From Metz To Orleans: Tsonga, Bedene Going Strong In France
From Metz To Orleans: Tsonga, Bedene Going Strong In France
You could mistake it for an ATP 250. Just skim through the field at this week’s Open d’Orleans and big name after big name pops off the drawsheet.
With many players not ready to make the journey to the Far East for the start of the ATP Tour’s Asian Swing, the cozy confines of the Palais des Sports in Orleans, France, is a perfect September stop. This week, the tournament once again boasts an impressive lineup, headlined by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, third seed and defending champion Aljaz Bedene and #NextGenATP stars Corentin Moutet, Mikael Ymer and Jannik Sinner. In addition, past winners Norbert Gombos (2017) and Sergiy Stakhovsky (2014) are back for more.
On Sunday, Tsonga and Bedene battled in a marathon Moselle Open final in Metz. And despite the grueling week at the ATP Tour event, both players made the commitment to appear in Orleans, showing their respect for the strong field. Returning to a final won’t be an easy feat, however, with Bedene set to face a red-hot Sinner in a Thursday night blockbuster. In total, seven Top 100 players are in the French city.
“The level is high in Orleans,” said Tsonga. “All these young guys could be Top 50 for sure, if it’s not already the case for Humbert. You have so many good players and any of them can face you in the first rounds. It’s good to have that and have a strong competition.
“I’m still looking to win Challengers and get some rhythm and feel good on the court. It’s good for me that I’ve been winning many matches. I just want to continue like this. The tour is good for the young guns and also guys like me who have been at the top and are looking to play more matches. All the tournaments are really hard and the players want to achieve the same thing.”
Tsonga’s appearance in Orleans should come as no surprise. The former World No. 5 lifted his first Challenger trophy in more than 12 years earlier this month in nearby Cassis. It was the fourth-longest gap between titles on the circuit. The Frenchman is returning from a left knee injury and is looking to build on his current standing of No. 39 in the ATP Rankings.
A Challenger or an @ATP_Tour event?
Take a first look at the stacked draw in Orleans @opendorleans, featuring seven in the Top 100… pic.twitter.com/WBBBREq4Vt
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) September 21, 2019
From the established veteran to the #NextGenATP stars, Moutet, Ymer and Sinner are going strong at the 15th edition of the Challenger 125 event. Critical points are up for grabs in the ATP Race To Milan, with all three in the 9-13 range. The Top 7 will automatically qualify for the Next Gen ATP Finals.
“I always like playing in France, because it’s my country and I won my first Challenger here,” said Moutet. “I had some good results, especially at Roland Garros, so of course I like to play in France. I didn’t play many Challengers this year, so I’m always excited to play these events. For me, it’s still my level.
“It’s a really strong Challenger. It’s always strong in Orleans, so that’s not a surprise. It’s tough to win against anybody here and the matches are not easy.”
The #NextGenATP trio all own multiple titles this year, with Moutet prevailing in Chennai and Lyon, Sinner in Bergamo and Lexington and Ymer in Noumea and Bastad. And Bedene’s Challenger success speaks for itself. The Slovenian earned his 26th consecutive match win at the level on Wednesday, unbeaten since 2016.
