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Paris – The bottom half of the women’s draw and the top half of the men’s will be in action on Day 5 in Paris, which means that the third round will be set after Thursday.
See the full Day 5 OOP Here
Here’s what we’ll be watching…
Americans in Paris
14 American women have made the second round in Paris, the most since 1987, and many will be in action on Day 5, including No.2-seeded Coco Gauff No.3-seeded Jessica Pegula and No.7-seeded Madison Keys. It’s an embarrassment of riches for the Americans right now, with so much quantity and quality inside the Top-100.
On Lenglen, Gauff will face Czech qualifier Teresa Valentova, ranked 172, while Pegula, on Chatrier, gets American Ann Li. Keys, riding an eight-match winning streak at the majors, faces Katie Boulter, also on Chatrier.
And don’t sleep on DC natives Hailey Baptiste and Robin Montgomery. Baptiste looked magnificent in her first-round victory over Beatriz Haddad Maia on Day 3, and Montgomery eased past Diane Parry. Throw in Sofia Kenin, who faces Victoria Azarenka in a battle of former Slam champions, and Alycia Parks, who upset former finalist Karolina Muchova on Day 3, and you have a real party.
Au Revoir Richard?
Thursday could mark the end of the line for French legend Richard Gasquet, who faces top-seeded Jannik Sinner in second round action.
The pair will play the second match on Chatrier.
Gasquet, making his record 22nd Roland-Garros appearance, will get insane fan support from the French faithful, who will be there to honor one of the greatest players in France’s Open Era history, lost to Sinner in straight sets in Paris in 2023.
Sinner carries a 15-match winning streak at the majors into the match.
The 38-year-old, whose 610 wins lead all Frenchman in the Open Era, has announced plans to retire at the end of the season.
The Fonseca Experience
Joao Fonseca was magnificent in taking out Hubert Hurkacz in straight sets on his Grand Slam debut on Day 3. On Thursday he will be favored as he faces Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert in the second round.
Making just his second Grand Slam main draw appearance, Fonseca is drawing rave reviews from the cognoscenti, and he’s getting mad attention from Brazilian fans, who flock to see him wherever he plays and create a universe unto its own in the stands.
Expect to see lots of crazy energy, with French fans in full through to support Herbert, the 147-ranked wild card, trying to match the intensity and passion of the Brazilian fans.