If the heavy context of the Covid-19 gives a special character to the 2020 edition of Roland-Garros, there is nothing to indicate that the trains will not arrive on time.
Twelve times winner of Porte d'Auteuil, Rafael Nadal, deprived of his usual benchmarks "at home", could be disturbed, but necessarily remains essential in the game of predictions, like the world number 1, Novak Djokovic, invincible this season on the field, when he is not excluded as at the US Open.
Without forgetting, of course, the double finalist Dominic Thiem, winner of his first Grand Slam title at the US Open and serious customer on earth.
But, in this very particular context, surprises cannot be ruled out.
What to expect from the French in the male table?
Not much, a priori.
The best French chances obviously rest on the shoulders of Gaël Monfils.
But "La Monf" is not there at the beginning of autumn.
He had skipped the US Open.
A wise choice, we thought.
Obviously no.
Before the forced break from the circuit, the 34-year-old Parisian was making one of the best start to the season of his career.
Six months later, the 9th in the world appeared quite rusty for its return to business.
Already beaten last week in Rome in the first round, he was swept from entry to Hamburg.
But, on the courts of the Roland-Garros stadium, the Parisian has often shone.
Problem, he will not have a lot of public to transcend him ... Last year, he approached the tournament full of ambition but was sharply brought down to earth in the round of 16 (6-4, 6-4, 6-2 ) by Dominic Thiem.
The leader of French tennis will face Bublik in the first round.
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Pair in the unknown
Benoît Paire, author of the best season of his career in 2019, had failed on the wire at the gates of the quarter-finals against Kei Nishikori (6-2, 6-7, 6-2, 6-7, 7- 5).
It seems unlikely that he will shine again this year.
Forced to retire in the first round of Hamburg, the Avignon player, who faces the South Korean, Kwoon revealed that he had the right to play despite still testing positive for Covid-19.
In poor shape, the 25th world even doubted his ability to participate in Roland Garros.
A certitude.
We will not have to rely on Lucas Pouille or Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
The first, weighed down by a persistent elbow injury, has in the past managed a few nice shots in Major (quarter-final at Wimbledon and US Open 2016, semi-final at the Australian Open 2019).
The second, twice a semi-finalist at Roland Garros, remains by far the most consistent Frenchman of the last ten years in major events.
But the 35-year-old Manceau has had a series of physical problems for three years.
Hit in the pool at the end of January, the finalist of the 2008 Australian Open announced in mid-September that he was giving up playing at the end of the season.
To complete this gloomy picture, let us add that Richard Gasquet like Adrian Manarinno, respectively opposed in the first round to the Spaniards Bautista Agut and Ramos Vinolas, were stranded for ten days in their hotel room in New York, as a contact case by Benoît Paire.
Not ideal, therefore, to prepare for the big meeting of French tennis.
Humbert the Blue Thinning
The only real clarification of the European mini-tour came from the young Ugo Humbert.
378th in the world at the start of 2018 and now well established in the top 50, the Messin had achieved a small feat by eliminating the Russian Daniil Medvedev, 5th in the world and seeded No. 1, in the first round (6-3, 6-4) from Hamburg .
A first success for a top 10 player for the 22-year-old Frenchman, who already fell to Fabio Fognini in Rome the previous week.
Winner yesterday of Jiry Vesely (6-4, 6-3), the 41st world confirmed Thursday by qualifying for his first quarter-final in an ATP 500. He has the opportunity to grow again at Roland Garros, just like Corentin Moutet, 21, who remains on a third round at the US Open.
The two young French hopes will face a qualifier when they enter the running.
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Complicated first round for Caroline Garcia
In the female painting, we do not expect miracles either.
No Frenchwoman had reached the third round last year.
We had to go back to 1986 to find any trace of such a fiasco.
Will history repeat itself at Porte d'Auteuil, where no French player will be seeded this year?
Best Blue in the standings, Caroline Garcia, was not spoiled by the draw as she found the Estonian Anett Kontaveit, seeded number 17, who had just beaten her in Rome.
Draw not easy, either for Kristina Mladenovic, opposed to Siegmund.
Duel, 100% tricolor between Alizé Cornet and Chloé Paquet.
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