Renzo Olivo’s odyssey up to Roland Garros: why a match in the main draw in Paris saves his season

The first day of qualifying From Roland Garrosthe Grand Slam on brick dust which will start on Sunday, left a full of Argentine victories (7 of 7) and a particular story, which featured Renzo Olive. Rosario’s man made a strategic move over the weekend: he came out of a challenger and bet on his chances of entering the field in the previous phase of the French “big”, which weren’t the best. And he had his prize. Because he came on at the last minute and started off with a win.

When the list of players for qualifying for Paris came out, Olivo, 259th in the standings, had been the 15th substitute, as the journalist told Marco Zugasti in a thread of Chirping. It took many to decide to cancel the second Grand Slam of the year to take over. As the days went by the withdrawals continued and he went up in his paycheck. Enthusiastic, a few days ago he arrived in the French capital hoping to enter.

The 31-year-old man from Santa Fe was also listed in the Skopje challenger, which began this Monday, and two days ago he had to make a decision: either he went to North Macedonia for that race, which belongs to the second level of the circuit, or he stayed in Paris, waiting for a “miracle”. It’s just that I had until 6pm on Saturday to choose one of those possibilities and at 5pm there were still four victims left to enter quality. However, he took a risk.

As the clock struck 17:30, news arrived that the Italian Matthew Berrettini and Croatian Marin Cilic they would not play Bois de Boulogne. The entry list was moved and Olivo was two steps away from entering the standings.

the scotsman Andy Murray He had announced his retirement on Sunday and the man from Rosario has taken another step forward. But the contest organizers drew the draw from the previous stage and Olivo was left out. He did not despair, because the French Eve Furness He was wounded and had warned that he was about to descend.

And when it seemed that Renzo’s chances were fading, this Monday, just before 10 in Paris, the Frenchman finally signed his resignation and Olivo entered, arriving very early at the facility as a precaution.

He jumped to court 8 in the second round and in two hours and 18 minutes beat the Ecuadorian Emilio Gomez, 117th in the world, 6-7 (4-7), 6-3 and 6-3, and advanced to the second round. Now he will look for a place in the main draw of the competition first Andrea Collarini192nd, who defeated the Belgian 6-2 and 6-4 joris de loore189th.

The decision of Olivo, who withdrew from a tournament in which he had secured a place for an almost remote chance of qualifying for Paris, may seem strange, but it has a simple explanation.

The man from Rosario is one of those tennis “workers”, placed outside the top 200, with little or no sponsors, who live week to week, play to keep playing and build their calendars by thinking strategically. And on Saturday that reality certainly weighed on his choice to stay in Paris, regardless of what it might mean for him to compete on the fields of Roland Garros.

Why? Because the Skopje Challenger gives the champion 9,880 euros (just under 10,700 dollars) and the finalist 5,820 (6,300). In the meantime, a defeat on the debut pays just 720 euros. And the prizes quality of the French Grand Slam are much more generous.

Had he lost this Monday in the first round, Olivo would have taken $17,364. Since he beat Gomez, he’s secured 23,875. With a win against Collarini, he will collect 36,898. AND playing a main draw game, 74,881.

It is true that the previous phase of the “big” does not deliver points, so the Rosary could only add if it reaches the main draw (10 units in the initial round). While in the Macedonian competition he could have collected up to 75, which is what the winner of the title gets.

But sometimes it makes more sense for lower-level players to sacrifice a small promotion and pocket a better prize that will allow you to financially “save” a tour and perhaps even the season.

a perfect day

Perfect day for blue-and-white tennis at the Bois de Boulogne: the seven Argentines who took the field entered the second round of the quality Roland Garros.

Juan Manuel Cerundolo104th in the world, he defeated the American Zachary Svadja, 222nd, 7-6 (7-4) and 6-3. Facundo Bagnis124th, he beat the Italian (born in Villa Gesell) Luciano Darderi, 179th, 6-3 and 6-4. Camillus Hugh carabelli150th, beat Japan’s Kaichi Uchida, 154th, 6-3, 1-6 and 6-3. Tiago Tirant, 153rd, won 6-3, 6-2 against Australian Rinky Hijikata, 136th. AND Santiago Rodriguez Tavern243rd, beat Portuguese Joao Sousa, 258th, 6-2, 3-6 and 7-6 (10-8).

Those five victories added to those of Olivo and Collarini to complete the perfect record of the national rackets.

This Tuesday, eight more Albiceleste representatives will make their debut. Facundo Diaz Acosta (137th) will face the Italian Franco Agamenone (166th and native of Río Cuarto, Córdoba); Nicholas Kicker (197th), to the British Jan Choinski (177th); Mariano Navone (219th) will collide with the Slovak Lukas Klein (133rd); John Paul Ficovich (223rd), with the Dutch Gijs Brouwer (138th); Genaro Oliveri (227th), with the Swiss Henri Laaksonen (213th); AND Federico Delbonis (236th), with the Colombian Nicolás Mejía (234th).

Furthermore, for female staff, Lourdes Charles (149th) will precede the American Caroline Dolehide (99th) e Paola Ormechea (184th) will play with the French Elsa Jacquemot (175th).

There are already eight Argentines in the main draw of the competition. In the gentlemen they are Francis Cerundolo (28th in the world), Sebastian Baez (44th), Thomas Etcheverry (46th), Pedro Cachin (63rd), diego schwartzmann (93°), Frederick Coria (94°) e Guido Pelle (421st, entered with protected classification). And in the ladies Nadia Podoroska101st of the WTA.