Alex de Minaur has beaten Paris fans who believe they “crossed the line” amid a deafening atmosphere during their spectacular exit from the French Open at the Suzanne Lenglen track. Australia’s No. 1 was baffled as his tournament was derailed at the first hurdle by the brilliant new hopeful of French men’s tennis, Hugo Gaston, in a four-hour, five-set classic on Tuesday.
De Minaur had to deal with boos and taunts amid a cacophony of home support noise, whose songs and applause for 21-year-old Olympic youth champion Gaston helped propel the bright young man still that unorthodox to a 4-6, 6-2, 6. -3, 0-6, 7-6 (10-4) triumph.
But de Minaur was upset by the behavior of some of the shrill crowd, the details of which he did not want to reveal.
“I think there’s a difference between a great atmosphere and supporting your compatriot, who is completely fine and fantastic,” the Sydneysider said. “It simply came to our notice then. He enjoyed every second, but there is a line …
“When people say things to me from the crowd, making eye contact with me after I hit a double fault, I think there’s a certain line that needs to be taken into account. But good for him for to have played a great game in front of your local crowd and to be able to feed on that, and to have a moment that I’m sure he won’t forget. “
The start of the 19th round, Australia’s highest hope, leaves Jason Kubler as the only man left in the second round draw, while the two best women in the country Ajla Tomljanovic and Daria Saville have also passed the first round.
With a 3-0 lead in the final set, it looked like de Minaur would join the last 64, seemingly on the way to a magnificent two-set comeback victory against one while Gaston, frustrated and hot, stamped with his own racket to change, splitting it in half.
But the day a French tennis hero Jo-Wilfried Tsonga received an emotional farewell from the crowd of Court Philippe Chatrier, a new young idol began to be announced in an extraordinary way on the second court of Roland Garros.
The stocky left-hander with a touch of delicacy produced a wide variety of recreational shots, delicate winners and even threw a service in the armpit, earning the point, at a crucial time as the momentum varied.
However, de Minaur fought twice to break Gaston’s delivery when the Toulouse left served for the match.
The incessant noise and pressure seemed to explain to the Australian in the final stages as he threw some crucial double fouls and seemed to lose focus on the decisive 10-point super tiebreaker.
It was the second disappointment the next day that John Millman’s story about the misfortune of the French Open continued with the Queenslander struggling for the sixth time to secure his first victory in the main draw in his grand cemetery slam.
With another miserable first-round tie, Millman fought like a tiger as usual, but American Sebastian Korda, another of the rising battalion of young ATP stars, had too much power and quality in a 6- 1, 7-5, 7-6 (8). -6) win.
Millman saved three game points and was on the verge of winning the game in the fourth set before the No. 27 seed finally restrained his gallant effort after two hours and 38 minutes.