Three matches in three sets, less than three games lost per round: Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic joined the second week of Roland-Garros on Friday as quickly as possible.
In the evening, the spotlights of the Central will illuminate a duel of young talents between Carlos Alcaraz and the American Sebastien Korda. Precisely the last to have beaten the Spanish phenomenon, in Monte-Carlo in April.
. Rafa and Toni, family reunion
For the first time since he was no longer coached by his uncle Toni, “Rafa” will find him in the opposite camp, that of Félix Auger-Aliassime, his opponent in the round of 16 with whom his former mentor has been working for a little over a year.
Nadal will present himself in the best possible conditions given the circumstances: he who had left Rome limping and grimacing, betrayed by his left foot, ten days from Roland-Garros, saw an ideal start to the fortnight. In three matches, he did not miss a single set and lost only 23 games, less than three per set on average.
Under the sun found on Friday followingnoon, and under the eyes of Zinedine Zidane, the Spaniard played his “best minutes of the match since I came back from my rib injury” in early May, he said.
Concretely: a 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 victory at the expense of Botic van de Zandschulp (29th) in just over two hours, and only one delicate moment, when following having unsuccessfully obtained a ball from 5 plays at 0 in the third set, he then had to dismiss a ball from 5 everywhere when he served to win the match.
Auger-Aliassime had never won a match on clay in Paris before this 2022 edition. 3), 7-6 (7/2), 7-5.
Neither Nadal nor “FAA” want to make a big deal out of this family reunion.
For “Rafa”, “it’s very simple, I know he wants the best for me, and me for him. Above all, we are from the same family”.
“If there was a secret to beating +Rafa+, he wouldn’t have won thirteen times here,” replies the Canadian.
. Djokovic in speed
Like Nadal, Djokovic is having a most serene start to the tournament: he too has only let slip 23 games in three matches.
Facing the Slovenian Aljaz Bedene, ex-top 50 today 195th in the world, the world No.1 won 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 in 1h44 min, finding a source of “additional motivation” in the presence in the stands of Arsène Wenger and Clarence Seedorf, on the eve of the Champions League final at the Stade de France.
His first week in Paris confirms the Roman impression: “Nole” seems to have become himself once more following a first quarter spent almost without competition following his incredible expulsion from Australia, for lack of a vaccine once morest Covid-19.
We will know more with his round of 16 once morest Diego Schwartzman (16th), the player who has won the most matches on clay this season ahead of the Spanish phenomenon Carlos Alcaraz. The little Argentinian made short work of Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov (6-3, 6-1, 6-2) in the third round.
“He’s one of the fastest players on the circuit. I’m ready for the physical fight. I haven’t spent too much time on the court and I feel the ball well”, warns Djokovic.
. Parry, it’s over
The fine career of Diane Parry, 19 and 97th in the world, ended in the third round – her first in a Grand Slam – once morest the 2018 finalist, the American Sloane Stephens (64th), victorious 6-2, 6-3.
Two of his compatriots also joined the second week: the young Coco Gauff (23 years old, 18th), who fell from the Estonian Kaia Kanepi 6-3, 6-4, and Amanda Anisimova (28th), winner by abandonment (6- 7 (7/9), 6-2, 3-0) by the Czech Karolina Muchova, twisted ankle.
Two other French women will try to reach the third round on Saturday: Alizé Cornet and Léolia Jeanjean.
Two Grand Slam winners were stopped at this stage on Friday: Victoria Azarenka, following a marathon match of more than three hours once morest the Swiss Jil Teichmann 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (10-5 ), and Angelique Kerber, beaten 6-4, 7-6 (7/5) by Belarusian Aliaksandra Sasnovich.
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