It’s not just Rafael Nadal who was spoiled by the draw this Thursday at Roland-Garros. We looked at all this very closely and let us tell you that the French will have to work hard to avoid doing worse than the cataclysmic years 2021 and 2023, perfectly forgettable with their zero points in the 3rd round (out of 6 qualified in the 2nd round last year and only 4 in 2021).
Djoko gravedigger announced
A quick glance at the first quarter of the table is enough to understand the extent of the damage. Novak Djokovic is certainly not in the form of his life, but in a Grand Slam, in three winning sets, you will have to get up early to take him out. Pierre-Hugues Herbert will tackle it from the first round, then it will be Constant Lestienne’s turn, if he ever passes the Carballes Baena obstacle, which still remains to be proven.
Gaël Monfils would be next, if he comes out alive from the obstacle course that awaits him to get there: first the Brazilian Seyboth Wild, who revealed himself last year by eliminating Daniil Medvedev in the first round after coming out of qualifying, then potentially Lorenzo Musetti, present twice in the second week in the last three years and whose clay is clearly the surface of choice.
If they escape Novak the gravedigger, the Tricolores placed a little lower in the table will also have a lot to do. Take Arthur Cazeaux for example, opposed to Tomas Martin Etcheverry (28), quarter-finalist in Paris last year and who only lives for clay. Arthur Rinderknech, one of the best-off in the first round against the Australian guest Walton, could meet him in the next round. Damage.
Same sanction for Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, on good momentum recently and who can hope to dismiss the aging David Goffin as a starter but who would be opposed to Zverev or Nadal afterwards. Strictly speaking, playing against Rafa and being the one who either brought down the legend or opened the door for him to push the farewell tour further would have been tough. But the cumbersome presence of the German, recent winner in Rome, derails this lovely plan. A loser to the end, we tell you.
A little hope anyway or not?
Do you want more ? Coco Moutet will beat the Chilean giant Nicolas Jarry (16), 8th finalist last year and currently in full swing after his final in Rome. Harold Mayot will face Sebastian Korda (27), with the scarecrow Carlos Alcaraz in his sights in the 3rd round. Luca Van Assche sees his horizon blocked by Shapovalov, Tiafoe and especially Hurkacz, which still makes a lot of really solid players to line up before being able to dream of a round of 16. Even Ugo Humbert, one of our two seeds (17), inherited Lorenzo Sonego, who remains adamant about playing on earth if he is in a good mood. At the end of the road, Stefanos Tsitsipas, a reference to Roland if ever there was one.
And our national Richie in all this? Richard Gasquet finds himself opposed to Borna Coric, who is no longer what he was (former 12th in the world) but who remains a 27-year-old player capable of stringing together three or four sets, which seems prohibitive at the moment for the dean of Sérignan. And if he ever offered us one last moment of anthology on Lenglen (yes, it will be on Lenglen), world number 2 Jannik Sinner would be waiting for him around the corner. Outch.
Come on, to end on a little note of hope, we will mention Alexandre Muller, Arthur Fils (the other French seed, number 29) and Hugo Gaston. The first two, if they take out the Italians Nardi and Arnaldi – not easy but playable – will find themselves in the 2nd round and will be able to dream of an exploit against the Russian Andrey Rublev to see the second week. The third, who thrilled us in 2020 (round of 16 after taking out Wawrinka and pushing Thiem prime in the 5th set), will face Ben Shelton (16).
OUR ROLAND-GARROS FILE
Not a good draw at first glance, but Roland remains the best place to take the great hope of American tennis, semi-finalist of the last US Open but not very comfortable on earth. A Gaston inspired like in the heyday, with Nishikori on the decline in the 2nd round… Auger-Aliassime (21) would remain on the road for the second week. Do you feel the epic coming? Well, at least we tried. And as the French women were not much more savedthis promises us a still nice Roland for the General’s France.