Five Challenger Tour Players To Watch At Roland Garros | ATP Tour

ATPTour.com appears to be like at 5 Challenger Tour gamers to maintain your eyes on throughout Roland Garros.

Luca Van Assche
The Frenchman is a three-time ATP Challenger Tour champion and notched his maiden tour-level victory ultimately month’s ATP 250 occasion in Estoril. Van Assche then defeated Stan Wawrinka in Banja Luka earlier than taking a set off Novak Djokovic.

The #NextGenATP star will look to construct upon his momentum to gather his first Grand Slam fundamental draw victory towards Marco Cecchinato, who reached the Roland Garros semi-finals in 2018.

Van Assche graduated to the Challenger Tour following a standout junior profession. In 2021, he claimed the Roland Garros boys’ singles title. Having simply turned 17 when he lifted the trophy, Van Assche turned the fifth dwelling favorite to triumph within the occasion for the reason that begin of the millennium, becoming a member of Paul-Henri Mathieu, Richard Gasquet, Gael Monfils and Geoffrey Blancaneaux. One yr in the past, Frenchman Gabriel Debru joined them.

Alexander Shevchenko
At a career-high No. 84 within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, Shevchenko collected titles on the Tenerife and Madrid Challengers this yr. In March, the 22-year-old went on a dream run on the Challenger 175 occasion in Phoenix, the place he defeated Gael Monfils and Matteo Berrettini en path to a finalist end.

On the Mutua Madrid Open, Shevchenko displayed his heavy forehand and all-court protection en path to a third-round look (l. Medvedev). Making his Grand Slam debut, Shevchenko opens towards German Oscar Otte.

Hamad Medjedovic
The 19-year-old has tallied a 17-9 document this yr in Challengers and this month turned the third Serbian teenager to win a trio of ATP Challenger Tour titles, becoming a member of Novak Djokovic and Janko Tipsarevic.

Ninth within the Pepperstone ATP Dwell Subsequent Gen Race, Medjedovic superior by Roland Garros qualifying, the place he defeated Ivan Gakhov, Juan Manuel Cerundolo, and Jesper de Jong. Within the last spherical towards De Jong, the Serbian rallied after dropping the opening set 0-6.

Medjedovic, who’s making his first Grand Slam look, will meet American Marcos Giron within the opening spherical.

Juan Pablo Varillas
The Peruvian will likely be hungry for a primary Grand Slam main-draw victory after letting slip a two-sets-to-love lead final yr in Paris towards Felix Auger-Aliassime. The 27-year-old discovered himself locked in one other battle towards an ATP Tour star in January, when he pushed Alexander Zverev to 5 units on the Australian Open.

The World No. 97, who’s a five-time ATP Challenger Tour champion, will face Chinese language teenager Shang Juncheng within the first spherical.

Thiago Seyboth Wild
The 23-year-old has gained 21 of his previous 24 Challenger-level matches, with titles in Vina del Mar and Buenos Aires. After advancing by qualifying, the World No. 172 will purpose for the largest win of his profession within the first spherical when he clashes towards second seed Daniil Medvedev. Ought to Seyboth Wild pull the upset, it might be his first Grand Slam main-draw win.

Seyboth Wild’s 4 titles throughout all ranges have every come on clay. In 2021, the Brazilian went on a breakthrough title run on the ATP 250 occasion in Santiago.