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Serena Williams said she "feels for" Naomi Osaka and has also experienced "very difficult" press conferences in her career after her rival's shock withdrawal from the French Open on Monday.
Japanese star Osaka pulled out of the tournament after being threatened with disqualification for declining to speak to the media, saying she suffers from "bouts of depression".
Williams, who famously lost to Osaka in the controversial 2018 US Open final, said she sympathises with Osaka.
"The only thing I feel is that I feel for Naomi. I feel like I wish I could give her a hug because I know what it's like," said the 39-year-old, after her first-round 7-6 (8/6), 6-2 win over Irina-Camelia Begu in the first ever night match at Roland Garros.
"We have different personalities, and people are different. Not everyone is the same. I'm thick. Other people are thin.
"Everyone is different and everyone handles things differently. You just have to let her handle it the way she wants to...
"I've been where I've been very difficult to walk in [to press conferences] in those moments. But, you know, it made me stronger."
Williams, seeded seventh this year, saved two set points in a first-set tie-break as she started her latest bid for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam singles title.
Williams, who has lost four major finals since her last Slam success at the 2017 Australian Open, will take on Begu's compatriot Mihaela Buzarnescu in the second round.
"It wasn't easy in that first set. I was up and I felt like I had some opportunities. She's a really good player, she's had some really good wins so I was really happy I was able to get that first set and the match," said the three-time Roland Garros champion.
The first official night match under the lights on Court Philippe Chatrier was played behind closed doors due to a 9pm curfew imposed by the French government due to Covid-19.
Williams, who had suffered early defeats in both Roma and Parma earlier this month, improved as the match progressed.
Begu fought back from 5-2 down in the opening set, but failed to serve it out when leading 6-5 and then saw two set points come and go when leading the breaker 6-4.
Williams needed only one opportunity, driving a forehand volley into the corner to take control.
The former world number one strengthened her grip on the tie by breaking 74th-ranked Begu in the first game of the second set.
She moved through the gears on her own serve from there and broke again in the seventh game before wrapping up victory after an hour and 42 minutes.
French Open results on Monday, the second day of the 2021 tournament at Roland Garros (x denotes seeding):
Men
First round
Yoshihito Nishioka (JPN) bt Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) 6-4, 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (7/5)
Lorenzo Musetti (ITA) bt David Goffin (BEL x13) 6-0, 7-5, 7-6 (7/3)
Taylor Fritz (USA x30) bt Joao Sousa (POR) 6-4, 6-2, 6-4
Dominik Koepfer (GER) bt Mathias Bourgue (FRA) 6-3, 6-3, 6-4
Marin Cilic (CRO) bt Arthur Rinderknech (FRA) 7-6 (8/6), 6-1, 6-2
Roger Federer (SUI x8) bt Denis Istomin (UZB) 6-2, 6-4, 6-3
Cameron Norrie (GBR) bt Bjorn Fratangelo (USA) 7-5, 7-6 (7/5), 6-2
Lloyd Harris (RSA) bt Lorenzo Sonego (ITA x26) 7-5, 6-4, 6-4
Jannik Sinner (ITA x18) bt Pierre-Hugues Herbert (FRA) 6-1, 4-6, 6-7 (4/7), 7-5, 6-4
Gianluca Mager (ITA) bt Peter Gojowczyk (GER) 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5
Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO x28) bt Dusan Lajovic (SRB) 6-4, 6-3, 0-6, 6-2
Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) bt Bernabe Zapata Miralles (ESP) 6-3, 2-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7/4)
Casper Ruud (NOR x15) bt Benoit Paire (FRA) 5-7, 6-2, 6-1, 7-6 (7/4)
Kamil Majchrzak (POL) bt Arthur Cazaux (FRA) 6-4, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4
Federico Delbonis (ARG) bt Radu Albot (MDA) 6-1, 2-6, 6-0, 6-1
Pedro Martinez (ESP) bt Sebastian Korda (USA) 6-4, 6-2, 6-2
Filip Krajinovic (SRB) bt Maximilian Marterer (GER) 6-4, 6-1, 7-6 (7/3)
John Isner (USA x31) bt Sam Querrey (USA) 7-6 (7/2), 6-3, 6-4
Thiago Monteiro (BRA) bt Francisco Cerundolo (ARG) 6-3, 6-4, 6-3
Steve Johnson (USA) bt Frances Tiafoe (USA) 6-7 (5/7), 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, 6-1
Reilly Opelka (USA x32) bt Andrej Martin (SVK) 6-3, 6-2, 6-4
Jaume Munar (ESP) bt Jordan Thompson (AUS) 6-7 (6/8), 6-1, 7-6 (7/5), 6-4
Tommy Paul (USA) bt Christopher O'Connell (AUS) 6-2, 6-4, 4-6, 4-6, 10-8
Daniil Medvedev (RUS x2) bt Alexander Bublik (KAZ) 6-3, 6-3, 7-5
Women
First round
Sofia Kenin (USA x4) bt Jelena Ostapenko (LAT) 6-4, 4-6, 6-3
Hailey Baptiste (USA) bt Anna Blinkova (RUS) 6-1, 6-4
Tereza Martincova (CZE) bt Ivana Jorovic (SRB) 6-3, 7-6 (8/6)
Jessica Pegula (USA x28) bt Zhu Lin (CHN) 6-4, 4-6, 6-4
Zarina Diyas (KAZ) bt Heather Watson (GBR) 6-4, 7-5
Elise Mertens (BEL x14) bt Storm Sanders (AUS) 6-4, 6-1
Marta Kostyuk (UKR) bt Garbie Muguruza (ESP x12) 6-1, 6-4
Zheng Saisai (CHN) bt Sara Sorribes Tormo (ESP) 4-6, 6-4, 6-4
Varvara Gracheva (RUS) bt Lara Arruabarrena (ESP) 6-2, 6-3
Rebecca Peterson (SWE) bt Shelby Rogers (USA) 6-7 (3/7), 7-6 (10/8), 6-2
Iga Swiatek (POL x8) bt Kaja Juvan (SLO) 6-0, 7-5
Serena Williams (USA x7) bt Irina Camelia-Begu (ROM) 7-6 (8/6), 6-2
Mihaela Buzarnescu (ROM) bt Arantxa Rus (NED) 7-5, 7-5
Tamara Zidansek (SLO) bt Bianca Andreescu (CAN x6) 6-7 (1/7), 7-6 (7/2), 9-7
Madison Brengle (USA) bt Maria Camila Osorio (COL) 7-5, 6-4
Sorana Cirstea (ROM) bt Johanna Konta (GBR x19) 7-6 (7/5), 6-2
Martina Trevisan (ITA) bt Alison Van Uytvanck (BEL) 7-5, 4-6, 6-4
Darya Kasatkina (RUS) bt Misaki Doi (JPN) 6-3, 5-7, 6-3
Belinda Bencic (SUI x10) bt Nadia Podoroska (ARG) 6-0, 6-3
Polona Hercog (SLO) bt Kiki Bertens (NED x16) 6-1, 3-6, 6-4
Caroline Garcia (FRA) bt Laura Siegemund (GER) 6-3, 6-1
Harmony Tan (FRA) bt Alize Cornet (FRA) 6-4, 6-4
Marketa Vondrousova (CZE x20) bt Kaia Kanepi (EST) 4-6, 6-3, 6-0
