We are not going to lie to each other, we did not expect the Blues to have such a party for this Roland-Garros 2022. Without any seed (for the first time in the 21st century), the French nevertheless manage to enthuse the public at the Porte d’Auteuilwith five qualified for the 3rd round (16th final), which begins this Friday.
Gilles Simon, the veteran
He never stops prolonging the pleasure. After a win”unreal” (by his own admission) against Carreno Busta in the first round (won at almost 1 a.m. after 5 sets and 4 hours of play), the Niçois was solid against the American Steve Johnson, dominating the game in three rounds, the 500th victory of his professional career.
In the round of 16, Gilles Simon will face the Croatian Marin Cilic (23rd worldwide) this Saturday.
Alizé Cornet, the fighter
For his 61st consecutive Grand Slam tournament (she will equal Japanese Ai Sugiyama’s record if she plays Wimbledon this summer), the Niçoise (40th in the world) offered the scalp of the Latvian Jelena Ostapenko, winner of Roland-Garros in 2017. A victory in three sets (6-0, 1-6, 6-3), for her first in night session on the Center.
In the round of 16, Alizé Cornet will be opposed this Saturday to the Chinese Qinwen Zheng (74th), who dismissed the 2018 winner Simona Halep.
Diane Parry, the surprise
She was born in Nice but grew up close to the Porte d’Auteuil. At only 19 years old, Diane Parry reveals herself to the general public after her victory in the first round against defending champion Barbora Krejcikova. She then confirmed against Colombian Camila Osorio. “I don’t intend to stop there.“, she warns, as she prepares to play for the first time a 3rd round in Grand Slam.
In the round of 16, Diane Parry takes on American Sloane Stephens this Fridayfinalist at Roland-Garros in 2018 and winner of the US Open 2017.
Leolia Jeanjean, the sensation
She was nicknamed the “Mozart of tennis” at just 12 years old, before injuring himself and disappearing from the circuit. At 26, Léolia Jeanjean is playing her first Roland-Garros, after having studied in the United States. An extraordinary journey for the former hope of women’s tennis, who thought “be eliminated in the first round in straight sets“. Last night, she literally walked on the 8th world Karolina Pliskova (6-2 6-2).
In the round of 16, Léolia Jeanjean will challenge Irina-Camelia Begu (63rd in the world) this Saturday.
Hugo Gaston, confirmation
He is only 21 years old but it is already the third year that we see him at Roland-Garros. After his exploits in 2020, Hugo Gaston confirms that he is comfortable in Paris. Heroic against Alex de Minaur in the first round (victory in 5 sets in the super tie-break), he went on without wasting time against the Argentinian Pedro Cachin in 3 short sets and barely 2 hours of play.
In the round of 16, Hugo Gaston will face one of his friends, the Danish prodigy Holger Rune (19 years old, 40th in the world), who took out Denis Shapovalov in the first round.