UpdatedMay 27, 2021, 5:52 p.m.
Find here everything you need to know about the Roland-Garros draw, which begins on Sunday.
Roger Federer played, the space of a meeting at the Geneva Open, with the balls of Roland-Garros.
AFP
In an interview with “L’Equipe” on Wednesday, the coach of Novak Djokovic had revealed that he wanted his colt to end up in the same part of the table as Rafael Nadal. For a story of psychological ascendancy and that “Nole” finds “Rafa” if possible in the semi-final rather than in the final. Goran Ivanisevic’s wish was granted Thursday during the draw for the men’s draw at Roland Garros, which takes place from May 30 to June 13. This scenario was made possible by the fact that the Spaniard, in search of a 14e coronation in Paris, does not appear this year at the end of the tables, since he is seeded NO 3, the second being Daniil Medvedev, NO 2 worldwide. But that’s not all…
The protagonists of the last final, in October, are accompanied by a certain Roger Federer! N Series HeadO 8, the Balois will face a qualified player in the first round. If he wins his first match, which he did not know how to do during the Geneva Open ten days ago, “RF” will then find an invitation holder, the Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech (25 years old, ATP 117 ), or Marin Cilic (32, ATP 47), against whom he played two Grand Slam finals in his career. But the Croatian, eliminated from the start by the sensation Dominic Stricker in Geneva, is far from being in the form of his life, at least the one that allowed him to become the champion of the US Open 2014. On paper, the first two rounds of the “Master” therefore seem affordable.
If the upper part of the painting is rather reserved for “old people” – even if Matteo Berrettini and Andrey Rublev are also there, in particular – the famous “NextGen” trusts the lower part with Daniil Medvedev, Dominic Thiem, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Alexander Zverev and the champion of the Geneva Open, the Norwegian Casper Ruud. And one of them could therefore reach the final without having faced a member of the “Big Three” …
In the female table, the NO World 1 Ashleigh Barty, winner in 2019, and defending champion Iga Swiatek (9e) are in the same half of the table while Serena Williams (8th) and Naomi Osaka (3rd) are on the opposite side. N Series HeadO 10, Belinda Bencic will have a lot to do from the start against Argentina Nadia Podoroska (24 years old, 42e), who had climbed into the final square of the Grand Slam at Porte d’Auteuil this fall and who has just afforded Serena Williams’ scalp two weeks ago in Rome… Second Swiss woman to line up in Paris , Viktorija Golubic (72e) also inherited a sacred draw with the Estonian Anett Kontaveit (25 years old, 31e). Note that Jil Teichmann, injured Wednesday in Strasbourg, logically had to withdraw.
In contention Thursday during the 2e Roland-Garros qualifying round, Henri Laaksonen ended up triumphing over Peruvian Juan Pablo Varillas (ATP 130) 4-6 6-1 7-5 after 2h15 ‘of play on the court NO 7. For the Schaffhausen, there is still a (young) man to beat to enter the main draw of the tournament: it is the Argentinian Juan Manuel Cerundolo (19 years old, ATP 147).
On the women’s side, Stefanie Vögele (WTA 131) joined Susan Bandecchi (WTA 219), who qualified on Wednesday, at 3e round, by winning against the American Grace Min (WTA 188), in two innings and 1h54 ‘of play, 7-5 6-4. To play in the main draw, the Argovian will have to win Friday against the Japanese Kurumi Nara (WTA 155). Bandecchi will face Australian Storm Sanders (WTA 62).
