With the presentation of three of the four Argentine singles and the doubles couple from Davis Cup, the last Masters 1000 of the season begins, in Paris. In this edition, the contest that says goodbye to the area of Bercy as the setting for this appointment that comes at the end of each year, to move to The Defense. Monday has 13 matches scheduled in the singles version and four doubles, in which five albicelestes will be involved who will go in search of the second round of the French competition.
The first to appear will be Francisco Cerúndolo y Tomas Etcheverry. Fran will do it in the Court Centralbefore the French Quentin Halys (27 years old and 90th in the ranking), with whom he has not faced before. In his history, the one born in Bondydoes not have many matches on the ATP circuit; in fact, this is his seventh so far in 2024. However, he has a final in Enough (lost to Matteo Berrettini), on clay, and a victory against the Russian Karen Khachanovat Wimbledon. Data that puts Cerúndolo as a favorite to keep the ticket to the next instance.
For its part, at approximately the same time but on Court 1, Tommy will face the Chinese Zhizhen Zhanga 28-year-old player, who is ranked 46th in the world rankings. The only precedent between them is the match they played in Masters 1000 in Shanghailast season, with victory for the Asian, in three sets. Etcheverry defends 45 points, from the second round achieved in 2023.
Following the match of the player from La Plata, it will be the turn of the debut of Sebastian Baezin the same scenario. Your rival will be Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP), also arrived from the classification. The Spaniard, who knew how to fight the No. 1 Junior against the Argentine Axel Gellerwho today is dedicated to the world of finance, did not obtain titles in his career, despite the five consecutive years that it has been in the Top 100. On only one occasion did he reach the definition of a contest: Monte Carlo 2022. On that occasion, the Iberian lost to the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Sebastián beat him in the only confrontation they had between them and in straight sets, in Bastad 2022, on brick dust. This time they will do it for the first time on a hard and indoor court, characteristics with which neither of them feels too comfortable. For the Argentine, A win could mean a more encouraging look for his future in similar tournaments.above all, in view of the next Davis Cup Finals, in Malaga.
It will also be time for the Argentine duo made up of Machi González and Andrés Molteni go out onto the field to look for the necessary points that will strengthen them in the bid to enter the ATP Finals doubles as one of the substitute couples and remain in the Top Ten of the specialty ranking for the second consecutive year. Their rivals will be the Croatians Ivan Dodig and Marin Cilica duo known for their strength and very good play.
Both Jannik Sinner as Carlos Alcaraz They come directly from the second round, like the other 6 players included among the top eight seeds of the competition.
Court Central
2° Turno (9:00 ARG): Francisco Cerúndolo (ARG)-(Q)Quentin Halys (FRA)
Court 1
2nd Shift: Tomás Etcheverry (ARG)-Zhizhen Zhang (CHN)
3° Turno: Sebastián Báez (ARG) – (Q) Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP)
Court 2
2nd Round: Máximo González-Andrés Molteni (ARG) vs Ivan Dodig-Marin Cilic (CRO),
