Denis Shapovalov trained with great intensity on Friday.
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Even if court number 16 is at one end of the Roland-Garros site, a few curious people wanted to attend its session, even sneaking between the bushes.
The 24-year-old left-hander was smiling. He seemed in control of his slides on clay and his one-handed backhand was on point.
It remains to be seen if he will be able to transpose this energy against Brandon Nakashima, a young 21-year-old American ranked 52nd in the world who reached the semi-finals in Lyon and defeated the Ontarian last year at Wimbledon.
Shapovalov, 31st at the ATP, is in search of victories, he who is 7-9 this season.
Photo Mylene Richard
Denis Shapovalov just before hitting a backhand shot in practice on Friday.
Caroline Garcia and the pressure of a country
The tournament may take place in France, Caroline Garcia is the only local seed (all sexes combined) at Roland-Garros.
The fifth racket in the world had only played doubles last year on Parisian ocher. This time, she has the weight of a nation on her shoulders.
Photo: AFP
Caroline Garcia in action in Madrid, April 29.
But the 29-year-old arrives in her capital having cried in front of the media following her third round elimination in Rome. Garcia looked much better on Friday.
“We know that things can bounce back quickly if the attitude and the work are there,” she said.
“If she hates me, so be it!”
World number 2, Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, reiterated on Friday that if she could end the war between Russia, aided by Belarus, and Ukraine, she would do it, even though she believes that “sport should not not be politicized.
Photo: AFP
Aryna Sabalenka kisses the trophy won in Madrid at the beginning of May.
And she understands that her next opponent, the Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk, may not feel like shaking hands at the end of their confrontation.
“It’s hard to shake hands with a Belarusian or a Russian. What message would they send home?
And Sabalenka won’t hold it against Kostyuk if she doesn’t like him. “If she hates me, so be it! I can not do anything about it.”