Photo: TW@rolandgarros.
The Argentinian Diego Schwartzman overcame a bad start and earned a ticket to the second round by Roland Garros, after reversing his match against the Spanish Bernabé Zapata Miralleswhom he finally beat 1-6, 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-0 and 6-4 in three hours and 37 minutes.
The “Little” issued a cry of relief to heaven when he secured his sixth victory in 20 presentations for the current season, in which he experienced a sharp decline in the ATP ranking.
“I come from many weeks of frustrations, it is a bad moment for me, but this triumph is very tasty due to the constant individual struggle to maintain attitude and concentration”, shared the Argentine, number 95 in the world ranking.
Schwartzman showed reaction for the comeback from the third set and temperance not to collapse in the fifth and final segment when the Spaniard quickly recovered the service break.
The game definitely tipped in their favor in the ninth game when they went 5-4 with serve to win and take the first step towards the goal of -at least- equaling last year’s round of 16.
“It was very good to have felt prepared to play five sets, that speaks of the great preparation we did with my team,” he valued in a dialogue with the ESPN channel after his victory against the 32nd seed.
The Spaniard had beaten “Little” this year in the round of 16 of the ATP in Buenos Aires in the first confrontation they had on the professional circuit.
Months ago he had lost in Buenos Aires against the same rival 6-1 and 6-3.
In his #RolandGarros debut, he started two sets down and ended like that 👇🏻
✅Schwartzman to Zapata Miralles🇪🇸 1-6, 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-0 and 6-4.
He fought more than 3 and a half hours.
Never give up on the little one 🫡 pic.twitter.com/HvSBV0KaJx
– Argentine Tennis Association (@AATenis) May 29, 2023
Schwartzman will face the Portuguese Nuno Borges (80th), executioner of the American John Isner in another exhausting match of almost four hours in the second round: 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (3), 4-6 and 7- 6(9).
With much less effort, Tomás MartĂn Etcheverry from La Plata sealed his pass to the next phase after the retirement of his rival Jack Draper.
The Argentine, who thus achieved his second victory in Grand Slam tournaments, the first in Paris, was winning 6-4 and 1-0 when the British said enough was enough due to pain in his shoulder and left hand.
Etcheverry (49th) will play his next match against the Australian Alex De Minaur (19th), who got his third victory in the major in Paris, playing for the seventh time.
While Thiago Tirante, absolute debutant in Grand Slam tournaments, advanced to the second round with a creditable victory over the Dutchman Botic Van De Zandschulp, twenty-fifth favorite on the clay of Paris.
The 22-year-old native of La Plata, coming from the previous classification, prevailed 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 and 6-4 after 3 hours, 5 minutes on court number 9.
The European “giant”, 1.91 meters tall, had a black day with his service: 12 double faults and 13 break opportunities for the Argentine, who took 7 of them.
Tirant will meet in the second round with the winner of the cross between the Chinese Zhizhen Zhang and the Serbian Dusan Lajovic.
In the day of this Monday the Argentineans will also present themselves Pedro CachĂn against the Austrian Dominic Thiem -finalist 2018 and 2019- and Federico Coria against the Croatian Borna Coric (15).
During the opening day on Sunday, Nadia Podoroska -the only Argentine in the women’s draw- passed the phase with victory over the French Jessika Ponchet and the young rookie Facundo DĂaz Acosta was eliminated against the Australian Jason Kubler after five sets.
The “World Cup on brick dust” will be played in Paris until June 11 and will distribute a record number of prizes of 43,900,000 euros between its male and female teams.
In the ladies’ draw, the current champion stands out, the Polish Iga Swiatek, number one in the world and a great favorite with the opposition of the Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, second in the WTA world ranking and winner of the Australian Open in February, although without a good record at Roland Garros.
Djokovic beat Kovacevic in his debut at Roland Garros
The Serbian Novak Djokovic, number 3 in the world, beat the American Aleksandar Kovacevic (114th) on Monday 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (1) in his debut at Roland Garros, where he aspires to get away from the Spanish Rafael Nadal on the record for Grand Slam titles.
19-0 âś…@DjokerNole remains perfect in the opening round at #RolandGarros sweeping past Kovacevic 6-3, 6-2, 7-6(1). pic.twitter.com/kfMS3dxv0F
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 29, 2023
On the brick dust of the main court Philippe Chatrier, the two-time champion of the 2016 and 2021 editions took the first step with the hope of reaching the 23rd. crown in majors tournaments, a goal in which he will have the Murcian Carlos Alcaraz (1st) and the Russian Daniil Medvedev (2nd) as main adversaries.
The Serbian maintains his streak of not losing in the first duel of a big since the premiere in Australia 2006.
In the next instance, “Nole” will face the Hungarian Marton Fucsovics (80th), whom he defeated in the four antecedents on the ATP circuit, three of them on hard courts and the rest on the Wimbledon grass.
