Tennis: Shapovalov and Fernandez want to build on their first-round success at Roland-Garros

RDS and RDS.ca will broadcast the second round matches of Denis Shapovalov and Leylah Fernandez on Wednesday morning at Roland-Garros. Follow all the action in our multiplex environment.

After surviving a nearly four-hour marathon in the first round on Monday, Canadian Denis Shapovalov is back in action at Roland Garros on Wednesday.

For his second round match, Shapovalov will cross swords with Italian Matteo Arnaldi, around 8 a.m. (Quebec time), on Court No. 3.

It took 3 hours 47 minutes for the southpaw to defeat American Brandon Nakashima in five sets, 6-4, 7-5, 4-6, 3-6, 6-3.

He also admitted to having suffered from knee and shoulder pain during his duel against Nakashima.

“Shapo”, who is 26^e seeded in Paris and 32^e in the ATP rankings, has never faced Arnaldi, who is the 106^e world ranking player.

“It’s a bit tricky. Also, I have to find a way to find my identity on the courts. It’s something I’m constantly working on,” he said.

To carve out a place in the next stage, Arnaldi overcame Colombian Daniel Elahi Galan in four sets, recovering in fine fashion after dropping the opening round.

Fernandez facing Tauson

On Sunday, Leylah Fernandez pocketed what is possibly her biggest singles victory of the 2023 calendar so far.

The 20-year-old Quebecer held on to defeat the 21^e favorite, the Polish Magda Linette, 6-3, 1-6, 6-1.

Victories have been too often scattered for Fernandez this season, but she will be keen to build on that success by sharing the field with Denmark’s Clara Tauson in the second round.

Their match will be played on Court No. 6 at around 10:30 a.m.

“I fought, especially in the third set. I didn’t give him a lot of free points,” said Fernandez, 36.^e in the WTA rankings.

The points banked by Fernandez are all the more important given that she had managed an impressive run at Roland-Garros in 2022, reaching the quarters.

Tauson is satisfied with a modest 127^e world spot for now, but Fernandez’s rival, also 20, was top of the junior ranks at the end of 2018.