Tsonga (37), 267th in the world and who will play his last Roland-Garros in a few days, put up a good resistance against the Slovak Alex Molcan (N.47), 24, before giving up 6-4, 6-4 in 1h32.).
"I gave the maximum against an opponent who played very well and who knew how to exploit my weaknesses but I fought until the end and I will enjoy myself until the end", admitted the former N.5 world at the exit of the court.
For his part, Pouille (N.163) did not exist against the German Oscar Otte (N.60), beaten 6-3, 6-1 while Benjamin Bonzi, who was to face the Argentinian Sebastian Baez, forfeited, groin injury.
Finally, Ugo Hambert (N.45) won at the expense of another Frenchman, Grégoire Barrère (N.209), out of the qualifying table, 6-4, 6-3.
At the end of the afternoon, Gille Simon, also from the qualifications, must face Karen Khachanov (N.24, seeded N.5).
Sunday, on the occasion of the first day, Adrian Mannarino (N.73) had eliminated the Russian Aslan Karatsev (N.39), seeded N.6, 7-6 (7), 6-4.
© 2022 AFP