Tennis: Zverev with a solvable start at the French Open

Status: 05/25/2023 3:47 p.m

At the French Open, Alexander Zverev is only in 22nd place. In his first round game he goes as a favorite. The other Germans face different difficult tasks.

Alexander Zverev received a solvable task at the start of the French Open.

The 26-year-old tennis Olympic champion meets the world number 306 in the first round. Lloyd Harris of South Africa. That was the draw for the clay court tournament in Paris, which starts on Sunday. Zverev injured his ankle badly in the semifinals against Rafael Nadal last year and is still looking for his top form. The American Frances Tiafoe could be the first seeded professional to wait in round three, and there could be a duel with Jannik Sinner from Italy in the round of 16.

Struff against Jiri Lehecka

Jan-Lennard Struff is currently the best-ranked German professional in the world rankings in the Grand Slam tournament, one place ahead of Zverev in 21st place. The 33-year-old faces a tricky task against the Czech Jiri Lehecka. The 29-year-old Oscar Otte has to deal with Alexander Schewtschenko from Russia in the first round, Daniel Altmaier (24) first meets Marc-Andrea Hüsler from Switzerland. The top seeded world number one Carlos Alcaraz from Spain will start in the absence of his fellow countryman Nadal against a qualifier.

The two current German top players are each facing difficult first hurdles. The 35-year-old Tatjana Maria meets the number 14 seeded Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia, Jule Niemeier (23) has to deal with last year’s semi-finalist Darja Kassatkina from Russia. Anna-Lena Friedsam (29) will play against a qualifier in the first round.

On Friday, Yannick Hanfmann (31) and Dominik Koepfer (29) still have the chance to reach the main draw with a win in the third qualifying round.

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