In two participations going back a long way (2015, 2017), Grégoire Barrère had never completed a round in Roland-Garros qualifying. The Frenchman (30 years old) passed three this year to enter the final table. The 108th player in the world ended his victorious week with a success against the American Denis Kudla on Thursday (2-6, 6-2, 6-3).
He is the first of the Blues to overcome the pitfall of qualifying for the men, who were 28 in the running on Monday. While waiting for Quentin Halys (against the Austrian Filip Misolic) and Mathias Bourgue (against the Belgian Zizou Bergs), who will play their 3rd round on Friday, on the Suzanne-Lenglen like Barrère.
After a first set where Kudla, 161st in the ATP, gave him almost nothing, the Ile-de-France resident patiently resurfaced. In the wake of a public who never let go – “a little Davis Cup atmosphere”, says Barrère – he gradually increased his intensity, eventually settling into the field and distributing the game with precision .
He even won seven games in a row, to go from 2-2 in the second set to 3-0 in his favor in the third. The American certainly held on, saving a double break point, but Barrère relied on his serve (7 of his 12 aces in the decisive set) to conclude without really trembling. “I managed to be a little more aggressive, I tried to hit harder in the second,” he confided after his victory. It was still average, but a little better, I didn’t completely let go. Above all, I think I managed to break his serve, he made quite a few doubles (7 in total), that helped me a lot in important moments. »
A job well done, to offer an eighth participation in the final draw of Roland-Garros. Against an opponent who will be known after the qualifiers on Friday.
