Tennis – Australian Open
Australian Open: After his feat, a Frenchman imitates legends
Published on January 19, 2024 at 12:35 p.m.
Since the start of the Open era, few French people under the age of 22 have managed to at least beat a number 8 seed in a Grand Slam. By beating Holger Rune this Thursday, Arthur Cazaux, 21 years old and 122nd in the world, entered the very closed circle of French people early in success, since he became the eleventh in history, 16 years after Gaël Monfils, in 2008. A look back at these exploits.
In 1969, the Open era began. Tennis players become more professional and matches become more competitive. During the tournament of Roland-Garros, in 1971, then aged 21, Patrick Proizy overcomes the number 8 seed during the 2nd round: the Georgian Alex Metreveli (6-4 6-4 7-5). This will be the first and only French exploit in the 1970s.
In the 80s, the exploits kept coming
Between 1981 and 1987, four French people managed, at less than 22 years old, to beat the top seeds. The first of the 80s is the legendary Yannick Noah. HAS Roland-Garros, in 1981, he obtained his first notable performance by beating number 6, Guillermo Vilas in the quarter-finals, at the age of 21. Two years later, he won Roland-Garros and still remains to this day the last Frenchman to have won this tournament. In 1985, Henri Leconte offers two exploits in quick succession: Roland-Garros, he dismisses the Colombian number 5, Andres Gomez. Then, a few weeks later, Wimbledon, he will triumph over the legendary Ivan Lendl, then world number 2, in the round of 16. The last Frenchman of the 80s to have achieved this feat is a little unknown since it is by Eric Winogradsky. During the second round of Roland-Garros in 1987, he created a surprise by defeating the Swede Stefan Edberg, seeded number 3.
The 2000s, the Monfils years
At the start of the third millennium, a new lease of life touched French tennis. Gaël Monfils is then part of the new golden generation. At 20 years, My son bat James Blake, seeded number 8 in the third round. In 2008, My son achieves a double feat since before celebrating his 22nd birthday, the Frenchman eliminates David Ferrer, number 5, at Roland-Garros and then beat David Nalbandian (7th) during l’US Open. In the midst of these exploits of Monfils, two French people also managed to eliminate seeded players before their 22nd birthday: Richard Gasquet, in 2007, at Wimbledon in front of Andy Roddick, 3rd in the world and Jérémy Chardy, has Roland-Garros in 2008 against David Nalbandian, seeded number 8.
We had to wait 16 years for this Cazaux
Arthur Cazaux is therefore the first Frenchman since Gael My son in 2008 to have managed to beat a number 8 seed before he turned 22. In front of Holger Rune, during the second round of the Australian Open, the 122nd in the world produced an incredible match to overcome the Dane, in four sets (7-6, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3). He also became the first Frenchman to achieve such a performance at l’Open from Australia.
2024-01-19 11:35:00
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