gilles Simon (FRA x31) 1-6, 6-2, 6-4, 6-1
Viktor Troicki (SRB) bt Evgeny Donskoy (RUS) 7-6 (7/4), 6-4, 6-0
Rafael Nadal (ESP x4) bt Benoit Paire (FRA) 6-1, 6-4, 6-1
Simone Bolelli (ITA) bt Nicolas Mahut (FRA) 6-4, 6-2, 6-2
Borna Coric (CRO) bt Mathias Bourgue (FRA) 7-6 (7/5), 6-3, 6-2
Steve Johnson (USA x25) bt Yuichi Sugita (JPN) 6-3, 6-3, 6-7 (4/7), 6-7 (3/7), 6-3
Sergiy Stakhovsky (UKR) bt Lu Yen-Hsun (TPE) 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7/4)
David Goffin (BEL x10) bt Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA) 6-2, 6-2, 6-2
Stefano Napolitano (ITA) bt Mischa Zverev (GER x32) 4-6, 7-5, 6-2, 6-2
Diego Schwartzman (ARG) bt Andrey Rublev (RUS) 0-6, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7 (3/7), 9-7
Joao Sousa (POR) bt Janko Tipsarevic (SRB) 4-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-2, 6-2
Novak Djokovic (SRB x2) bt Marcel Granollers (ESP) 6-3, 6-4, 6-2
Women
First round
Samantha Stosur (AUS x23) bt Kristna Kucov (SVK) 7-5, 6-1
Kirsten Flipkens (BEL) bt Mandy Minella (LUX) 6-3, 6-3
Caroline Wozniacki (DEN x11) bt Jaimee Fourlis (AUS) 6-4, 3-6, 6-2
Franoise Abanda (CAN) bt Tessah Andrianjafitrimo (FRA) 6-3, 6-4
Catherine Bellis (USA) bt Quirine Lemoine (NED) 6-3, 3-6, 6-1
Kiki Bertens (NED x18) bt Ajla Tomljanovic (AUS) 4-6, 6-1, 6-1
Zhang Shuai (CHN x32) bt Donna Vekic (CRO) 7-5, 6-4
Garbine Muguruza (ESP x4) bt Francesca Schiavone (ITA) 6-2, 6-4
Anett Kontaveit (EST) bt Monica Niculescu (ROM) 7-5, 6-1
Johanna Larsson (SWE) bt Natalia Vikhlyantseva (RUS) 6-4, 6-4
Yulia Putintseva (KAZ x27) bt Myrtille Georges (FRA) 6-3, 6-0
Sara Errani (ITA) bt Misaki Doi (JPN) 7-6 (9/7), 6-1
Kristina Mladenovic (FRA x13) bt Jennifer Brady (USA) 3-6, 6-3, 9-7
Richel Hogenkamp (NED) bt Jelena Jankovic (SRB) 6-2, 7-5
Elise Mertens (BEL) bt Daria Gavrilova (AUS x24) 7-6 (7/4), 1-6, 6-4
Ons Jabeur (TUN) bt Ana Bogdan (ROM) 6-3, 6-4
Ana Konjuh (CRO x29) bt Danka Kovinic (MNE) 7-5, 7-6 (7/4)
Magda Linette (POL) bt Alizé Lim (FRA) 6-0, 7-5
Ana Konjuh (CRO x29) bt Danka Kovinic (MNE) 7-5, 7-6 (7/4)
Elena Vesnina (RUS x14) bt Beatriz Haddad Maia (BRA) 6-2, 3-6, 6-4
Varvara Lepchenko (USA) bt Andrea Petkovic (GER) 6-4, 3-6, 6-3
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS x16) bt Patricia Tig (ROM) 6-1, 1-0 - retired
Vernica Cepede (PAR) bt Lucie Safarova (CZE) 6-1, 6-4
Mariana Duque (COL) bt Irina Begu (ROM) 7-6 (7/2), 6-4
Pauline Parmentier (FRA) bt Irina Khromacheva (RUS) 6-3, 6-0
Ekaterina Alexandrova (RUS) bt Katerina Siniakov (CZE) 6-4, 2-6, 6-2
Karolina Pliskova (CZE x2) bt Zheng Saisai (CHN) 7-5, 6-2
