Karatsev squeezes past Herbert
Recent Madrid Open semi-finalist Aslan Karatsev needed two tiebreaks to overcome home favourite Pierre-Hugues Herbert 7-6(2), 7-6(1) and reach the qualifying second round.
Karatsev, who made the last-four stage at the Australian Open in 2021 as a qualifier, was ranked as high as 14 in the world last year before slipping down the charts. His run in Madrid earlier this month -- also as a qualifier -- saw him re-enter the world's top-100 but it was past the cut-off date for main-draw entry at Roland-Garros.
The 29-year-old will have to earn his way into the tournament and his strong start to his qualifying campaign bodes well for his chances this week on Parisian clay.
He next faces 22-year-old Dominican Nick Hardt, who beat last year's Roland-Garros junior champion Gabriel Debru 6-2, 1-6, 6-3. Debru struggled with injury late in the match and left the court limping and in tears.