Djokovic easy for his entry into the running, Goffin leaves Hurkacz, Pegula and Jabeur continue … What to remember from Tuesday

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Two short weeks before the start of Roland-Garros, the favorites have finished sharpening their settings. Novak Djokovic, defending champion in Paris and finalist at the Masters 1000 in Rome last year, entered the running on Tuesday May 10, as did Jannik Sinner, Casper Ruud and Felix Auger-Aliassime. In the women’s draw, Jessica Pegula and Ons Jabeur, the two finalists in Madrid last week, started their tournament perfectly on Tuesday.

Novak Djokovic has no mercy for Aslan Karatsev

His first tournaments on earth had raised some questions. Novak Djokovic is gaining momentum over the weeks. After losing in the tie-break of the third set in the semi-final of the Masters 1000 in Madrid against Carlos Alcaraz, the Serb validated his victory in two short sets against the Russian Aslan Karatsev (6-3, 6-2) .

Far from doubts after his elimination in the first round of Monte-Carlo by Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, the world number one showed another face. On the way to Paris, why not win Rome for the sixth time in his career? He could be opposed to Rafael Nadal in the semi-final then to Alexander Zverev in the final for a high-level preparation. Before that, “Nole” will have to dismiss his compatriot Laslo Djere or the returning Stanislas Wawrinka, who will face each other on Wednesday.

Jessica Pegula and Ons Jabeur confirm after their final

Opposed Saturday in the final of the WTA 1000 in Madrid, Jessica Pegula and Ons Jabeur both passed the first round in Rome. The American got rid of Liudmila Samsonova (4-6, 6-3, 3-4). Quarter-finalist at the Australian Open, she never passed the third round at Roland-Garros and seems able to do better after her good tournament on Spanish soil.

For her part, the Tunisian made short work of Sorana Cirstea by winning 6-0.7-6 (1). Dominating Jabeur still experienced a slump when serving for the match at 5-2 in the second set. Led 6-5, she was able to recover to equalize at 6-6 before flying over the tie-break. In the next round, the Tunisian will face the Australian Ajla Tomljanovic to try to win an eighth consecutive success.

David Goffin pursues his redemption

After a very delicate year 2021 (14 wins for 15 losses) punctuated by a knee injury, the Belgian has been regaining his brilliance on clay since April. New victim: Hubert Hurkacz (12th in the world) in two decisive games 7-6 (8), 7-6 (2). After his victory at the ATP 250 in Marrakech and his third round in Madrid against Rafael Nadal, where he came very close to the feat, Goffin is positioning himself as a scarecrow for the top seeds who could face him early in the season. Paris.

He will find the young American Jenson Brooksby (21 years old, 38th at the ATP), Wednesday to try to continue. In the event of a quarter-final, he could, once again, find himself on the road to the Taurus of Manacor which he did not go far from fatally stinging last week in Spain.

Rublev out as soon as he entered the running, Auger-Aliassime and Schwartzmann are doing well

It’s the surprise of the day in the Italian capital. Seeded number six, Andrey Rublev was swept away by Filip Krajinovic (6-2, 6-4 in 1:08). Winner in Belgrade on clay at the end of April, the Russian was not reassured. Knocked out in the third round by Jannik Sinner in Monte-Carlo and in the quarter-finals by Stefanos Tsitsipas in Madrid, Rublev has a lot to worry about before joining Paris. Quarter-finalist in 2020, he has already experienced two disappointments out of three appearances at Roland-Garros with eliminations in the first round by Diego Schwartzman and Jan-Lennard Struff.

The Serbs were definitely in good shape on Tuesday. In addition to Djokovic and Krajinovic, Miomir Kecmanovic came within a point of taking out Diego Schwartzman, securing two set points. The little Argentinian came out in the tiebreak of the third set 6-2, 3-6, 7-6(3). Felix Auger-Aliassime also came close to corrections against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina but the Canadian managed to get out of the Spanish trap in three sets 4-6, 7-6 (2), 6-2.

Emma Raducanu, still not

Since her crazy title at the US Open after qualifying, the young Briton can’t do it anymore. Emma Raducanu has not won three consecutive matches on the WTA circuit since her success in New York. Worse, she was taken out as soon as she entered the competition six times in the last eleven tournaments. In Rome against the Canadian Bianca Andreescu, the Briton suffered before resolving to abandon being led 6-2, 2-1. A few days before discovering Roland-Garros, the physical condition and the level of the world number 12 questions.


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