Tuesday will see two title contenders start their campaign at Roland Garros. Andy Murray will be out to prove a point following a lacklustre past few week’s. Meanwhile, Simona Halep will experience her first physical test since she injured her ankle in Rome. Day three at Roland Garros will be filled with many questions, but what will the answers be?
Here are the five matches to follow on Tuesday:-
Andy Murray vs. Andrey Kuznetsov
Much like the women’s world number Angelique Kerber, Murray has struggled thus far in 2017, though he’s also battled injuries and illnesses. After dealing with a bout of shingles as well as an elbow injury earlier this year, Murray has been sick again and on antibiotics in the past week. He’s had to limit his practice time over the past week, and Lindsay Davenport reported Murray has appeared very frustrated on the practice court. The men’s number one has not been passed the round of 16 at a major or Masters 1,000 event this season, and may be prone to an early upset. His opponent comes into Roland Garros with some momentum, having made the semifinals last week in Geneva. If Murray is not back to 100%, this could be a complicated first round match.
Elina Svitolina vs. Yaroslava Shvedova
Svitolina arrives in Paris as one of the favourites to go home with the trophy in 2 weeks. She leads the WTA tour with 4 titles in 2017 (most recently in Rome earlier this month), and is #1 in the year-to-date rankings. Roland Garros is also when Svitolina has had her best run at a major, making the quarterfinals in 2015. Shvedova is just 4-10 on the year and should not pose a threat to Svitolina, so the main focus of this match will be Elina’s performance under the weight of new expectations.
Simona Halep vs. Jana Cepelova
The biggest question here is Halep’s health after tearing an ankle ligament during the final in Rome just over a week ago. Over the past week, there’s been doubt as to whether she would even take the court at Roland Garros. Cepelova has beaten Halep in the first round of a major before, at Wimbledon in 2015. All eyes will be on Halep’s ankle, as a healthy Simona is one of the favorites to win this year’s French Open.
Nick Kyrgios vs. Phillipp Kohlschreiber
Kyrgios is another player who is less than 100%, as he’s been hampered by injuries to his hip and shoulder. Kohlschreiber is a tough first round draw who will not go away easily, and may even be the favorite in this match considering Kyrgios’ health. An early exist could be a blessing for Kyrgios: he’ll want to be fully recovered in time for Wimbledon as his big-serving game translates better on grass.
Gael Monfils vs. Dustin Brown
The last match of the day on Court Suzanne-Lenglen is must-see not because either is a contender to take this title, but due to the eagerness of both men to entertain a crowd. Look out for countless displays of sometimes unnecessary (yet always eye-pleasing) athleticism in the form of jumps, dives, and tweeners. This should be a fun one with a lot of shot making in front of a Paris audience late in the day.
