Day 2 at the French Open. For his big comeback at Porte d’Auteuil, Roger Federer will face Denis Istomin on Philippe Chatrier court (not before 4 p.m.). It is Serena Williams who will inaugurate on the Central the first night-session of Roland-Garros (9 p.m.), played behind closed doors. Pair, Tsonga, Garcia are also on the program.
Federer back on earth
To the delight of the Parisian public, the Swiss, soon to be 40, is back at Roland Garros, two years after his semi-final defeat against Nadal. Without pressure and without really showing ambition: “The objective is not Roland-Garros, it is the grass season”. Beaten in the first round of Geneva for his third match of the year after his return to Doha in mid-March (quarterback defeats), the man with twenty Grand Slam titles still lacks rhythm. The draw placed him in the same half of the table as his two big rivals Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, but for him the main thing is above all to regain confidence. Facing Uzbek Denis Istonim (203e world and resulting from qualifications), the winner of the 2009 edition has a good opportunity to find benchmarks and automatisms, before hoping to see further.
Medvedev in danger of entry
Daniil Medvedev, Novak Djokovic’s new runner-up, doesn’t like clay. And he doesn’t hide it. He is also the only member of this Top 8 to never have won a single match near the Porte d’Auteuil, stopped four times in the first round, including three times against the French: Benjamin Bonzi in 2017, Lucas Pouille in 2018 and Pierre-Hugues Herbert in 2019. And to break the Porte d’Auteuil curse, the Russian will have to struggle on Monday on the Chatrier the whimsical and talented Alexander Bublick. Despite still very disappointing results on ocher ahead of the tournament (one wins, three losses), the finalist of the last Australian Open, wants to be positive: “I think I’m going to have a very good tournament. I feel very good. I don’t know if the ball has changed, or if the conditions have changed, because last year, we had balls that were not suitable for the climate. ” Start of response on Monday.
Serena queen of the night
It is the legend with the 23 Grand Slam titles, who will have the honor of playing the first night session at Roland-Garros in history, Monday for his entry into the running against Irina-Camelia Begu on the Philippe-Chatrier , As the curfew is still in effect, the meeting will take place behind closed doors. It will be necessary to wait until June 9 so that spectators can enjoy these night sessions until 11 p.m. Eliminated in the first round in Rome and then in the eighth in Parma (despite her No. 1 seed status), Serena Williams has clearly not shown her best level on earth since the start of the season. In the silence of the Central, she will try to reassure herself a little for the 17th Roland-Garros of her career.
Tsonga to make the pleasure last
Since the winter of 2020, the former French number one has suffered from chronic back disease. He had only played 2 games in 2020 for 2 losses and since his return at the end of February 2021, the Frenchman has lost 4 times in 5 games. Suffice to say that he can expect a difficult match on Monday at the end of the program on Suzanne Lenglen against Japanese Nishioka. In 2019, after a long period of unavailability, it was able to become competitive again. Two years later, the slope is steeper: “There are things that I can no longer do as before, he recently confided to the Figaro. It is certain, I am not yet at the level. Physically, things are getting better and better. I have come from so far, it must be said. It takes a little while to come back. Clay is harder because it is a surface that requires a lot of movement. It’s nice to be on the courts again, and at the same time, it’s very frustrating for me who have played at a top 10, top 15 level for ten years. ” Worn by the public, Tsonga, double finalist (2013 and 2015) will try to remember beautiful things …
Rinderknech, the rising French
While French tennis is going through complicated hours, Arthur Rinderknech, 25, is one of the rare French satisfactions of the season. Current 52e of the Race, he reached two quarter-finals this season in the ATP 250. In Lyon, two weeks ago, he notably brought down the prodigy Jannick Sinner, 17e global. A great coup for the native of Gassin who had previously only won matches on the challenger circuit (2e division), including a title in Istanbul in January. This former resident of the University of Texas will try to honor his invitation from the FFT on Monday against the experienced Marin Cilic, winner of the US Open 2014 and former world number 3 but in the hard in recent months. What to consider a small feat on the Simonne Mathieu.
The program, this Monday (from 11 am).
Court Philippe Chatrier: Juvan (Slo) -Swiatek (Pol, 8); Bublik (Kaz) -Medvedev (Rus, 2); Istomin (Ouz) -Federer (Sui, 8); S. Williams (EU, 7) -Begu (Jap).
Court Suzanne Lenglen : Sinner (Ita, 18) -Herbert (Fra); Siegemund (All) -Garcia (Fra); Kenin (EU, 4) -Ostapenko (Let); Tsonga (Fra) -Nishioka (Jap).
Court Simonne Mathieu: Cornet (Fra) -Tan (Fra); Ruud (Nor, 15) -Paire (Fra); Cilic (Cro) -Rinderknech (Fra); Muguruza (Esp, 12) -Kostyuk (Ukr).
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