Australian Open: victorious in the first round, Constant Lestienne breaks a French tennis record

Jean-Baptiste Sarrazin 10:46 p.m., January 16, 2023

Last qualified Frenchman on Monday, Constant Lestienne had a great experience.

For his first Major draw appearance, the 30-year-old beat Brazilian Thiago Monteiro (6-3, 7-6 [2], 6-3) in the first round of the Australian Open.

He will face in the second round Cameron Norrie, scorer of another Habs, Luca van Assche, 18, (7-6, 6-0, 6-3). 

Thanks to this victory, the Frenchman thus becomes the oldest player in the history of French tennis to win his first match.

"It's weird to say as a stat that we are the oldest to achieve this performance. It's my journey, it's like that", reacted the tennis player in the program 

.

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A late explosion

Constant Lestienne was hitherto unknown to the general public.

After a very good year 2022 and a jump of 160 places in the ATP ranking, the Frenchman was able to play his first Grand Slam in his career.

An opportunity that was allowed after a good year in 2022, marked by three titles in Malaga, Pozoblanco and Vancouver, and therefore, an express rise in the ATP ranking, from 208th to 65th place.

The native of Amiens therefore reveals his qualities at the end of his career.

The latter had intensified his preparation in Cap d'Agde to be ready for Melbourne.

"I'm super happy. The two goals of my tennis career were to participate in a Grand Slam tournament and to get into the top 100 so both are achieved today," said the latter.

And Constant Lestienne does not intend to stop there: "We will try to get more", projected the tennis player.

But anyway, his Australian Open is already fully successful.

Thanks to this victory, "he will enter the top 50", assured Christophe Thoreau in 

.