There are therefore only two left… Benjamin Bonzi, 26 years old and 48th in the world, and Ugo Humbert, 24 years old and 106th in the world, are the two French survivors in the men's draw at the dawn of the 3rd round.
On the night of Friday to Saturday, the Blues will have a lot to do to hope to see the second week of the Australian Open.
The Nîmes will face the local Alex De Minaur (n ° 24) while the Messin will be opposed to the great Danish hope Holger Rune (n ° 10), winner of the last Masters 1000 of Bercy.
Bonzi on his way
To face Alex De Minaur, who leads 2-0 and beat him last year in Stockholm, Benjamin Bonzi will have to come down from his little cloud.
The Gardois indeed remains on a sacred performance against the Spaniard Carreno Busta, 14th at the ATP.
Led two sets to nothing, the Frenchman was able to reverse the situation and win the super tie-break of the 5th set (after having let slip five match points on the way) to afford his first 3rd round in Grand Slam.
"I've been waiting for it for a long time," he explains.
I knew that I was capable of beating very good players.
This is my greatest victory, clearly.
More than four hours, winning the fifth super tie-break with a first Grand Slam third round, so far is the most beautiful.
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1. HUGE BENJAMIN BONZI!
Yet trailing 2 sets to 0, @BenjaminBonzi overthrew the No. 14 seed (Pablo Carreno Busta) to qualify for the first time in his career in the 3rd round of a Grand Slam tournament!
pic.twitter.com/jYoNdHs9td
— Game, Set and Maths (@JeuSetMaths) January 19, 2023
The hardest part remains to be done for the one who is now guaranteed to become French No. 1 at the end of the tournament.
“We know each other well, we had a good physical duel in the Davis Cup
(Editor’s note: victory for the Australian 6-3, 1-6, 6-4 in 2022).
I know how he plays, he knows how I play, summarizes the pupil of Lionel Zimbler.
It's a great challenge to play it here, on a magnificent court.
It will be a great experience.
The tournament is not over.
He runs everywhere, he is unbearable, he never stops running!
It's going to be a fun game.
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Beaten in Pune at the beginning of January for his first final on the ATP circuit, Bonzi is in a prosperous period before finding the heartthrob of Adrian Mannarino.
De Minaur is warned.
"I know what to expect because Benjamin is a tough opponent," said the Sydney native.
I will have to be physically ready to give everything on the court.
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The real return of Humbert?
For Bonzi, we can speak of progression.
For Humbert, Melbourne is more like a resurrection.
After reaching 25th place in June 2021, the Lorrain had disappeared from the radar.
A little too high too fast.
Mentally affected, then hit by a long Covid or injured in the shoulder, the Messin lived through very difficult months to the point of falling to 157th place last July.
After a mixed collaboration at the All In Academy, the Frenchman revived thanks to Jérémy Chardy.
The Pau, unavailable due to long-term injury (he has just resumed) took on the role of coach and acted as a detonator.
“We are super accomplices and on a daily basis we laugh almost all day, but we are serious about work and we do things well, sums up the 8th runner-up from Wimbledon 2019, who will however have to find another coach.
I had a somewhat complicated year, with the vaccine, the Covid and the injuries, but with him I really see things differently and things are going really well.
He's my coach and my friend.
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Here, Ugo Humbert is back!
👋
Arrived in Melbourne without any victory in 2023, the former 25th in the world down to 106th, invites himself to the 3th round of the AO by dominating Denis Kudla 6-2 6-7 6-2 6-4.
Good for spirit !
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— We Are Tennis France (@WeAreTennisFR) January 19, 2023
Faced with a Rune in the thick of it, the mission will be tricky.
But this first 3rd austral round is almost a bonus in view of the last few months fighting in the Challengers or to get out of the qualifications in ATP 250 or 500. "I took a long time to accept my new status, summarizes -he.
I had gone up quickly, I was 25th and then, when I came down to 160th, I had to work to accept it.
But I really didn't take any pleasure, I couldn't train anymore and then, since Jérémy arrived, it's totally different.
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