(Paris) It was a perfect day for the four Canadians present in the main draws at Roland-Garros on Monday.
Quebecers Félix Auger-Aliassime and Leylah Annie Fernandez first made a successful debut in the morning, before being joined at the end of the program by Ontarians Denis Shapovalov and Bianca Andreescu.
Auger-Aliassime was sailing happily towards a victory in three consecutive sets when Mother Nature complicated his task by twice forcing the interruption of his match against the Japanese Yoshihito Nishioka – including once when he was a game behind. victory.
The Quebecer finally took the measure of Nishioka, 6-2, 6-4 and 6-4, after 2 hours and 13 minutes of play on the clay court no 6, and he will face the German Henri Squire, 221, in the next round.e in the world, who surprised the Australian Max Purcell, 6-2, 6-2, 3-6, 4-6 and 7-6 (10).
Auger-Aliassime, 21e top seed in the tournament, is now 4-2 in his career against Nishioka, 72e world racket. The representative of the maple leaf has won his last four duels against him, including those at the National Bank of Montreal Open in 2022 and at the Madrid Masters earlier this spring.
It was much easier for Fernandez, whose start of the match was postponed for a few hours due to the weather.
PHOTO DARRYL DYCK, CANADIAN PRESS ARCHIVES
Leylah Annie Fernandez
The 31e top seed of the tournament quickly eliminated Frenchwoman Jessika Ponchet, a guest player, in two sets, 6-2 and 6-0, after 1 hour and 9 minutes of play. Fernandez, who is 21 years old, will face in the second round the Chinese Xiyu Wang, 61e in the world, who beat her compatriot Zhuoxuan Bai, 7-5, 6-7 (4) and 6-3.
Andreescu then enjoyed her first victory in almost 10 months, after defeating Spaniard Sara Sorribes Tormo, 7-5, 6-1, in the first round. The 23-year-old Ontarian will now find the 23 on her roade seeded Russian Anna Kalinskaya, who defeated Frenchwoman Clara Burel, 7-6 (3) and 7-5.
PHOTO CHRISTINNE MUSCHI, CANADIAN PRESS ARCHIVES
Bianca Andreescu
Andreescu, who is at 228e world ranking, had not played a match since his back injury suffered at the National Bank Open in Montreal last August. The 2019 US Open champion also reached the main draw in Paris by virtue of her protected ranking.
For his part, Shapovalov did not linger on court no 14 by manhandling Frenchman Luca Van Assche, 101e in the world, in three sets of 6-3, 6-4 and 6-4 in the first round. It was their first career duel.
PHOTO DIMITAR DILKOFF, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Denis Shapovalov
Shapovalov, ranked 118e in the world, will face in the second round the American Frances Tiafoe, 25e first in the series.
Tiafoe defeated Mattia Bellucci in five sets of 6-3, 3-6, 6-7 (6), 6-4 and 6-4.
Sunday, Montrealer Gabriel Diallo came from behind, but he still lost in five sets of 7-5, 7-6 (3), 3-6, 1-6 and 7-5 to the Japanese Kei Nishikori. Diallo was the only Canadian to play a match on the first day of the main draw of this Grand Slam tournament.