French veteran Pouille and Chinese teen Shang qualify for Roland-Garros

The Frenchman, now ranked No 670 in the world, is looking to win his first main draw match at a Slam since 2019 US Open

Image Credit: Zuma / Panoramic

May 26, 2023

French veteran Lucas Pouille and Chinese teen Jerry Shang secured their spots in the main draw of Roland-Garros after winning their third round qualifying matches on Thursday.

Former top 10 player Lucas Pouille, who has endured a few difficult years during which he suffered from loss of form, injuries and depression, whipped the French crowd on court 14 into a frenzy as he came from behind to beat Austrian Juri Rodionov 1-6, 7-5, 6-0.

💙❤️ #RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/7ZGM9EfUen
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 25, 2023

This will be Pouille’s first main draw Grand Slam appearance since last year’s French Open. The Frenchman will be hoping to win his first main draw match at a Major since the 2019 US Open.

La haie d'honneur pour Lucas Pouille et Rose 🥰

🎥 IG rgballos pic.twitter.com/iU6aNxt5D9
— Quentin Moynet (@QuentinMoynet) May 25, 2023

Meanwhile, 18-year-old Shang will contest his second consecutive Grand Slam main draw after reaching the second round of the Australian Open in January. Shang scored a 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 win over Renzo Olivo to join his countrymen – 23-year-old Wu Yibing and 26-year-old Zhang Zhizhen – in the main draw. This will be the first time that three Chinese men are playing in the main draw of the French Open.

In the previous round, Shang had defeated Fabian Marozsan, the Hungarian who famously upset Carlos Alcaraz in Rome earlier this month.

Serbia’s Hamad Medjedovic, eighth seed Radu Albot, and 32nd seed Pedro Martinez also qualified for the main draw. Top seed Aslan Karastav and second seed Yannick Hanfmann are among those who are playing their final round qualifying matches on Friday.

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