The outgoing finalist was struck down by covid-19, Nadal got a little scared and the Blues, especially among men, continued to pleasantly surprise.
The number: 36
Quickly done well done. World number one Iga Swiatek did not lag behind for her entry into the running by outclassing Croatian Jana Fett (252nd and qualifying) 6-0, 6-3, and winning her 36th consecutive victory. She sets a record for the 21st century and is now ahead of Venus Williams (35). Since his defeat in the second round in Dubai in February, Swiatek has not lost a single match, winning titles on hard courts in Doha, Indian Wells and Miami, then on clay in Stuttgart, Rome, Madrid and Roland-Garros.
The record: 62
This is now the number of consecutive participations in Grand Slam tournaments of the French number one, Alizé Cornet. The 32-year-old Niçoise joins the Japanese Ai Sugiyama. Since the 2007 Australian Open, she has not missed a single Major, apart from Wimbledon 2020 which was canceled due to covid. And to celebrate this little moment in history, the 37th in the world dropped Yulia Putintseva on Tuesday.
The (good) blue balance sheet
They were ten on the courts this Tuesday. Six of them validated their ticket for the 2nd round. They will be at least eleven at this stage of the competition (out of the 18 lined up at the start). A good performance to take in these lean times. Hugo Grenier, 141st in the world, had been eliminated in qualifying but he was drafted after the withdrawal of his compatriot Gaël Monfils. Faced with the Swiss Marc-Andrea Huesler (106th and from qualifying), the 26-year-old player seized his chance perfectly for his first match in a major Grand Slam draw. A 6-3, 7-6 (7/0), 6-7 (5/7), 2-6, 6-4 victory. Hugo Gaston won the first success of his career at Wimbledon against the Australian Alexei Popyrin (83rd) won 6-2, 4-6, 0-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-3. Richard Gasquet also won his standoff against the Portuguese Joao Sousa (60th) 7-6 (9/7), 6-2, 4-6, 4-6, 6-3. Quiet qualification for Benjamin Bonzi, against Zdenek Kolar (119th) 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 in 1h33. It’s over, however, for Arthur Rinderknech who lost in five sets against Denis Shapovalov 6-1, 6-7, 6-7, 6-4, 6-1. In the women’s draw, if Alizé Cornet passed, Océane Dodin was dominated by the Latvian Jelena Ostapenko, semi-finalist in 2018 (6-4, 6-4) and Chloé Paquet stalled against the Romanian Irina Bara (6- 2, 6-4). Just like Clara Burel against the English Boulder. At the end of the evening, Harmony Tan beat legend Serena Williams in a super tie-break.
The performance
American volleyball server Maxime Cressy, born in Paris, brought down 6-seeded Félix Auger-Aliassime in the first round after a fierce battle lasting 4:15 (6-7, 6-4, 7- 6, 7-6). Finalist at Eastbourne last week, Cressy will have a good card to play in the second round against Jack Sock. For FFA, this is a big setback after their quarter-finals last season.
L’outsider
Winner in Mallorca on Sunday, Stefanos Tsitsipas had to fight against the 188th in the world, Alexander Ritschard for his entry into the running (7-6 (1), 6-3, 5-7, 6-4). The 5th player in the world, who lost in the first round in the last two editions in London, puts an end to a nasty series and will face Jordan Thompson in the second round to confirm that he has a green foot.
Fright
Finalist of the last Roland-Garros, Coco Gauff, 18, who made a name for herself in 2019 by reaching the round of 16 at 15, suffered on her debut at Wimbledon. It took him 2h29 to dominate the Romanian Elena-Gabriel Ruse (54th) 2-6, 6-3, 7-5.
The phrase
«Did I spit at a disrespectful bystander? Yes I did it. I wouldn’t do that to someone who supported me. The Australian Nick Kyrgios, in difficulty on the courts, still qualified for the 2nd round thanks to a victory in pain in five sets against the British guest Paul Jubb (219th) (3-6, 6 –1, 7–5, 6–7[3], 7–5). He did not shine by his behavior by spitting in the direction of a spectator during the meeting. A bad boy attitude that he assumed at a press conference…
The covid package
After the outsider Marin Cilic on Monday, the Italian Matteo Berrettini, finalist last year and who was one of the favorites of this edition, announced Tuesday his withdrawal from Wimbledon due to a positive test for covid. “It is with a broken heart that I announce that I have to withdraw from Wimbledon due to a positive test for covid-19the 26-year-old wrote on Instagram. The 26-year-old Italian player is replaced in the table by Swedish lucky loser Elias Ymer (137th).
The injury
Very handicapped by a hamstring injury, the Bulgarian Grigor Dimirov had to throw in the towel against the American Steve Johnson. The 21st in the world had won the first act 6-4, but gave up in the second set at 5-2 against him.