Typically, you need to look past the scoreline to grasp the importance of a consequence.
All of the Canadians might have bowed out of the singles competitions at Roland-Garros within the first week, however that doesn’t imply there was not some success.
And as is changing into a little bit of a development, there may be loads of positives to take from the doubles in Paris the place the Canadians are nonetheless going robust.
Right here’s what that you must know.
In Case You Missed It: Profession-Bests a Silver Lining in Paris
Whereas having no Canadians left within the singles draw after week considered one of Roland-Garros is disappointing, there have been nonetheless many positives to take, notably for Bianca Andreescu and Denis Shapovalov.
Each reached the third spherical in Paris for the primary time of their careers with some spectacular early-round wins.
Andreescu, who got here into the French Open with no win on purple clay in 2023, scored a surprising upset with a comeback win in round one over Victoria Azarenka. She adopted it up with a commanding performance against Emma Navarro earlier than bowing out in round three against Lesia Tsurenko.
Shapovalov had an analogous path, profitable a tight round-one match against Brandon Nakashima earlier than a solid second-round win over Matteo Arnaldi. His run came to an end in the third round by the hands of world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz.
Leylah Annie Fernandez joined her two compatriots within the second spherical, additionally by inflicting an upset against Australian Open semifinalist Magda Linette in spherical one, however she was bounced by Clara Tauson in the second round.
Hampered by bodily illnesses, Félix Auger-Aliassime and Rebecca Marino were both eliminated in the first round.
There was a uncommon Conflict of Canadians within the doubles when Fernandez met Gabriela Dabrowski on the second Monday. The third-round conflict went the way in which of the youthful Canadian and her companion Taylor Townsend in three units. It’s the first Grand Slam doubles quarter-final for Fernandez.
Dabrowski may have performed Townsend twice in Paris, however acquired a walkover within the second spherical blended doubles, the place she is enjoying with American Nathaniel Lammons.
Tight third-set tremendous tiebreaks have been a factor for the Canadians at Roland-Garros. Dabrowski gained her first-round blended doubles match 10-8 within the third, whereas Bianca Andreescu gained two 10-8 tremendous tiebreaks alongside Michael Venus to succeed in the blended doubles quarter-finals.
The lone Canadian competing in juniors, Keegan Rice, was crushed within the second spherical of the boys singles.
A lot of the title favourites stay on observe in Paris. High seeds Iga Swiatek, who dished out 4 bagels whereas dropping simply eight complete video games in three matches, and Aryna Sabalenka have seemed robust, though the third member of their rising “Huge Three,” Elena Rybakina, pulled out within the third spherical with an sickness.
The texture-good story of the ladies’s aspect has been Elina Svitolina, who adopted up her first title as a mom last week by reaching the quarter-finals in Paris in her first main again after giving delivery. Her run contains wins over 2022 semifinalist Martina Trevisan and No. 9 Daria Kasatkina.
Alcaraz has dropped only one set to this point in 4 matches, whereas Novak Djokovic remains to be 12-0. Second seed Daniil Medvedev was the sufferer of the largest upset of the event, falling within the first spherical in 5 units to qualifier Thiago Seyboth Wild, ranked 172nd on the planet.
What to Watch: Doubles the Final Hope
Three Canadians are nonetheless alive in doubles in week two of Roland-Garros.
After taking good care of her countrywoman in spherical three, Leylah Annie Fernandez and Taylor Townsend are via to the quarter-finals the place they may face the Chans, Latisha Chan and Hao-Ching Chan. Second seeds Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula are their potential semifinal opponents.
Two Canadian girls stay alive within the blended doubles and there might be one other Conflict of Canadians within the semifinals.
Gabriela Dabrowski and Nathaniel Lammons face Asia Muhammad and Lloyd Glasspool within the quarter-finals, whereas Bianca Andreescu and Michael Venus tackle seventh seeds Marta Kostyuk and Marcelo Arevalo.
Wins by each Canadians would see them face off for a spot within the remaining. Simply reaching the quarter-finals is a career-best doubles consequence at a significant for Andreescu, whereas Dabrowski gained the blended doubles title on the French Open in 2017.
All eyes stay centered on the potential Carlos Alcaraz-Novak Djokovic semifinal, which can occur if the world No. 1 defeats 2021 runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas and the two-time champion places away Karen Khachanov within the quarter-finals. Final 12 months’s runner-up Casper Ruud is the highest-ranked participant remaining within the backside half of the lads’s draw.
The query on the ladies’s aspect is can anybody stop a Swiatek-Sabalenka remaining. Sabalenka can have a blockbuster quarter-final towards the resurgent Elina Svitolina earlier than dealing with both Karolina Muchova or Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova within the remaining 4.
Swiatek is barely on the fourth spherical the place she faces Lesia Tsurenko. She may have a rematch of the 2022 French Open remaining towards Coco Gauff within the quarter-finals and would face both Beatriz Haddad Maia or Ons Jabeur within the semis.
Within the juniors, Keegan Rice shall be competing in boys doubles this week. He’s the lone Canadian junior remaining in Paris.
Rob Shaw is representing Canada within the quad wheelchair occasions. He drew prime seed Niels Vink within the opening spherical of the singles and is seeded second in doubles with Heath Davidson.
Underneath the Radar:
Rob Shaw is arriving on the French Open with a little bit of momentum after reaching the ultimate of an ITF occasion in Royan, France final week. He misplaced within the title match to Koji Sugeno. The Canadian remains to be in search of his first singles title of 2023 after profitable six final 12 months.
Alexis Galarneau had considered one of his higher weeks on the ATP Challenger Tour final week, reaching the doubles remaining on the Little Rock Challenger in Arkansas whereas additionally making the quarter-finals in singles. It was a primary Challenger doubles remaining for the Davis Cup champion.
Additionally reaching a doubles remaining final week was Kayla Cross, who acquired to the title match on the ITF W40 occasion in Otocec, Slovenia. It was her highest-level remaining to this point in 2023.
It was not simply runner-up trophies final week for the Canadians although. Louise Kwong scored her third W15 title of the 12 months, a second in Monastir, Tunisia, alongside companion Anna Ulyashchenko. The pair reached three finals within the final 4 weeks in Monastir, profitable two of them.
Galarneau and Cross are each again in motion this week in ATP Challenger and ITF occasions respectively. Gabriel Diallo can also be competing on the Challenger Tour, whereas Carol Zhao is enjoying at a W100 occasion within the UK.
There’s additionally an ITF Wheelchair occasion going down in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec this week with a big Canadian contingent.
You may comply with the Canadians in motion each week here.
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