The Roland-Garros main draw begins this Monday. In a particular health context, with a new roof on the central, the 129th edition of the Parisian Grand Slam is that of all unknowns.
The conditions: the players in their bubble
The players have made a point since the resumption of the tennis season: to hit the yellow ball, they have to sacrifice their freedom to move and accept that they can no longer sleep where they want. In Paris, they are all housed in two different hotels, just a few meters from the stadium, which they can only accept for their match.
“It’s more tiring emotionally, but it’s not a new thing, they experienced it at the US Open, analyzes Sarah Pitkowski, member of the Dream Team RMC. The first quality of a tennis player is to to adapt. The fact that they were able to apprehend him in other tournaments makes that it will be less difficult to live with Roland. “
The stadium: 1000 spectators for a new roof
This is the novelty of the year: the Phillipe-Chatrier court, central to Roland-Garros, will be equipped with a retractable roof this year, after eight months of work. According to Sarah Pitkowski, this should have an impact on the course of the tournament. “We will have very good matches which will end the same day and it is important for the recovery of the players. There will be the same balance for all the players”, explains the consultant.
The inevitable night clashes will take place in front of sparsely stocked stands. Only 1,000 people will be accommodated in the enclosure, after the new restrictions announced by the Minister of Health Olivier Véran. “We must already be satisfied that Roland-Garros begins and be very careful so that it goes to the end and that there are no clusters”, is satisfied Sarah Pitkowski.
The favorite: Nadal, obviously, Djokovic, maybe
He has only played three games since March and, yet, Rafael Nadal remains the headliner of this Roland Garros, which he will try to win for the thirteenth time this year. “He remains the number one favorite of the tournament, assures Sarah Pitkowski. It is undeniable, even if he has no references on clay in recent weeks and he disappointed in Rome with a surprise loss to Diego. Schwartzman (in the quarterfinals). ”
“It is not his defeat that will stop him, adds Florent Serra, also a member of the Dream Team RMC. Last year, he had played less well in Rome and then in Madrid and that did not prevent him to win. His introduction will be important. ” Roger Federer absent, Novak Djokovic, winner in Rome, will be his main opponent for the final victory. Apart from his disqualification at the US Open against Pablo Carreno Busta, the Serbian has still not experienced defeat this year.
Outsiders: Thiem on its way
To shake up the triumvirate that has crushed world tennis for ten years, it will be necessary to count on the next gen. At its head, Dominic Thiem (world n ° 3). The Austrian, winner of his first Grand Slam at the US Open on September 13, is eyeing the Coupe des Mousquetaires, after two finals lost at Porte d’Auteuil.
“He has an appetite for clay, he smells, he breathes it, he has the natural play on this surface. He’s the one who I think will replace Nadal on clay in the years to come. I don’t know. if he will win twelve Roland-Garros but it is the one to be wary of, ”confirms Sarah Pitkowski. Further back, the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas and the German Alexander Zverev (n ° 7 and finalist in New York) also harbor legitimate ambitions.
The French: a gloomy horizon
He would already be happy to see a Blue in the third week, as none of the 18 French and 11 French women entered arrived with benchmarks. Gaël Monfils, world No. 9, comes out of two defeats in the first round in Rome and Hamburg. “It can be monstrous as surprising us in the wrong sense of the word … It does not seem to me to have the rhythm, but it has a picture which can make it rise in power”, relativizes Serra, who prefers to bet on Ugo Humbert.
Another potential hope, Benoît Paire (n ° 25) saw his preparation truncated by several positive tests for the coronavirus, but will still be present. In terms of women, no Frenchwoman is seeded.
The Women’s Tournament: Halep to thwart Williams?
Victorious in Rome this week, Romania’s Simona Halep (No.2) will be the favorite in the women’s tournament, which will be without US Open winner Naomi Osaka and world No.1 Ashleigh Barty forfeits. “She moves very well on gravel, she will be hard to beat. Her style of play makes her the favorite, even in difficult conditions,” said Serra.
The Spanish Garbine Muguruza (n ° 15) and the Belarusian Victoria Azarenka (n ° 14) seem to be the most able to stop it. For her part, the American Serena Williams (n ° 9) will once again be looking for a 24th Grand Slam title, which would allow her to equal the record held by Margaret Court.
