France wins! Before this 2024 edition of the Australian Open, Arthur Cazaux had never won a single Grand Slam match (in three attempts) and had even only had one victory on the main circuit. And again, it went back more than two and a half years ago, in May 2021 in Geneva. Integrated into the main draw thanks to an invitation, Cazaux made it fully profitable.
After dominating Holger Rune in the second round, the young 21-year-old Frenchman did not make any details against the Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor (6-3, 6-3, 6-1) this Saturday. The latter was as if disoriented, did not obtain the slightest break point on Cazaux’s formidable serve, and conceded three aces in four points in the last game. After less than an hour and fifteen minutes of play, he was led two sets to zero. And, half an hour later, he was simply eliminated.
Dodin erases Burel
For a place in the quarter-finals, Cazaux will challenge another top 10 player, world No.9 Hubert Hurkacz. The Pole ended the run of French No. 2 Ugo Humbert (3-6, 6-1, 7-6, 6-3) in the third round. In the meantime, the Montpellier native, a junior finalist in Melbourne four years ago, already has the certainty of entering the top 100, and even of climbing into the top 80. Cazaux is the second Frenchman to reach the round of 16 in Melbourne, after Adrian Mannarino the day before.
In the women’s draw, Océane Dodin (95th) is also there, for the first time in her career, at 27 years old and on her twentieth attempt: the Northerner with firepower emerged victorious 6-2, 6- 4 in a 100% French duel with Clara Burel (51st) in the third round. In the round of 16, Dodin will face the Chinese Qinwen Zheng, world No.15, who defeated her compatriot Yafan Wang (94th) in the super tie-break of the third set. Until then, the Frenchwoman has not let a single set escape.