Lorenzo Musetti shone brightly at Roland Garros, overwhelming home-favorite Gael Monfils in three sets (7-5, 6-1, 6-4). The Italian player displayed a solid performance, facing minor struggle only in the first set before securing an authoritative win. Musetti, advancing to the third round, is set to face the formidable Novak Djokovic next.
The fifth day of the tournament, however, continued to grapple with bad weather, adding unpredictability to the matches. Amidst these challenges, Matteo Arnaldi and Elisabetta Cocciaretto progressed, while Luciano Darderi, Fabio Fognini, and Lorenzo Sonego faced early exits. Fognini could only claim three games against American Tommy Paul, suffering a tough defeat (6-1, 6-0, 6-2). Sonego's effort was equally arduous, eventually falling to China's Zhizhen Zhang (7-5, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4) despite launching a strong comeback attempt that was interrupted by rain.
Key players like Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, and Daniil Medvedev smoothly advanced to the third round without any hiccups. Djokovic triumphed over Spanish player Roberto Carballes in straight sets (6-4, 6-1, 6-2), allowing minimal resistance. Zverev had an easy outing against Belgian David Goffin (7-6, 7/4, 6-2, 6-2), showing no signs of distraction despite an ongoing legal appeal against a hefty fine. Medvedev, too, displayed dominance over Miomir Kecmanovic (6-1, 5-0) before the Serbian retired due to injury.
Italian Arnaldi's rain-interrupted match concluded favorably as he advanced after defeating Frenchman Alexandre Muller in three sets (6-4, 6-1, 6-3). Up next for him is a tough task against Andrey Rublev, number 6 in the rankings and a favorite after his recent win at the Madrid Masters 1000. Arnaldi commented on the challenging nature of his journey, noting it as the most troubled match of his career.
Joining them, Cocciaretto decisively moved forward in the women’s draw by defeating Spanish player Cristina Bucsa in two sets (6-1, 6-4). Cocciaretto will now face Russian Liudmila Samsonova, the 17th seed, aiming to secure a spot in the round of 16 for the first time in her career.
- Gael Monfils, despite his physical vulnerabilities and frequent injuries, continues to captivate the Roland Garros audience. After overcoming Brazilian Thiago Seyboth-Wild in the first round, Monfils faced a daunting task against Musetti in an attempt to progress further in the tournament. The match held significant anticipation for a potential legendary duel against Novak Djokovic in the subsequent round.
- Amazon Prime acquired the broadcasting rights for Roland Garros night sessions, offering free streaming for viewers. Tennis fans were provided an opportunity to watch the Monfils-Musetti match live as part of Amazon Prime’s 30-day free trial. This platform not only covers tennis but also holds extensive catalog rights for popular series and films, bolstering its entertainment offering.
