Paris (AFP)

For the first time in fifteen years and his debut at Roland Garros, Gaël Monfils fell in the first round on Parisian clay on Monday, symbol of a post-Covid-19 recovery opposite to his good start to the season .

Ninth in the world and best Frenchman, Monfils on Monday gave the impression of being lost on the Suzanne-Lenglen court, and wandered for more than two and a half hours, to finally lose in four sets (6-4, 7- 5, 3-6, 6-3) against Kazakh Alexander Bublik (49th).

Semi-finalist Porte d'Auteuil in 2008, "la Monf" (34 years old) arrived in Paris full of doubts, after setbacks on entry to Rome and then Hamburg, his two tournaments resumed after a six-month break imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

He had made the choice to give up the American mini-tour (Masters 1000 of Cincinnati then US Open) concentrated in New York.

In the space of four sets Monday night, he panicked the statistics in the wrong direction: 58 unforced errors, 12 double faults for only five aces.

Unacceptable, even against Bublik who never went beyond the second round at Roland Garros (2019).

- "No words" -

"I have no words. It's my worst match (at Roland Garros, Editor's note). I think it has been seen that I do not have very good feelings at the moment," commented Monfils .

And yet, even playing very poorly, Monfils had chances: he led 3-0 in the first set, twice scored a break in the second set, and again took the lead in the fourth.

But he completely missed out in key moments, like his three double faults committed while serving to win the second round.

"I'm not playing well, quite simply. I mismanaged the moment, he admitted. Obviously, I'm disappointed."

This initial setback confirms the poor patch of the French N.1 since the post-Covid-19 recovery.

His season had started at a very good pace, however, between a round of 16 at the Australian Open, two titles in Montpellier then Rotterdam, and a semi-final in Dubai.

But since then, the mechanics have seized up.

"I lost the rhythm," he conceded.

Corentin Moutet, also beaten in the first round, only surrendered against the Italian Lorenzo Giustino after 6:05 of a Homeric fight in five sets (0-6, 7-6 (9/7), 7-6 (7/3), 2-6, 18-16).

Which makes it the second longest match of the Open era on Parisian ocher, behind the 6:33 am between Fabrice Santoro and Arnaud Clément in 2004.

- Thiem and Nadal serene -

Unlike the blues of Monfils, Dominic Thiem, winner of the US Open two weeks ago and double finalist out of Roland-Garros, passed his first test with flying colors against Marin Cilic (6-4, 6-3 , 6-3), in playing conditions that reminded him of his youth.

"I'm Austrian, I know what it's like to play in these cold conditions. When I was juniors and when I played Futures (the 3rd division of tennis, Editor's note), it was like that all the time, ten , fifteen degrees. I love it when the court is not too fast and I have time (to put my game down) from the baseline, "he says.

Rafael Nadal, less a fan of the extreme conditions of this autumnal Roland Garros due to the Covid-19 pandemic, made a very clean copy (6-4, 6-4, 6-2) against Belarusian Egor Gerasimov (83rd ).

If he triumphed for the thirteenth time on Parisian clay, the Mallorcan would equal the record for crowns in Grand Slam (20) established by Roger Federer (recovering after a double operation of the right knee).

Unlike Thiem and Nadal, Serena Williams, black leggings, skirt and long-sleeved top, had a slow take-off.

The American needed a set - 72 minutes long - to warm up: led 4-2, then 5-4 serve to be followed by her compatriot Kristie Ahn (102nd), she got away with decisive game.

Ahn did not register any more play afterwards.

© 2020 AFP