On paper, this first day promised to be a little hollow, without French or foreign headliner or big shock. She has actually reserved her share of surprises and freshness under a sun at times overwhelming and in a jovial atmosphere for this return of the public in a major sporting event.
From the elimination of double finalist Dominic Thiem to the prestigious victory of Enzo Couacaud, here is what to remember from this Sunday at Roland Garros.
Abandonment
Three match points, then everything goes to hell … The Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov gave up in the fourth set against the American Marcos Giron, after having dominated his subject for a long time (2-6, 4-6, 7-5, 3- 0, ab.). A sharp pain in his lower back brought him to a halt as he prepared to serve for the game and led 5-1 in the third set. Nine games lost later, the No.16 seed has resolved to leave the No.7 court prematurely.
The surprise
He had protested last year against his absence from the guest list. Even accusing the Federation of “cronyism”. Enzo Couacaud, 26 years old and 177th in the world, took his revenge this Sunday noon. The Franco-Mauritian did not “steal” his wild card by disposing of Egor Gerasimov on a crowded No. 9 court (7-6 (7/3), 6-4, 6-3). He will face the toughest Spaniard Pablo Carreño in the next round.
Point
Dominic Thiem was kicked out, without anyone really believing it, by the Spaniard Pablo Andújar. In the grip of blows of depression, the Austrian will not remember much of his match, except perhaps this brilliant blow to the back, which allowed him to break free at the start of the fifth set. Alas, he will never come back to this part. After leading two sets to zero without shining, the Austrian double finalist gradually sank against the increasingly constant and hard-hitting play of Andújar.
Disappointment
Clara Burel had climbed to the third round of the 2020 edition, for her very first participation in the Parisian Grand Slam. The 20-year-old (146th) this time bowed from the start, facing Montenegrin Danka Kovinic (62nd) (6-3, 7-6 (10/8)) in just over two hours. We wish another fate for the other face of the previous tournament, Hugo Gaston, who will enter the competition on Tuesday against Richard Gasquet.
THE MAIN RESULTS OF THE FIRST DAY
Men’s singles (1st round):
Couacaud (FRA) bat Gerasimov (BLR) (7-6 (7/3), 6-4, 6-3)
Andújar (ESP) beat Thiem (AUT) (4-6, 5-7, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4)
Fognini (ITA) bat Barrier (FRA) (6-4, 6-1, 6-4)
Fucsovics (HUN) bat Simon (FRA) (6-4, 6-1, 7-6 (7/5))
Laszlo Djere (SRB) bat Corentin Moutet (FRA) (6-3, 6-7 (10/12), 7-6 (7/2), 7-5)
Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE / N.5) bat Jérémy Chardy (FRA) (7-6 (8/6), 6-3, 6-1)
Ladies’ singles (1st round):
Naomi Osaka (JPN) bat Patricia Tig (ROM) (6-4, 7-6 (7/4))
Kovinic (MNE) bat Burel (FRA) (6-3, 7-6 (10/8))
Rybakina (KAZ / N.21) bat Jacquemot (FRA) (6-4, 6-1)
Danka Kovinic (MNE) bat Clara Burel (FRA) (6-3, 7-6 (10/8))
