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World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz and two-time champion Novak Djokovic kick off their Roland Garros marketing campaign on a jam-packed Monday in Paris, the place Jannik Sinner, Frances Tiafoe, and Cameron Norrie are additionally among the many seeded gamers in motion.
ATPTour.com previews three key matches on Day 2 of the clay-court main.
[1] Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) vs. [Q] Flavio Cobolli (ITA)
The highest seed Alcaraz, who boasts a 30-3 season document, begins his quest for a second main title in opposition to a assured Cobolli, who superior by way of qualifying en path to his maiden Grand Slam major draw look. Alcaraz on Monday will play his first match at a significant since successful the 2022 US Open (withdrew from the Australian Open with a proper leg damage).
1 / 4-finalist final 12 months in Paris, Alcaraz has proven his finest degree on the clay this season, gathering three of his 4 2023 titles on the floor. When requested in his pre-tournament press convention how his sport differs from a 12 months in the past, Alcaraz acknowledged his enhancements have been on the psychological facet of the sport.
“I might say I am the identical participant as final 12 months, solely change that I might say is that I am extra mature. Mentally I am higher,” Alcaraz mentioned. “I can learn what occurred on court docket higher than final 12 months. For me, it is actually, actually vital, and I might say it is the [aspect that is] most completely different [from] final 12 months.”
The #NextGenATP Italian Cobolli, who’s seventh within the Pepperstone ATP Stay Subsequent Gen Race, has been having fun with an increase on the ATP Challenger Tour. In 2022, the 21-year-old gained his first Challenger title on the clay of Zadar, Croatia. A 12 months later, Cobolli will contest in one of many largest matches of his profession in opposition to World No. 1 Alcaraz. Cobolli and Alcaraz met on the Challenger Tour in 2020, with the Spaniard triumphing in straight units. Monday shall be their first tour-level encounter.
[3] Novak Djokovic (SRB) vs. Aleksandar Kovacevic (USA)
The 36-year-old Djokovic seeks his high kind in Paris after tallying a 5-3 match document throughout this 12 months’s clay swing. However the Serbian at all times rises to the event on the most important levels and shall be dialled on this fortnight as he goals for a record-setting twenty third main title.
It is going to be Djokovic’s first match throughout the online from Kovacevic, who grew up idolising him and sat courtside for the Serbian’s first-round victory on the 2005 US Open. Since that encounter, Kovacevic has been impressed by Djokovic, and can make his Grand Slam debut in opposition to the 93-time tour-level titlist.
Kovacevic’s Full-Circle Moment: Watching, Meeting & Now Playing Djokovic
Kovacevic made his tour-level debut final 12 months in Seoul, the place he was a semi-finalist and launched the tennis world to his easy one-handed backhand. Having fun with a gentle rise since graduating from the College of Illinois in 2021, Kovacevic will face a High-20 opponent for the primary time.
[10] Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) vs. Fabio Fognini (ITA)
Three-time main quarter-finalist Auger-Aliassime and former World No. 7 Fognini will conflict in an intriguing first-round match on Courtroom Simonne-Mathieu.
Auger-Aliassime introduced a excessive degree to Roland Garros final season, together with in a five-set, fourth-round thriller in opposition to eventual champion Rafael Nadal. The tenth seed must be on guard out of the blocks as Fognini’s shotmaking skill at all times offers a singular problem for even the perfect gamers.
Felix gained his lone tour-level assembly in opposition to Fognini in 2019, a commanding 6-2, 6-3 victory on the ATP 500 occasion in Rio de Janeiro.
Additionally In Motion…
Eighth seed Jannik Sinner and residential hope Alexandre Muller will shut the night on Courtroom Philippe-Chatrier. Cameron Norrie, seeded 14th, goals to keep up his good document in opposition to Frenchman Benoit Paire.
Arthur Fils, who arrives in Paris recent off a dream title run in Lyon, will meet twenty ninth seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. On Courtroom 7, twenty sixth seed Denis Shapovalov opens the day in opposition to Brandon Nakashima and twelfth seed Frances Tiafoe will later play Filip Krajinovic.
The 2015 Roland Garros champion Stan Wawrinka will face Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas for an eighth time. Two-time finalist Dominic Thiem will play Argentine Pedro Cachin.
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