Sixteen-year-old French wild card Arthur Fils created the headline on a rain-interruped Day 1 of qualifying at Roland Garros Monday when he rallied from a set down to defeat seasoned Australian Bernard Tomic 6-7(5), 7-6(1), 6-3 in Paris. Fils, the 2020 Orange Bowl champion who is 1,034th in the FedEx ATP Rankings, has an ITF Junior Ranking of 18.
“I think clay is my favourite surface. I love it because it gives me time and I can play more with my forehand,” Fils told RolandGarros.com. “Every match is a fight and I love it. I think I only lost two matches on clay in juniors."
Fils will next meet another Australian, Marc Polmans.
Andrey Kuznetsov pulled off another big upset on Day 1 by taking out qualifying top seed Ilya Ivashka 6-4, 7-6(1). Ivaskha wasn't the only high seed to fall as Borna Gojo moved past fourth seed Pedro Sousa when Sousa retired at 4-6, 7-6(6), 1-1.
Viktor Troicki closed out a comeback win over No. 13 seed Thiago Seyboth Wild 0-6, 7-6(6), 7-6(5). Troicki, a former World No. 12, is currently ranked No. 205.
French wild card Manuel Guinard made good use of his opportunity by topping No. 28 seed Tomas Machac 6-3, 6-3. Elsewhere, Bjorn Fratangelo was a winner over Go Soeda 6-2, 6-3, and in an all-American battle Ernesto Escobedo beat Maxime Cressy 3-6, 6-4, 6-2.
Thomas Fabbiano ended Chris Eubanks' Parisian campaign 6-4, 7-5. The 31-year-old Italian will take on No. 22 seed Carlos Taberner next.
“I think clay is my favourite surface. I love it because it gives me time and I can play more with my forehand,” Fils told RolandGarros.com. “Every match is a fight and I love it. I think I only lost two matches on clay in juniors."
Fils will next meet another Australian, Marc Polmans.
Andrey Kuznetsov pulled off another big upset on Day 1 by taking out qualifying top seed Ilya Ivashka 6-4, 7-6(1). Ivaskha wasn't the only high seed to fall as Borna Gojo moved past fourth seed Pedro Sousa when Sousa retired at 4-6, 7-6(6), 1-1.
Viktor Troicki closed out a comeback win over No. 13 seed Thiago Seyboth Wild 0-6, 7-6(6), 7-6(5). Troicki, a former World No. 12, is currently ranked No. 205.
French wild card Manuel Guinard made good use of his opportunity by topping No. 28 seed Tomas Machac 6-3, 6-3. Elsewhere, Bjorn Fratangelo was a winner over Go Soeda 6-2, 6-3, and in an all-American battle Ernesto Escobedo beat Maxime Cressy 3-6, 6-4, 6-2.
Thomas Fabbiano ended Chris Eubanks' Parisian campaign 6-4, 7-5. The 31-year-old Italian will take on No. 22 seed Carlos Taberner next.