Alcott ready to begin Roland Garros title defence
World No.1 Dylan Alcott is one of six Australians in action on day seven at Roland Garros.
Paris, France, 5 June 2021 | Leigh Rogers
Dylan Alcott’s quest to win a third consecutive quad wheelchair singles title at Roland Garros begins on day seven in Paris. The world No.1-ranked Aussie, who faces American David Wagner in the semifinals, is looking to advance to his 15th Grand Slam singles final.
Aussies in action on day seven:
[1] Dylan Alcott (AUS) v David Wagner (USA)
Quad wheelchair singles, semifinal, Court 13, third match
Alcott’s title defence begins with a semifinal showdown against long-time rival Wagner. The world No.1-ranked Australian boasts a 33-14 win-loss record against the 47-year-old American and has won their past nine meetings. The 30-year-old Alcott, who is unbeaten in singles matches at Roland Garros, is looking to win his third consecutive title in Paris. This is Alcott’s first competitive appearance since claiming a record seventh straight Australian Open singles title in February.
Storm Sanders (AUS)/Ajla Tomljanovic (AUS) v Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS)/Elena Rybakina (KAZ)
Women’s doubles, second round, Court 8, first match (from 7pm AEST)
Dropping only two games in their opening-round win, Australians Sanders and Tomljanovic proved a dangerous combination. It was a first Roland Garros win for 26-year-old Sanders and matches 28-year-old Tomljanovic’s best result in Paris. Pavlyuchenkova ended Tomljanovic’s singles campaign earlier this week, can the Aussie get revenge on the doubles court? A victory would mark Sanders’ best Grand Slam doubles result, while Tomljanovic is looking to reach a major third round for a fifth time.
Max Purcell (AUS)/Luke Saville (AUS) v [2] Juan Sebastian Cabal (COL)/Robert Farah (COL)
Men’s doubles, third round, Court 9, first match (from 7pm AEST)
Enjoying a career-best run in Paris, 23-year-old Purcell and 27-year-old Saville face the No.2 seeds in the third round. Farah, the world No.3, and No.4-ranked Cabal are two-time Grand Slam champions and former world No.1s. Winners of two titles so far this season, the Colombian combination carry momentum into this clash with No.46-ranked Purcell and No.35 Saville. But after saving match points in their opening-round win, the Aussies have nothing to lose as they look to reach their second Grand Slam quarterfinal.
Luke Saville (AUS)/Gabriela Dabrowski (CAN) v Aslan Karatsev (RUS)/Elena Vesnina (RUS)
Mixed doubles, first round, Court 9, third match
Making his Roland Garros mixed doubles debut, 27-year-old Saville is partnering world No.11 Dabrowski. The 29-year-old Canadian, who is a two-time Grand Slam mixed doubles champion, was set to play with world No.1 Mate Pavic, but switched to world No.35 Saville when her partner tested positive to COVID-19. Vesnina is a former world No.1 doubles player returning from maternity leave, while Karatsev is one of the most improved in the men’s game.
John Peers (AUS)/Chan Hao-Ching (TPE) v Neal Skupski (GBR)/Alexa Guarachi (CHI)
Mixed doubles, first round, Court 9, fourth match
World No.25 Peers is making his seventh appearance in a Roland Garros mixed doubles draw – and a first alongside 27-year-old Chan, the world No.21 from Chinese Taipei. The 32-year-old Australian’s best mixed doubles result in Paris is quarterfinals in 2015 and 2019. They face two players who have enjoyed top-20 breakthroughs this season – 31 year-old Brit Skupski and 30-year-old Chilean Guarachi.