By “I was pretty consistent with my serves and ball placement, and I was able to construct those points patiently, then wait for the shorter balls to come up. I really felt like my opponent [de Minaur] felt the heaviness and depth of my ball.
“It gave me courage [and] great belief in myself that I can continue pushing, in that sense, and I knew that I had something good working for me today.”
Tsitsipas, the losing 2021 finalist, will fancy himself at Roland Garros with Rafael Nadal’s campaign under a cloud.Credit: AP
De Minaur, the world No.11, has not advanced beyond the second round in seven trips to Roland-Garros – including four first-round exits – but has never been ranked so highly at Paris, which should help his cause in gaining a friendlier draw.
The problem is the unseeded claycourt specialists lurking everywhere in the draw.
He enjoyed a solid claycourt season overall, highlighted by reaching the Monte-Carlo Masters quarter-finals, where he tested Novak Djokovic in a 7-5, 6-4 result.
De Minaur also upset retirement-bound Rafael Nadal en route to the last 16 at Barcelona – becoming the first Australian to beat the Spanish legend on clay – before his fourth-round showing in Rome which included a gutsy three-set victory over Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Rafael Nadal is no certainty to chase a record-extending 15th title at Roland Garros.Credit: Getty
A second-round loss to Nadal in Madrid was wedged between those tournaments.
“[My results on clay] aren’t great, so plenty of room for improvement,” de Minaur said after his three-hour victory over Auger-Aliassime.
“Every time I’m out here I’m enjoying it, with a proper mindset, and I think I can play well, especially when you have nice, hot conditions.
“I’m taking it a match at a time. I’m happy with a quality win on the clay today, and we move on.”
Roland-Garros has not been a happy hunting ground for Australia’s male players.
Former world No.1 Ash Barty won the 2019 women’s title and fellow retired star Sam Stosur made the 2010 final and three other semi-finals, but Nick Kyrgios’ two round-of-32 efforts in 2015 and 2016 are as good as it has got on the men’s side in recent years.
Kyrgios even stopped contesting the grand slam and is still working his way back from a chronic wrist injury, extending his absence from Paris to seven years.
Jordan Thompson seems likely to just miss out on a French Open seeding, but is one of at least eight Australian men who earned direct entry into the main draw, alongside de Minaur, Alexei Popyrin, Chris O’Connell, Aleks Vukic, Rinky Hijikata, Max Purcell and Thanasi Kokkinakis.
James Duckworth could make it in as well if there are five more withdrawals ahead of qualifying starting on Monday.
Ajla Tomljanovic has received a wildcard for this month’s French Open.Credit: Getty
Fast-rising college graduate Adam Walton, who is at a career-high ranking of No.111 after finishing last year at 178, scored a main draw wildcard as part of the reciprocal arrangement between Tennis Australia and the French Tennis Federation.
Ajla Tomljanovic, who reached the last 16 in Paris a decade ago, has missed most of the season since undergoing uterine surgery in February but received TA’s wildcard for Roland-Garros.
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She made a winning return to the tour at this week’s WTA 125 tournament in Parma, Italy, battling past Nuria Brancaccio in three sets.
Daria Saville is the sole Australian woman guaranteed to be in the main draw on her ranking, although Arina Rodionova is only a handful of spots away but will otherwise be in qualifying.
Astra Sharma, Taylah Preston, Olivia Gadecki, Kim Birrell, Talia Gibson, Priscilla Hon, Destanee Aiava and Jaimee Fourlis are the other Australians expected to try to qualify.
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