Key events
Sonego is battling his way back into this, forcing Humbert to deuce as he serves for 4-6 4-1, but big serves and forehands secure the hold; a set apiece looks imminent. On Mathieu, meanwhile, Daniel is playing well in set two, trailing Rublev 2-6 3-3.
It’s so good to see Naomi Osaka thwacking it at a major. She holds in game one against Bronzetti, and if she wins, she’ll face Swiatek next – provided the champ wins too.
I knew I’d seen it before…
Ajla Tomljanović, wearing a natty rig, has taken the first set off Dayana Yastremska, the number 30 seed, 6-3.
Out of nowhere, Humbert breaks Sonego at the first time of asking in set two to trail 4-6 2-0. Again, this match could go on some time, and as I type, the Frenchman rushes through a consolidation for 4-6 3-0. That, I guess, is what happens when you have two well-matched players, neither of whom is quite good enough to sustain their top level.
We’ll soon be away on Chatrier; Lucia Bronzetti and Naomi Osaka are due in two minutes.
Huge first serves do the trick for Sonego, the game secured to 15 and with it the set, 6-4. He beat Humbert in three sets in last year’s round two, and he’s looking good again.
Sonego is out-thinking Humbert at the moment, every hold a mission for the local boy. But he ekes out another – on which point eek not eke is one of my favourite American spellings – so the Italian will now serve for set one at 5-4. Elsewhere, Bouzkova has taken the first off Kudermetova, finishing it off with a second break for 6-2.
Bouzkova leads Kudermetova 4-2, as Tomljanovic does to Yastremska; Rublev, meanwhile, has set point as Daniel serves then nets, and leads 6-2.
Sonego and Rublev both consolidate, so let’s have a think about the latter, who is so likeable and good, but not quite good enough to find a way when he really needs to – and doesn’t he know it. While losing to Francis Tiafoe – a player he’d expect to beat – in the quarters in New York, he broke down, and in the ATP Final whacked himself with his racket so hard he drew blood. He wants it so badly, but unlike other players less good than he, he doesn’t have a weapon so big it sometimes works against the best, nor a game that when it clicks can be unbeatable. I’d love for him to find a way, but I can’t see it.
Humbert nets a backhand and Sonego breaks for 3-2 in the first; Rublev does likewise to Daniel for 4-3.
Humbert is a hard-courter really, but lanky lefties are nasty on any surface and the clay is bouncing pretty high early doors. Sonego, though, is creative and brave – exactly what you don’t want in round one – and i’d not be surprised if this one goes long. So far, they’ve taken 13 minutes over three games, Humber leading 2-1.
We’re on serve in our two main matches, Hunbert leading Sonego – who’s just flipped low around the net for a cheeky winner – 1-0, while Rublev is 2-1 up on Daniel.
Also today, we’ve got Nicolas Jarry – keep an eye on him, he’s a threat – playing Corentin Moutet, a local boy with flair for weeks; second on 12, Jack Draper meets Jesper De Jong, a Dutch qualifier; and Richard Gasquet meets Borna Coric.
To begin with, I’m watching Andrey Rublev (6) v Taro Daniel – that’s a tricky start for the seed, who begins yet another quest to beat a higher-ranked player in a Slam. Otherwise, I’m on Ugo Humbert (17) v Lorenzo Sonego – that too should be fun – and Marie Bouzková v Veronika Kudermetova (29).
Preamble
Zut alors! For the first time in a long time, we arrive at Roland Garros without any sort of clue what’ll happen in the men’s competition – Novak Djokovic is out of form and Rafael Nadal has no form – but a very good of idea of how the women’s will go – Iga Swiatek looks impregnable. Except both Djokovic and Nadal are more than capable of switching it on, while Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka are improving fast enough to aggravate Swiatek. Chauette!
Today, though, we settle into things with various brilliant others – Naomi Osaka, Carlos Alcaraz, Jelena Ostapenko, Andrey Rublev and Barbora Krejcikova are all in action, so let’s get on with it! On y va!