Who are the favourites?
Soft entry for Stefanos Tsitsipas who should not have too much trouble getting rid of left-hander Jiri Vesely who has sunk beyond the 450th place in the world. No. 7 seed, Andrei Rublev will have the task a little less easy against the Serbian Laslo Djere (57th player in the world). Recent finalist in Madrid, Karen Khachanov will stand in the way of Frenchman Constant Lestienne. The latter remains on a catastrophic series of eight defeats in a row. Trap match for Hubert Hurkacz (13th player in the world) and beautiful opposition of styles in sight against David Goffin fell to the 113th place in the opening of the day.
To discover
- Roland Garros Men's Singles
- Roland Garros Women's Singles
On the women's side, Australian Open winner Aryana Sabalenka will take her first test against the 39th ranked player in the world. Beautiful poster also between Maria Sakkari and Karolina Muchova programmed on the Suzanne Lenglen. We will follow the fratricidal duel between the two Americans Jessica Pegula and Danielle Collins who played only one match on clay, on April 4. A little light to face the world No. 3.
Who are the Blues on the courts?
Little spared by the draw, the Blues will be seven on the courts this Sunday with the assurance, at least, to find two of them in the second round since Adrian Mannarino will face the French No. 1 Ugo Humbert at the end of the day on the Central Court and Corentin Moutet will be opposed to Arthur Cazaux. Constant Lestienne will have to create the feat against Karen Khachanov (see above). Hugo Grenier will have a shot to play against the very inconstant and Marton Fucsovics. The hearts of the French fans will beat hard for the returning Lucas Pouille against Rodionov whom he has already beaten in qualifying (1-6, 7-5, 6-0).
On the girls' side, Alizé Cornet will challenge Italy's Camilia Giorgi without much certainty about her game. Jessika Ponchet (123rd player in the world), who has gained more than 100 places in one year in the WTA rankings will try to honor her wild card against Nadia Podoroska (131st). Finally, Léolia Jeanjean will try to repeat her feat of last year by passing two rounds, against the Australian Kimbely Birrell (111th in the world).
Today's program
Court Philippe-Chatrier
From 11 am
Marta Kostyuk (UKR) - Aryna Sabalenka (BLR/n°2)Jiri Vesely (RTC) - Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE/n°5)Alizé Cornet (FRA) - Camila Giorgi (ITA)Adrian Mannarino (FRA) - Ugo Humbert (FRA)
Court Suzanne-Lenglen From 11 am
Karen
Khachanov (RUS/No. 11) - Constant Lestienne (FRA)Maria Sakkari (GRE/No. 8) - Karolina Muchova (RTC)Laslo Djere (SER) - Andrey Rublev (RUS/No. 7)Danielle Collins (USA) - Jessica Pegula (USA/No. 3)
Court Simonne-Mathieu
From 11 am
David Goffin (BEL) - Hubert Hurkacz (POL/n°13)Magda Linette (POL/n°21) - Leylah Fernandez (CAN)Arthur Cazaux (FRA/WC) - Corentin Moutet (FRA)Jule Niemeier (GER) - Daria Kasatkina (RUS/n°9)
Court n°6
From 11 am
Sebastian Ofner (AUT/Q) - Maxime Cressy (USA)Mackenzie McDonald (USA) - Sebastian Korda (USA/n°24)Tamara Zidansek (SLO/Q) - Qinwen Zheng (CHN/n°19)Sara Errani (ITA) - Jil Teichmann (SUI)
Court n°7 From 11 am
Shuai Zhang (CHN/n°29) - Magdalena Frech (POL)Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS/WC) - Daniel Evans (GBR/n°20)Elise Mertens (BEL/n°28) - Viktoria Hruncakova (SLQ/L)Lorenzo Musetti (ITA/n°17
) - Mikael Ymer (SWE)
Court n°8
From 11 am
Nuria Parrizas Diaz (ESP) - Storm Hunter (AUS/Q)Jason Kubler (AUS) - Facundo Diaz Acosta (ARG/L)Clara Tauson (DAN/Q) - Aliaksandra Sasnovich (BLR)Alexander Shevchenko (RUS) - Oscar Otte (GER)
Court n°9
From 11 am
Patrick Kypson (USA/WC) - Radu Albot (MOL/Q)Sara Bejlek (RTC/Q) - Kamilla Rakhimova (RUS)Roberto Carballes Baena (ESP) - Emilio Nava (USA/Q)Mayar Sherif (EGY) - Madison Brengle (USA)
Court n°12
From 11 am
Pedro Martinez (ESP/Q) - Tallon Griekspoor (HOL)Matteo Arnaldi (ITA) - Daniel Elahi Galan (COL)Taylor Townsend (USA/Q) - Anastasia Potapova (RUS/n°24)Anna Bondar (HON) - Irina-Camelia Begu (ROU/n°27)
Court n°13
From 11 am
Panna Udvardy (HON) - Iryna Shymanovich (BLR/Q)John Isner (USA) - Nuno Borges (POR)Ben Shelton (USA/n°30) - Lorenzo Sonego (ITA)Liudmila Samsonova (RUS/n°15) - Katie Volynets (USA)
Court n°14
From 11 am
Nadia Podoroska (ARG) - Jessika Ponchet (FRA/WC)Marton Fucsovics (HON) - Hugo Grenier (FRA/WC)Leolia Jea (FRA/WC) - Kimberly Birrell (AUS/WC)Lucas Pouille (FRA/Q) - Jurij Rodionov (AUT/LL)
The player worth a look
There should be a nice little room of spectators in the stands of Court No. 9 to watch the match between Madison Brengle and Mayar Sherif. On paper, the poster is certainly not exceptional but the Egyptian, the first to have won a WTA tournament (Parma in 2022) is a player apart on the circuit. The game it plays is absolutely confusing with the (admittedly abusive) use of very high balls above the net. His way of shifting to the serve sometimes surprises his opponents. A style that has the gift of disorienting many of them. Sherif is also a true warm-blooded warrior. A UFO in the ladies table.
Mayar Sherif. ALEKSANDRA SZMIGIEL
Today's figure
3. Extremely rarely, Lucas Pouille will face Jurij Rodionov in the first round, a player he has already met... in qualifying this week with a two-set-to-one victory. The Austrian was drafted with his lucky loser status. An extremely rare fact since this situation has happened only three times since 2000 in the Parisian tournament.
Today's anecdote
In 1982, Romania's Ilie Nastase and Iliac faced the Italian pair Bertolucci-Panatta. Happy prankster and knowing the superstition of tennis players, Nastase managed to slip into his bag... a black cat that he let out on Centre Court when he started the match. The surprise guest jumped out of the bag before rushing to the two Transalpines and wreaking havoc on the ground. The joke was not at all appreciated by the Transalpines, furious and complaining to the referee while in the opposing camp, the devil of Nastase could not hold back his laughter. He laughed less after the match: defeat 6-0, 6-1.
The expression of the day: making the windshield wiper
If an opponent makes you wiper, it's a bad sign for the outcome of the match. This expression means that your rival walks you from one end of the field to the other without giving you time to breathe. An exhausting strategy for the victim. A variation: "He showed him around the court."