The first round of a Grand Slam is always very exciting and this year’s French Open is no exception. There are some great matches to look forward to which might have been a quarterfinal or semifinal a few years ago. Some veterans might be playing their last Roland Garros and they are drawn against young and rising talents. It’s all very exciting, let’s look at the best matches from the first round.
Andy Murray vs Stan Wawrinka
Head-to-Head: Murray 13-9 Wawrinka
It’s been almost 19 years since these two first played against each other. Their combined age is 76 which is insane to think about. This is a battle of the giants of the past. Both have fallen far from their best level but this match still holds a lot of significance. This matchup started the decline of both players when they played that gruelling semifinal of the French Open in 2017 which lasted for over four and half hours.
This is going to be just the second appearance of Murray at the French Open since 2017 and most probably his last. The same can be said for Wawrinka, who has been struggling with form and can hang up his racquet at any given moment, These two have played some great matches against each other and will try to give their best probably for one last time. Murray leads the head-to-head 13-9 but Wawrinka leads 6-1 on clay. Expect to see some great backhands and lobs.
Casper Ruud vs Jakub Mensik
Head-to-Head: First meeting
Casper Ruud is leading the tour with the most match wins this year. He is the finalist in the last two editions and will hope for a great showing again. However, he gets an interesting first-round matchup against Jakub Mensik, who is just 18 years old and has produced some great results this year. He has already beaten top 10 players in his short career. Mensik got injured in Madrid but if he can bring his best level then Ruud will have a match on his hands.
Gael Monfils vs Thiago Seyboth Wild
Head-to-Head: Monfils 1-0 Wild
Gael Monfils has been a legend of French tennis and is towards the twilight of his career. He played some vintage matches at the beginning of the year and was looking solid. Monfils had to withdraw from Lyon because of a fever but looks good to play in his home Slam. He finds himself drawn against a talented Brazilian who has won a lot of matches this year. Thiago Seyboth Wild is a very exciting player to watch and plays very aggressively. He upset Daniil Medvedev in the first round last year. His attack against Monfils’ defense will be an exciting prospect.
Rafael Nadal vs Alexander Zverev
Head-to-Head: Nadal 7-3 Zverev
An absolute nightmare matchup for both but a great match for neutrals. A “must-watch” is an understatement for this match. The most successful player in the history of the French Open against the in-form and one of the favorites to lift the trophy. It doesn’t get any bigger than this in the first round. The last time these two played was in the same venue in the 2022 semifinal. It was epic and had the potential to be one of the longest, most intense matches ever, before the injury of Zverev, of course. Zverev, during the tournament in Rome, said: “It is very difficult. It’s probably the biggest challenge in tennis. And it’s the biggest challenge that you can have in our sport to play Nadal on that court [Philippe-Chatrier]. I would love to do it one more time.”
Alexander Zverev is sure to be full of confidence after winning in Rome. He also has a history of dealing with Nadal’s forehand particularly well due to his great, consistent backhand. Zverev is serving great this year and Nadal is struggling with huge serves in 2024. On the other hand, the crowd will be cheering for Nadal in what could be his final match at the French Open, which can get under the skin of Zverev. These two have always brought out their best against each other and nothing less is expected this time. Will Zverev become only the third player to defeat the Spaniard at Roland Garros, or will Nadal defy the odds and perform a miracle?
Arthur Fils vs Matteo Arnaldi
Head-to-Head: Fils 0-2 Arnaldi
The last time these two played in a Grand Slam, it was a fantastic five-setter which lasted almost four hours at the US Open 2023. If they can produce the same level again then the spectators are in for a treat. Arthur Fils is deemed as the future of French tennis and he is certainly going in the right direction. Matteo Arnaldi is one of the best talents to come out of Italy in recent years and is very good on clay. He has defeated Fils both times they have met but the Frenchman will be surrounded by the home crowd which will give him a lot of confidence. The atmosphere is going to be electric and hopefully the tennis too.
Pablo Carreno Busta vs Mariano Navone
Head-to-Head: First Meeting
Pablo Carreno Busta won his biggest title in 2022 but after that season, he has been struggling with injuries. The Spaniard will play his first match of the year against a player who has created history. Mariano Navone is the first player ever to be seeded for his first Grand Slam. Navone is such an exciting player to watch on clay. He won several challengers in 2023 but burst onto the scene at the Rio Open a few months ago where he made the final. From there, he was making deep runs pretty consistently in ATP 250s. Interestingly, he has only played clay events the whole year.
Carreno Busta is coming after a long break but he is much more experienced in this level. This is going to be an intriguing match which might slip under the radar of other big matches.
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
