Dodin, Parry, Rinderknech: what are the chances of the last three French players at Roland-Garros?

2023-06-01 21:43:56

A carnage. A black Wednesday. The six Frenchmen entered at Roland-Garros, including the two number ones Caroline Garcia and Ugo Humbert, all lost in the second round. Then, in the evening, Gaël Monfils withdrew before his meeting scheduled for Thursday against the Dane Holger Rune. So that of the 28 tricolors engaged in the first round, there are only three left in the running. Diane Parry, Océane Dodin and Arthur Rinderknech will play their second round match this Thursday. With what prospects?

Diane Parry facing a nugget

In order of appearance, she will be the first of the three to enter the court since the young Frenchwoman (20 years old) is scheduled in second rotation on the Simonne-Mathieu (around 12:30 p.m. if the previous match does not drag on). On paper, Diane Parry, 79th in the world, has the favor of the forecasts since she faces a younger girl (16 years old) and lower ranked than her (143rd), the Russian Mirra Andreeva. Except that Andreeva is a phenomenon announced by observers as a future great champion.

The nugget is pampered in the south of France at Jean-René Lisnard’s Elite Tennis Center. In the first round, she atomized the American Alison Riske (85th) in two short sets (6-2, 6-1). Even if her concentration and lack of maturity can still play tricks on her, beware of Diane Parry, who would like to repeat her performance from last year when she reached the third round of Roland after an exploit against number 2 world champion and defending champion Barbora Krejcikova. Parry, who grew up in Boulogne and loves the atmosphere of Roland-Garros, is in good shape having just won the Clarins Trophy in Paris (WTA 125), the second title of her career.

Océane Dodin for an achievement

Of the three French on the court this Thursday, she is undoubtedly the one condemned to the greatest exploit. Océane Dodin (26), 122nd in the world, faces the Tunisian Ons Jabeur (28), who is ranked 7th in the world and is one of the favorites for this Roland-Garros. “It’s a big match, I have nothing to lose, I’m far from being the favorite but I’ll be able to have fun, play 100% and enjoy, she said. It will be a very complicated match but I can’t wait. If I’m in the mood to win, you never know what can happen. We play tennis for matches like that, against big players on big courts, that’s what gives us great emotions. “For once, it will be served since it is scheduled in third rotation on the Philippe-Chatrier court, at the end of the afternoon.

Arthur Rinderknech must believe it

Arthur Rinderknech (27) is not the best known of French players but his victory in the first round against an otherwise renowned tricolor, a certain Richard Gasquet, gave him a nice spotlight. And allowed him to fill up with confidence before facing the seeded number 9, the American Taylor Fritz. Presented like this, the mission seems immense for the 78th player in the world, licensed at the Boulogne-Billancourt tennis club, who has never faced Fritz on the circuit.

But carried by the Suzanne-Lenglen court in the last match of the day, it could thwart the predictions provided it ignites the public and quickly makes the American (25 years old) doubt. Finalist of the tournament among juniors in 2015, his opponent has hardly shone Porte d’Auteuil since since he has never done better than a third round. In 2021, he was even out on a wheelchair after his second-round loss to Dominik Koepfer.