PARIS – World No. 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas found little resistance as he disposed of Spain’s Roberto Carballes Baena 6-3, 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 on Wednesday to advance to the French Open third round but conceded he was cruising without a plan.
The fifth seed, who is chasing his first Grand Slam title, had struggled somewhat in his tournament opener against Jiri Vesely, but was in complete control against the 30-year-old clay-court specialist.
With a potential clash against world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter-finals, Tsitsipas said he had no plan for the rest of the tournament and instead adapted to whatever was coming his way.
“During a Grand Slam, there is no plan,” he said. “Things are being thrown at you, and you just have to react to them and do something.
“So I wish there was a plan. Maybe in Rafa’s (Rafael Nadal) mind when he plays here there is some sort of a plan.”
Spain’s Nadal is a record 14-time winner in Paris but is not competing this year due to injury.
“But you just have to adjust to each player’s shot making, each player’s idea of how they’re going to play against you,” said Tsitsipas.
“That’s how things work. You can never be sure of how things are going to evolve during a match.”
The 24-year-old quickly grabbed the initiative against Carballes Baena, breaking him early, while holding his own serve, to bag the first set.
The pair then traded two breaks each in a roller-coaster second set, with Carballes Baena trying to lock Tsitsipas in long baseline rallies.
The Spaniard managed to take it to a tiebreak but the Greek kept his composure to take a two-set lead before cruising to a quick 4-0 lead and then booking his spot in the third round with ease.
In another match, the top-seeded Carlos Alcaraz overcame 30-year-old Japanese Taro Daniel 6-1, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2.
Earlier, an exhausted Gael Monfils said his epic five-set comeback victory over Sebastian Baez was one of the greatest matches of his career.
The 36-year-old Frenchman was one point away from going 5-0 down in the deciding set of the near four-hour match before mounting a stunning comeback to win 3-6, 6-3, 7-5, 1-6, 7-5 under the lights at Court Philippe Chatrier.
Monfils, who reached a career-high sixth in the world in 2016, last appeared at a Grand Slam in the 2022 Australian Open quarter-finals before missing much of last season due to heel surgery.
He said Tuesday’s match would live long in the memory. “It’s definitely in like top two (matches in my career),” the 36-year-old said at his press conference after the match ended after midnight.
“This one is another flavour. I’m older and (had) even less chances to win this match today. Top two, top one. It was a great atmosphere tonight.”
Monfils, who lost in the second round in 2021 and is now ranked No. 394, was visibly cramping at the end and credited the Paris crowd for inspiring him to a victory that earned a second-round encounter with sixth seed Holger Rune.
“I’m playing full adrenaline, like honestly I asked the crowd to scream and somehow I juice up,” he added. “I know on one hand I will pay and I had to hold it at the end. But I hope to have a good night today and tomorrow, heavy recovery. No matter what, I will be ready for him on Thursday.”
He said it had been difficult getting back into court shape after the long recovery from his injury and that it took time to shake off any unease about the pain.
“At a certain age it’s a bit tough when you start again, when you’re back on the courts. Last week in Lyon was really good for me.
“Even though I was defeated, I could run. I could run without this apprehension,” added Monfils, a semi-finalist at Roland Garros in 2008. REUTERS
