Australian Jordan Thompson has been handed one in all sport’s cruellest assignments: taking part in Rafael Nadal in his clay-court kingdom at Roland Garros.
Key factors:
- Thompson will tackle 13-time Roland Garros winner Nadal within the opening spherical, which begins this weekend
- Alex de Minaur, who has simply reached the semi-final of the Lyon Open, has been drawn in opposition to Frenchman Hugo Gaston
- Australian primary Ajla Tomljanovic will face Estonian fifth seed Anett Kontaveit
Nadal is searching for to regain the French Open title he has gained 13 instances, with Sydneysider Thompson being the primary hurdle within the Spaniard’s path at Roland Garros, probably on his “home” Court docket Philippe Chatrier.
Thursday’s draw has thrown up for Thompson what could possibly be any participant’s dream — or nightmare — project, however the 28-year-old will certainly savour the prospect of battle in opposition to the best clay-courter in historical past.
They’ve met as soon as earlier than, additionally in Paris, on the indoor arduous court docket at Bercy within the Masters, with Nadal popping out on prime 6-1, 7-6 (7/3).
However Nadal has suffered an premature recurrence of his foot harm within the build-up to this yr’s Open, that means this could possibly be the most effective time for any contenders to catch the 35-year-old at a venue the place he is misplaced simply thrice in 108 matches, most not too long ago in final yr’s epic semi-final with champion Novak Djokovic.
Certainly, Thompson can take some encouragement from having reached the third spherical at Roland Garros three years in the past — the most effective efficiency by any Australian man in latest instances.
Countryman Alexei Popyrin is aware of what it’s wish to face Nadal in a Roland Garros opener, having misplaced to the Spaniard in straight units final yr.
This time, Popyrin has received a much less high-profile however nonetheless probably volcanic affair ready within the unpredictable form of Italian Fabio Fognini.
In the meantime, Australian primary Alex de Minaur’s preparation for Roland Garros continues apace, reaching the semi-final of the Lyon Open on Friday after his opponent retired injured.
It’s the Australia’s second clay-court semi-final within the area of a month, following his good last-four contest in Barcelona with eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz, the place the Sydneysider was crushed after holding match level in opposition to the Spanish wunderkind.
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De Minaur has landed French opponent Hugo Gaston, the world quantity 68, in his first spherical.
If he makes it previous the damaging left-hander, the quantity 19 seed will then tackle a qualifier within the subsequent spherical earlier than a possible third-round conflict, most definitely with Canada’s Denis Shapovalov, or the brand new Danish Rune Holger.
Thanasi Kokkinakis may benefit from the doubtful pleasure of a second-round assembly with Alcaraz if he can defeat Spanish grinder Albert Ramos-Vinolas first up.
John Millman has been given an enormous process to tame rising American twenty seventh seed Sebastian Korda in his opener, whereas the ever-resilient James Duckworth, who’s simply embarking on one more comeback after the ninth bout of surgical procedure in his profession, has a winnable tie in opposition to Swede Mikael Ymer.
Jason Kubler meets a fellow qualifier.
Prime Australian girls’s hope Ajla Tomljanovic, who suffered a thigh harm on the Morocco Open on Thursday, would absolutely have most well-liked a a lot kinder begin than having to face Estonian fifth seed Anett Kontaveit when the event kicks off on Sunday.
Lastly, wildcard Daria Saville has landed a qualifier, whereas Astra Sharma, who was additionally knocked out in Morocco on Thursday, faces Russian Varvara Gracheva.
AAP/ABC
