Next Gen stars run amok at Roland Garros

IOL News

2 days ago

Novak Djokovic has a list of Next Gen stars to beat to his 25th Slam title. Photo: EPA
Whoever branded Roland Garros as 'Couture On Clay', has clearly never been. The French Open is no catwalk, nor cakewalk. It 's the most physically grueling and unpredictable of all four Slams, synonymous with bad injuries and major upsets: 16th Seed Grigor Dimitrov, one of the fittest on Tour, retired injured at two sets up, in his opener, versus American, Ethan Quinn.
Former No 1, Daniil Medvedev and former Finalists, Casper Ruud, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Karolina Muchova- not to mention Top 10, Alex De Minaur were all exiting turnstiles come Round 2, at the hand of rank outsiders.
Tsitsipas' loss to Italian qualifier, Matteo Gigante, 6-4,5-7,6-2,6-4, being the most significant, in that it shone a spotlight on yet another emerging, aggressive Next Gen. As for leading Next Gen star, teenage Joao Fonseca, he reached another milestone, in progressing to the third round of a Major on debut, becoming the youngest Brazilian to win a clay court match since 1963 and leapfrogging up the rankings to No 54.
He had to fell in form, 30th seed, Hugo Hurkacz, followed by French wild card, Pierre-Hughes Herbert, in a tight three-setter, 7-6(4), 7-6(4),6-4.
Meanwhile his nemesis, 19-year-old, Miami champion, Jacob Mensik axed Hamburg Finalist, Alexandre Muller in straight sets.
And the youngest of French musketeers, new No 1, Arthur Fils, under immense patriotic pressure on Court Phillips Chatriere, stole the show in an epic five-set thriller, in which he overcame Spain's Jaume Munar to earn his first ever victory on clay.
Less fortunate but no less heroic, in terms of Herculean French effort, was veteran Gael Monfils brave 6-3, 4-6, ,6-3, 7-5 stand, against seemingly unstoppable British No 1, Jack Draper.
If the French are impressing in their own arena, then so too are their arch-rivals across the channel: For first time in the Open era, three Brits - No's 1-3, Draper, Jacob Fearnley and Cameron Norrie have all progressed to Round 3 at Roland Garros.
Take a bow Norrie, who took down Medvedev, in another hard fought five-setter, 7-5,6-3,4-6,1-6,7-5 in achieving this. Interestingly the Top billing, prematurely eliminated, namely Medvedev, Ruud and De Minaur have pointed fingers at the current mandatory scheduling on Tour: 'I don't think they have daughters..' complained the droll Russian.
The Norwegian took it a step further: 'It's a rat race, if you skip a tournament, you lose out economically and financially..' Ruud, who was beaten 2-6,6-4,6-1,6-0, by Portuguese No 1, Nuno Borges, while nursing a lingering knee injury, was accusing the ATP system of making players feel obligated to play tournaments, while injured, at the risk of losing, or defending points.
That said, those, forced to take an extended break, with an unplayable injury ,eg. World No 2, Carlos Alcaraz, or a drug ban, eg. World No 1, Jannik Sinner, do reap the rewards of rest, on their return: Both Nos 1 & 2 have cruised through to Round 3 on their respective sides of the Draw: Alcaraz producing mercurial shots, whist sending Hungarian No 1, Fabian Marozan- no pushover- packing.
Sinner to date, not really tested by either newly married Arthur Rinderknech or retiring Richard Gasquet. Then there is the three ex French Open and current Olympic champion, who cares not a jot about rankings or finances, and is playing only to procure a 25th Singles title, with which to catapult himself into a stratosphere, reached by no other player- male of female, one Novak Djokovic.
He too is taking scalps in week one (McKenzie McDonald & Corentin Moutet) but that 15-year-age difference, in a field full of Next Gen phenomena, could prove his stumbling block.