Finally, we know all of the qualifiers for the second round of Roland Garros. The tricolor contingent doubled in size on Tuesday and there are now seven representatives, but this record remains very depressing. It’s even the worst of the Open era for men (3).
Here is what to remember from this third day in Paris.
The slap of the day
Revelation of the previous edition, Hugo Gaston was eagerly awaited for this shock of generations against Richard Gasquet, 14 years his senior. It finally never saw the light of day on Tuesday afternoon on the Suzanne-Lenglen. A defeat in three sets (6-1, 6-4, 6-2).
Gasquet joins Gaël Monfils for men, who snatched his qualification on Tuesday against Ramos-Vinolas, and Enzo Couacaud, beneficiary of an invitation, in the second round.
The surprise elimination of the day
Yet he was one of the strong men at the start of the season. Russian Andrey Rublev, 7th in the world and finalist in Monte-Carlo after beating Rafael Nadal, took the door. Quarter-finalist last fall, he flinched against the German Jan-Lennard Struff (42nd) after leading two ends to nothing (6-3, 7-6 (8/6), 4-6, 3 -6, 6-4). This is the second cador ejected in the first round, after the Austrian Dominic Thiem on Sunday.
The sure values of the day
Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal have successfully entered the running. The Serb quietly beat the robust American Tennys Sandgren (6-2, 6-4, 6-2) in less than two hours, in the deafening camera of the night session. “It was very strange to play in front of these empty stands and in this really very intense light. I hope to have a crowd for my next match, ”commented the world number one, who is aiming for a 19th Grand Slam title to return to the record of his great rivals Federer and Nadal (20). The Mallorcan had to fight a little more to get rid of the Australian Alexeï Popyrin (6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (7/3)).
The ride of the day
Kristina Mladenovic, 61st in the world, quietly qualified by eliminating the Slovak qualifier Anna Karolina Schmiedlova (121st) (6-4, 6-0).
Since his quarter-final on Parisian clay in 2017, Mladenovic has not gone beyond the second round. Last year, she had lost entry.
Relief of the day
It is that of Fiona Ferro, revelation among the ladies last fall, and qualified for the second round. The 24-year-old Frenchwoman was playing her first match in just over a month and dropping out in the quarterfinals of the Istanbul tournament for an abdominal injury at the end of April.
The French number one (51st) won with forceps against the Taiwanese Liang En-Shuo, 297th in the world and after qualifying (6-1, 1-6, 6-4). The opposition promises to be stronger in the next round, as it will face the American Jennifer Brady (14th), finalist of the last Australian Open.
The fear of the day
Ashleigh Barty, world number one, came close to disaster. Joined to a set everywhere, the Australian called on a physiotherapist for pain in her left hip before returning to the court and finally winning against the American Bernarda Pera (6-4, 3-6, 6 -2).
The Australian did not come last fall to defend her title, having preferred to stay in Australia when the circuit was severely disrupted by the Covid pandemic.
The main results of this 3rd day
Men’s singles : Berankis (LIT) b. HUMBERT (FRA) 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 ; Bagnis (ARG) b. BONZI (FRA) 7-5, 6-3, 6-4. ; MONFILS (OFF) b. Ramos-Vinolas (ESP) 1-6, 7-6, 6-4, 6-4 ; Bedene (SLO) b. MANNARINO (FRA) 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, 6-2 ; GASQUET (FROM) b. GASTON (FRA) 6-1, 6-4, 6-2; Nadal (ESP) b. Popyrin (AUS) 6-3, 6-2, 7-6; Cuevas (ARG) b. APULIA (FRA) 6-3, 6-1, 6-3; Djokovic (SER) b. Sandgren (USA) 6-2, 6-4, 6-2.
Ladies singles : IRON (FRA) b. Liang (TAI) 6-1, 1-6, 6-4 ; Svitolina (UKR) b. BABEL (FROM) 6-2, 7-5; Barty (AUS) b. Pera (USA) 6-4, 3-6, 6-2; MLADENOVIC (FRA) b. Schmiedlova (TCH) 6-4, 6-0; Linette (POL) b. PACKAGE (FROM) 6-3, 6-3.
