With a 7-5, 6-1, 7-6(6) victory on the Court Philippe Chatrier stage, the 37-year-old French wild card earned his 500th match win, moving to the third round.
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There was history in the making for Giles Simon on Thursday as the veteran recorded his 500th match win at the 2022 Roland Garros. This year’s French Open will be his last. Polish tennis player Hubert Hurkacz is having the time of his life this season and he has taken his fine run of form into the Roland Garros. The 25-year-old has won more Tour matches on clay this season than any of his previous seasons combined. Before 2022, Hurkacz had never advanced past the first round at the French Open. This season, he is already into round 3 after a dominating win against Marco Cecchinato of Italy. Elswhere, the likes of Daniil Medvedev and Casper Ruud made it to the third round.
Gilles Simon extended his Roland Garros farewell in the first round after surviving a five-set thriller. He had an easier time against American Steve Johnson on Thursday after going the distance to beat Pablo Carreno Busta. With a 7-5, 6-1, 7-6(6) victory on the Court Philippe Chatrier stage, the 37-year-old French wild card earned his 500th match win, moving to the third round in Paris for the first time since 2018. He rode a wave of crowd support to win, just as he did in his Tuesday victory.
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Against Cecchinato, the 25-year-old was on fire, hitting 30 winners to only 13 errors and gliding through all of his service games. Hurkacz broke his opponent five times on his way to a one-hour and 29-minute victory. So far this fortnight, Hurkacz has been particularly powerful on serve. In his first two rounds, he didn’t face a break point, winning 82% of first-serve points (78/95) and hitting 15 aces to three double faults. David Goffin, who began his career comeback with a 3-6, 7-6(1), 6-2, 6-4 victory against No. 24 seed Frances Tiafoe, awaits him in the following round. With a powerful forehand, the 31-year-old Belgian earned a key break at 4-4 in the fourth set and then served out the victory.
On Thursday, Daniil Medvedev maintained his winning streak at Roland Garros, defeating Serbian Laslo Djere 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 to advance to the third round in Paris. Throughout their two-hour, 36-minute match on Court Philippe Chatrier, the 26-year-old, who beat Facundo Bagnis in the first round, held his own against Djere. As he scurried around the baseline, Medvedev soaked up the World No. 56’s strong forehand, while turning the tables in points by standing deep in the court and taking huge cuts at the ball.
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Casper Ruud equaled his best Roland Garros result on Thursday, defeating Finn Emil Ruusuvuori 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 to advance to the third round for the fourth year in a row. The Norwegian, who beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in his first round match, looked at ease throughout his match against Ruusuvuori and elevated his game when necessary, saving all four break points he faced to advance after two hours and ten minutes. After winning his eighth tour-level title and seventh on clay in Geneva last week, the 23-year-old came in Paris in high spirits. Ruud has swiftly adjusted to the chilly temperatures at Roland Garros after making the short travel across from Switzerland, and has now won his last six matches.
