(Paris) Canadians Félix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov have been placed in the same section of the table as world number one Carlos Alcaraz and Serbian Novak Djokovic ahead of the French Open tennis tournament, which begins Sunday in Paris.
Auger-Aliassime, 10e world player, and Alcaraz could cross swords in the quarter-finals. The winner of this match could then take on third-seeded Djokovic in the semi-finals.
Auger-Aliassime will play his first match of the tournament against Fabio Fognini, a 35-year-old Italian ranked 130e in the world. The two players have played one game against each other in their career, and the Quebecer won in two sets of 6-2, 6-3, on clay, in 2019 in Rio de Janeiro.
As for Shapovalov, 26e seeded, he will start the tournament against the American Brandon Nakashima. If he wins his first two games, he could also find Alcaraz, and this from the third round.
Russian Daniil Medvedev is the second seed and in the semi-finals he may have to face Denmark’s Holger Rune, whom he beat in the final of the Italian Tennis Open last Sunday.
PHOTO ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE ARCHIVES
The tournament will take place in the absence of the Spaniard Rafael Nadal, still bothered by a hip injury. Nadal has 14 career triumphs on clay at Roland-Garros and has taken part in all editions of the tournament since his very first appearance in 2005.
Among the women, the Quebecer Leylah Fernandez is in the lower section of the table, the one where the Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, second player in the world, was placed. If they have to face each other, this duel will occur in the semi-finals.
Fernando, 51e in the world, will play her first match against Poland’s Magda Linette, 21e first in the series.
For her part, Bianca Andreescu will have a difficult first outing against Belarusian Victoria Azarenka, 18e first in the series. If Andreescu manages to win her first three matches, she may very well have to battle Poland’s Iga Swiatek, world number one, in the round of 16.
Finally, Rebecca Marino will play her first match of the tournament against Russian Diana Shnaider.
Meanwhile, Spain’s Paula Badosa withdrew from the tournament on Thursday due to a spinal stress fracture suffered during the Italian Open.
