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Ruud says he felt better as the match progressed and was nervous given he reached the final last year. It’s great to be back in Paris where the crowd are very passionate, playing on “this historic court”. He remembers his debut on it against Federer – “I got my arse kicked” – and says yerman is missed, but he hopes he’s enjoying himself wherever he is. He finds playing tennis more “hectic” as he moves up in the world, with different demands, responsibilities and pressure, but he’s still Casper, still the same bloke with family and friends. He does fashion shoots sometimes, which he didn’t know about as a kid hoping to make it, he thought you just played and went home, but he’s enjoying the experience and, as ever, comes across as an all-round lovely bloke.
Novak Djokovic defends Kosovo message amid controversy – videoCasper Ruud [4] beats Elias Ymer 6-4 6-3 6-2!Like Jabeur, Ruud played well but within himself; he meets Bublik or Zeppieri next.
Ruud just missed a chance to finish off Ymer, losing his serve serving at 5-1 in the third, but I daresay he gets there eventually. On Mathieu, Zverev leads Harris 2-1 on serve.
Ons says she had a break after doing her calf but feels comfy now and after the first set got back into the swing of a clay court. She’s disappointed not to have won a major last term, but will give everything she can to make that happen before the end of her career because if she doesn’t she’ll have to explain to her niece and nephew what’s gone on. She meets Janicicevic or Dodin next.
Ons Jabeur [7] beats Lucia Bronzetti 6-4 6-1!She wasn’t great all the way through, but her calf seemed not to bother her and she played some lovely stuff while playing within herself, the mark of a very serious threat.
Tommy Paul is through – he’s beaten Dominic Stricker 3, 2 and 4 – and meets Jarry or Dellien next, Jarry currently two sets up.
Ymer is making Ruud work, but he’s so nimble about the baseline and breaks for 3-1 in set three; he’s nearly home, likewise Jabeur, who breaks again for 5-0 in set two.
On Mathieu, Zverev and Harris are knocking up. Zverev, remember, jiggered his ankle ligaments during last year’s semi against Nadal and hasn’t quite found himself since – though he did, the other week, become the first player under 30 to record 300 career victories.
Four games in a row for Ons now, who leads 6-4 3-0 with a double break. I guess what we’re seeing is what happens when you reach a certain level: early-round matches are just a vehicle to get the pace of things and the run of self. It’s hard to see her losing to anyone she’s seeded to beat.
Ons Jabeur stretches for a return. Photograph: Benoît Tessier/ReutersOn Tsitsipas, Calvin Betton, our resident coach and man in Paris messages: “Up until a year ago I’d have said yes, no brainer. Now I’ve got serious doubts. His backhand is toilet under any sort of pressure, and he’s a bit of a wimp.”
To that I’d add the players competing with him are just a bit better – better enough for it to make a difference. I can’t lie, the first few times I saw him play Futures I thought he’d be a superstar – him and Medvedev, as it goes – but I’m not sure he can close enough holes to beat Alcaraz or Djokovic in semis and finals.
Though Bronzetti snaffled back a break, Jabeur serves out to take the first set 6-4.
Paul now leads Stricker 6-3 6-2 3-2 with a break, and I’d not be especially surprised to see him do something here – he’s playing better than ever and has a pretty kind draw.
Yes Ymer is having fun, but he’s been broken again so now trails Ruud 6-4 6-3.
As per the below, will Tsitsipas win a major, and if so, which is most likely? If you’re pushing me, I’m saying no.
Next on Mathieu: Zverev v Harris.
The women’s number 25 seed is out, Kalinina beaten 2 and 3 by local-girl Parry, who moves on to play Andreeva next.
To put a fine point on it: in the last 10 years, we’ve had 23 different major champions in the women’s game versus eight in the men’s.
Ruud, of course, also lost in two Slam finals last year, Paris and New York. Real talk, like Berrettini, Zverev and perhaps Tsitsipas, it’s hard to see him ever being quite good enough to win one because it feels like at some point, he’ll play someone with bigger weapons playing well – and, unlike Jabeur, doesn’t have the reassurance of competing in the world’s least predictable sport.
On Lenglen, Ymer is starting to feel at home, snatching back a break to trail Ruud 2-6 2-4, while Jabeur has broken again and is serving at 4-1.
Spectators take precautions against the sun as the watch Elias Ymer fire off a forehand to Casper Ruud. Photograph: Clodagh Kilcoyne/ReutersSo, what of our Ons? Well, she’s just broken for 2-1, but more generally, can she take a further step forward? Last term she lost in both the Wimbledon and US Open finals, and on the one hand, that should stand her in good stead; on the other, does she quite have the game to beat the best on the biggest stages? In Paris, she’s never done better than round four, which is something of a surprise given an arsenal of spins and slices backed up by decent power; I’d expect her to at least better that here, though I can’t see her lifting the trophy at the end, much as I’d love to see it.
Oh, and Diane Parry leads Anhelina Kalinina – I love a rhyming name – the number 25 seed – 6-2 3-2 with a break.
Otherwise, Casper Ruud, seeded four, leads Elias Ymer, a qualifier, 6-4 2-1 with a break; Ons Jabeur and Lucia Bronzetti are 1-1; Tommy Paul, the number 16 seed, leads Dominic Stricker 6-3 3-2 with a break; and JJ Wolf leads Yoshihito Nishioka, the number 27 seed, 6-1 2-2.
We’ve already got a winner: Erika Andreeva has beaten Alison Riske-Amritraj 6-2 6-1; she meets Kalinina or Parry next.
PreambleSalut! And welcome to day three of Roland-Garros 2023! As ever, we’ve got a criminal quantity of tremendous tennis for you as round one draws to a close.
The most obviously exciting match comes late in the day on Mathieu, Victoria Azarenka taking on Bianca Andreescu. But before that, we get to see Ons Jabeur, Iga Swiatek, Daniil Medvedev, Casper Ruud, Elena Rybakina, Alex Zverev, Barbora Krejcikova and Coco Gauff – it’s ridiculous really.
In particular, I’m looking forward to Rybakina, and not just because her opponent, Brenda Fruhvirtova, is just 16 and a potential star. The Wimbledon champion and Australian Open runner-up is a potential winner here, her power, clean-hitting, composure and form the combination most likely to dethrone Swiatek – they’re seeded to meet in the last four.
Otherwise, today’s big seeds have friendly draws, but as we know, once they start hitting balls, anything can happen. On y va!