French Open: Round-up men – Djovovic unimpressed by polemics – Alcaraz continues with a detour – Sport

The top seeded Carlos Alcaraz and the Serbian Grand Slam record winner Novak Djokovic advanced to the 3rd round of the French Open.

The top 10 players

• Carlos Alcaraz (ESP/ATP 1) s. Taro Daniel (JPN/112) 6:1, 3:6, 6:1, 6:2.
• Novak Djokovic (SRB/ATP 3) s. Marton Fucsovics (HUN/ATP 83) 7:6 (7:2), 6:0, 6:3
• Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE/ATP 5) s. Roberto Carballes Baena (ESP/ATP 57) 6:3, 7:6 (7:4), 6:2
• Andrej Rublew (RUS/ATP 7) s. Corentin Moutet (FRA/ATP 61) 6:4, 6:2, 3:6, 6:3

Djokovic wins on and off the court

Happens Novak Djokovic not often: Twice the Serb was able to serve to win the set in his second round game against Marton Fucsovics, twice he conceded a break: in the 1st set to 5: 4, which is why there was a tie break a little later, in the 3rd round to 5: 3 , which he countered with the rebreak to win the match. In between, the Serb played confidently, won the second set in 31 minutes and didn’t show that he was impressed by the reactions to his Kosovo statement.

Djokovic was also able to celebrate a points victory in this context: Although the world association ITF and France’s Minister of Sport Amélie Oudéa-Castéra publicly disapproved of Djokovic’s action, the Serb need not fear any consequences.

Alcaraz briefly embarrassed

Taro Daniel succeeded in the 2nd set against Carlos Alcaraz a small coup: The Japanese was able to break the world number one to 2:0 and then brought the sentence home. In rounds 3 and 4, the 20-year-old Spaniard put the world back in order and left only 3 games to Daniel, who was 10 years his senior. “Taro is playing very well this year, it was really difficult for me – also because of the wind,” said Alcaraz, who now meets Denis Shapovalov, after the match.

No day for the French

5 years ago was Lucas Pouille still number 10 in the world. Last year, the Frenchman suffered from depression and alcoholism, as he publicly admitted earlier this year. This year’s Roland Garros course is all the more remarkable: As ATP number 675, the 29-year-old fought his way into the main draw and, thanks to a success over Jurij Rodionov, reached the second round of a major for the first time since 2019. Cameron Norrie (GBR/ATP 13) was too strong there: 6: 1, 6: 3, 6: 3.

With Corentin Moutet (against Andrei Rublev), Luca Van Assche (Alexander Davidovich) and Ugo Humbert (Lorenzo Sonego) had to say goodbye to three more local heroes. Moutet at least got a set against world number 7 Rublev, but could not prevent his 2nd defeat in the 2nd direct duel after the Doha final in 2020.

And also Gael Monfils is no longer represented in the tournament: After his spectacular five-set win in the first round, the 36-year-old announced his forfait late Wednesday evening before the game against Holger Rune (DEN/ATP 6), which was actually scheduled for Thursday. The crowd favorite suffers from a wrist injury.

Tsitsipas makes short work of it

had in the starting lap Stefanos Tsitsipas At the French Open against the Czech Jiri Vesely, I had to put in an additional loop and have to go over 4 sets. Not so in round 2: In 2:16 hours he defeated Roberto Carballes Baena in 3 rounds. Tsitsipas, who was in the final in Paris 2021, dominated the game with a total of 46 winners. In the 3rd round he could meet Argentinian Diego Schwartzman, who faces Nuno Borges (POR).