Australian Open: it's okay for Mannarino, Garcia already eliminated… a mixed day for the French

Caroline Garcia décevante face à Magdalena Frech EPA – MAST IRHAM

L'hécatombe des joueurs de tennis français dans les tournois de Grand Chelem frappe à nouveau. Sur sept matchs joués par des Français cette nuit, seulement trois en sont sortis vainqueurs.

Enough to keep hope. Last night, Lucas Van Assche created a French sensation by defeating Lorenzo Musetti, seeded n°25, in five sets after a match lasting almost 4 hours. By winning the first set, the 19-year-old Frenchman was well into the match before finding himself trailing two sets to one. With composure and astonishing realism, the latter will string together eleven games in a row to win. In the next round he will face the winner of the Thompson/Tsisipas match.

As for the other French people who played last night, the results are a little disappointing. Hugo Gaston was swept away by Taylor Fritz in three sets (6-0/6-3/6 -1). Adrian Mannarino won in a long fight in five sets against the 82nd in the world: the Spaniard Jaume Munar and will face Ben Shelton in the round of 16.

Gaël Monfils and Quentin Halys lost in three sets respectively against Tomas Martin Etcheverry, seeded n°30 and Sebastian Korda, seeded n°29.

Next night, our four other Frenchmen will have a lot to do, Hugo Humbert faces the Chinese Zhang, Arthur Fils faces Griekspoor while Hugo Grenier faces the Canadian Auger-Aliassime, who beat Dominic Thiem. The most difficult task falls to Arthur Cazaux who will meet Holger Rune, the Danish seeded n°8 and finalist of the tournament in Brisbane last week.

Concerning the women, Dianne Parry qualified for the third round in two sets against the Russian Rakhimova and will face the sparkling Mirra Andreeva, 16 years old world number 6 Jabeur ons scorer. At the same time, a disappointing Caroline Garcia also lost in two sets against the Polish Magdalena Frech.

Our last three French women will play on the night of January 17 to 18. Océane Dodin will meet Marta Trevisan, a meeting within reach of the Frenchwoman. Varvara Gracheva will play Yastremska while Clara Burel will cross paths with Jessica Pegula finalist of the master at the end of the 2023 season. 

Of the 24 French people entered in the main draw of the Australian Open, only ten remain, of which only three qualified for the third round. The French will therefore have a lot to do to hope to slip further into the competition.