Roland Garros, day 2: Schwartzman opens a day full of Argentines with highlights from Djokovic and Alcaraz

The second day of Roland Garros begins, the second Grand Slam on the tennis calendar which for the first time in the last 18 years will not have its protagonist, Rafael Nadal. But this year, the Paris Open has eleven Argentine tennis players looking to write their story in brick dust. This Monday, from 6 in the morning, diego schwartzmann He faces the Spanish Zapata Miralles, number 32 in the world. From 7, Thomas Etcheverry will play with Briton Jack Draper. And shortly after (the initial calendar points to 9:15), Frederick Coria faces Croatian Borba Coric. At the same time, Pedro Cachin has a more than complicated debut against Dominic Thiem e Thiago Tirante in front of Botic van de Zandschulp. Unfortunately for his compatriots, Carlos Alcaraz Suzanne Lenglen will debut on the field at the same time against the Italian Flavio Cobolli. The other strong dish of the day? From 8, Novak Djokovic against the American Kovacevic.

Nadal’s defeat leaves the way free for Serbian Novak Djokovic, champion in the 2016 and 2021 editions, to cut himself off only in that particular duel they hold for the record for Grand Slam titles, for now with 22 each, even if the Balkan he will have to deal with strong rivals such as Carlos Alcaraz of Murcia and the Russian Daniil Medvedev, among others.

As for the Argentine delegation, there are 11 in total (one has already been eliminated), eight entered directly from their ranking, two from the ranking and the rest as “lucky losers” due to a drop in the main draw.

Directly entered national rackets are Francisco Cerúndolo; Sebastián Báez, Tomás Martín Etcheverry; Pedro Cachin; Diego Schwartzmann; Federico Coria and Guido Pella, the latter with protected classification.

Among women, the only representative of Argentina is Rosario Nadia Podoroska who made her debut on Sunday with a sensational 6-0, 6-2 against the French Jessika Ponchet.

In addition, there will be three Grand Slam debuts: Thiago Tirante, Genaro Olivieri and Facundo Díaz Acosta, the first two after overcoming the “qualy” and the last as a “lucky loser”, despite having already been eliminated yesterday against Jason Kubler .

As for the rivals, the draw for the main draw has raised various difficulties and there will be no clashes between Argentines in the opening round.

The “little” Schwartzman (93), in a season of poor results, will have a debut specialist in the Spaniard Bernabé Zapata Miralles (37) and if he surpasses him he will go with the American server John Isner (89) or the Portuguese Nuno Borges (76).

Schwartzman, semifinalist in 2020 and fourth in 2021, both defeated by Nadal, will defend his access to the round of 16 last year in Paris (lost against Djokovic) and if he falls before that round he will leave the “top” 100″ which would sharpen its bad season.

The Cordovan from Bell Ville Cachín (63) will start with the Austrian Dominic Thiem (91), finalist at Roland Garros for two years in a row, in 2018 and 2019, although far from his best version, and if he surpasses him he will go to the second round against him the Croatian Borna Coric (16) or Rosario “Fefo” Coria (94).

Etcheverry (46) of La Plata, in the best year of his career after being a finalist at the ATP 250 events in Santiago de Chile and Houston, USA, will make his debut against Briton Jack Draper (60) and if he passes he will go against the Australian Alex De Minaur (19) or Belarusian Ilya Ivashka (86).

The Tirant from La Plata (153) will make his debut against the Dutch Botic Van De Zandschulp (30) and if he surpasses him he will then go against the Serbian Dusan Lajovic (51) or the Chinese Zhizhen Zhang (70).

Tuesday’s matches

“Fran” Cerúndolo (28) will play tomorrow in the opening round with the Spaniard Jaume Munar (77) and it will be up to the Brazilian Thiago Monteiro (96) or the Frenchman Benjamín Bonzi (65) to overtake him.

Báez (44) will play against the experienced Frenchman Gael Monfils (386), 36, and if he goes through it will be the American Christopher Eubanks (75) or the “top ten” Danish Holger Rune (6), one of the best tennis players in the ‘year.

For his part, the left-handed from Bahia Pella (421) will face the French Quentin Halys (87) and if he passes it will be the Russian Daniil Medvedev (2) or the Brazilian Thiago Seyboth Wild (172), who emerged from the classification.

Olivieri (227) from Braga will face the French Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard (233) in the initial round and in case of victory it will be the Italian Andrea Vavassori (140) or the Serbian Miomir Kecamanovic (36).