At Roland Garros, the qualifying draw is out: 28 French players take part, with Thiem and Schwartzman topping the bill
Starting tomorrow, the French Open opens its doors to three weeks of fierce competition. While most of the players won't be starting their tournament until Sunday, some of them will be embarking on their adventure today. The qualifying rounds kick off on Monday, and a number of players will be keeping an eye on the action.
Among the many entrants, there are once again a number of French players. In all, 28 French players will be trying their luck in the final draw. Among them, only three players are seeded: Benoit Paire, Grégoire Barrere and Titouan Droguet. We'll also be keeping an eye on Lucas Pouille, last year's hero, and Quentin Halys, who could meet Diego Schwartzman in the second round.
In addition to all these players, some with impressive pedigrees will be present on the starting line. While Christian Garin will be seeded number 1 in the draw, Diego Schwartzman and Dominic Thiem will also be present. Both men, well known to the Parisian public, will be playing in their last French Grand Slam this year. Both have recently announced their retirement (Thiem at the end of the season, Schwartzman in February 2025).
Schwartzman, a semi-finalist in Paris in 2020, did not inherit an obvious draw. Opposed to Neumayer in the first round, he could face Halys next and, above all, Garin in the final round. Reaching the final table will therefore be a first challenge for 'El Peque'.
For his part, Dominic Thiem, twice a finalist at Porte d'Auteuil (2018, 2019), is likely to benefit from a more favourable draw. Seeded number 11 in the draw, 'Domi' won't find any of the world's top 140 players in his path. After a first round tie with Agamenone (234th) on Tuesday, he could meet Virtanen (158th) before potentially facing Zeppieri (144th) in the final round. Could this be Thiem's last big draw at Roland Garros?
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