Roland-Garros opens on Sunday with the first round. On the Philippe-Chatrier court, Stefanos Tsitsipas begins his fortnight. Ten French are to follow.
The first day of Roland-Garros reserves, Sunday, May 28, a program which gives pride of place to the French. On the favorite side, Aryna Sabalenka (2nd) had a quiet start, while Jessica Pegula (3rd) also started the tournament. In the men’s draw, Stefanos Tsitsipas (5th) and Andrey Rublev (7th) will be on display for this first day.
What there is to know
• Ten Tricolors in race, including two Franco-French duels. First on the court and first to be eliminated, Jessica Ponchet was dominated by Argentina’s Nadia Podoroska 6-0, 6-2 in 1:02. Constant Yours challenges the Russian Karen Kachanov (11th worldwide) on the court Suzanne Lenglen. After pulling out of qualifying by beating Jurji RodionovLucas Pouille will again be opposed, in the last rotation, to the Austrian drafted in the main draw, on court 14. The Parisian public will also be able to support Alizé Cornet, Leolia John and Hugo Grenier, who will attempt to qualify for the second round of the Parisian Grand Slam.
At the end of the day, the duels Franco-French between Adrian Mannarino and Ugo Humbert, then between Arthur Cazeaux and Corentin Mutet will also follow. Injured in the left wrist from Monte-Carlo, Benjamin Bonzi, who was to enter the running on the second day of Roland-Garros against the Brazilian Thiago Monteiro, Monday May 29was forced to forfeit.
• Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka wins without shaking hands with Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk. For the first round of Roland Garros, chance had it that the Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, world number 2, faces the Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk. Criticism of the measures taken by the authorities of world tennis following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, the latter had notably refused to shake hands with her Russian opponent Anastasia Potapova, Thursday, March 23, in the second round of the WTA 1000 in Miami. On the Philippe-Chatrier court, the Belarusian was superior to her rival (6-3, 6-2), without any handshake exchanged at the end of the match.
• Stefanos Tsitsipas needs to build up confidence before taking on the big guns. The Greek, world number 5, will start his tournament on the court Philippe-Chatrier, following the meeting between Aryna Sabalenka and Marta Kostyuk, against the Czech Jiri Vesely, 455th in the ATP ranking. Finalist of the French Open in 2021, Stefanos Tsitsipas remains on a quarter-final in Monte-Carlo and Madrid, a semi-final in Rome and a final in Barcelona. Only problem, the Greek lacks results against the big names on the circuit.