Four French will try on Saturday to climb into the round of 16: Léolia Jeanjean and Alizé Cornet for women, Gilles Simon and Hugo Gaston for men.
For Medvedev’s first real test
Operated on for a hernia in early April, the Russian lost in Geneva to Richard Gasquet for his return to the courts. But Porte d’Auteuil where he remains on a quarter-final in 2021, the pupil of Gilles Cervara is unfolding for the moment. After Facundo Bagnis dispatched (6-2, 6-2, 6-2) on the Suzanne-Lenglen, the Russian quietly overpowered the Serb Laslo Djere (6-3, 6-4, 6-3). It is another Serb who stands up to him, Saturday at the opening on the Philippe Chatrier. A tougher test, a priori. Miomir Kecmanovic, 8e finalist at the Australian Open and quarter-finalists in Indian Wells and Miami, is more comfortable on hard courts. But Medvedev, too. “ Medvedev, obviously it won’t be easy, assures the Serb. He plays well. But of course, it’s not his favorite surface, it’s not where he feels most comfortable. So, to play against him, it is better to play on clay than elsewhere.»
For the future retiree Simon
What if for her 17e and last Roland-Garros, Gilles Simon equaled his best performances at Porte d’Auteuil (8th in 2011, 2013, 2015)? For that, it will be necessary to beat this Saturday Marin Cilic. Not in the realm of the impossible. Especially since the old 6e World Cup leads 6-1 in its confrontations with the Croatian. “Statistically, he is a player who suits me well“, admits the Niçois who nuance however. “I never actually dominated him. It’s always been 3 sets or 5, each time I was trailing one set, one break or two sets to one… So it’s not as if I was saying to myself +Marin, it’s rolling!+“. Still, one of the keys to the match will also be the recovery of the 37-year-old Frenchman, who seemed physically very fair at the end of the match against Steve Johnson in the previous round…
For the Jeanjean sensation
« Girls have no idea who I am “laughs Léolia Jeanjean. His opponents discover the tricolor revelation. And they can only see the damage. The 26-year-old is living a daydream at Porte d’Auteuil for her first Grand Slam. After her feat against the Czech Karolina Pliskova, 8e world (6-2, 6-2), she has the opportunity to continue the beautiful story against Irina-Camelia Begu (63rd). Considered a future star at 12, Jeanjean suffered repeated injuries and chose to study in the United States, only returning to high-level tennis at the end of 2020. She obviously did well. She will discover the Suzanne Lenglen this Saturday. While waiting for Philippe Chatrier on Sunday?
Read alsoLéolia Jeanjean, her life is a novel
For the shock of the night session
Hugo Gaston loves Paris. After his 8e in 2020, Porte d’Auteuil, the Toulousain finds the 3e turn this year. In the previous round the pupil of Marc Barbier did the job against the modest Pedro Cachin, 147e global. The march should be higher this Saturday evening against the phenomenon Holger Rune, 19 years old. The former 2019 junior world number one is a young man in a hurry. First-round knockout of 15-seeded Denis Shapovalov (6-3, 6-1, 6-2), Rune became the youngest player to reach 3e turn since a certain Rafael Nadal in 2005. It remains to be seen how the nugget, big hitter and friend of Gaston, will manage the pressure of playing for the first time on a big court against a French player. During the last Rolex Paris Masters, the phenomenon Alcaraz had cracked against Gaston and a hostile public. What to give ideas to the left-hander…
Read alsoRoland-Garros: Cornet-Simon, the thrills of the last metro
For a new blow of Cornet
The 19-year-old Zheng, who is competing in her first-ever French Open, hit hard in the previous round when she knocked down 2018 winner Simona Halep, her first win against a top-20 player. The Chinese, 74e world, will not have the favors of the predictions against Alizée Cornet, faller in the second round of Ostapenko, 13e world. The French number one, quarter-finalist of the last Australian Open, her best result in a Grand Slam at 32, has a great opportunity to compete again in an 8e in Paris after 2017. She will once again be able to count on the infallible support of the French public and the Central. “ It’s like an arena. Yes, poor thing (Ostapenko), it couldn’t have been easy for her. But you have to have this advantage a bit when you’re French, the public is there for that, to encourage us to go as far as possible.».
Main matches of the 7th day, Saturday:
Court Philippe-Chatrier (from 12 p.m.)
Iga Swiatek (POL / series head 1) – Danka Kovinic (MNE)
Qinwen Zheng (CHN) – Alizé Cornet (FRA)
Gilles Simon (FRA) – Marin Cilic (CRO/20)
(not before 8:45 p.m.) Holger Rune – Hugo Gaston (FRA)
Court Suzanne-Lenglen (from 11 a.m.)
Irina-Camelia Begu (ROU) – Léolia Jeanjean (FRA)
Miomir Kecmanovic (SRB / 28) – Daniil Medvedev (RUS / 2)
Paula Badosa (ESP / 3) – Veronika Kudermetova (RUS / 29)
Mikael Ymer (SWE) – Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE / 4)
Court Simonne-Mathieu (from 11 a.m.)
McKenzie McDonald (USA) – Jannik Sinner (ITA/11)
Camila Giorgi (ITA / 28) – Aryna Sabalenka (BLR / 7)
David Goffin (BEL) – Hubert Hurkacz (POL/12)
Madison Keys (USA) – Elena Rybakina (KAZ/16)