Holger Rune’s breakout 2022 season hit new highs on Tuesday at Roland Garros.

The #NextGenATP Dane upset 14th seed Denis Shapovalov 6-3, 6-1, 7-6(4) for his maiden Grand Slam win in the first round in Paris. The 19-year-old believes his constant desire to raise his level, even after positive results, has been a key driver of his strong form this year.

“Obviously it’s always progress,” said Rune in his post-match press conference. “Even last year I was in the same progress. I’m trying to improve one per cent every day, to always to do things a little better than the day before. I think this has really helped me a lot.”

Rune arrived in Paris ranked No. 40 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, a career high, having claimed his maiden ATP Tour title in Munich at the beginning of May. It is a far cry from where he was a year ago, when he reached the final of an ATP Challenger Tour event in Lisbon as a player ranked outside the Top 300.

“I was obviously far away from playing tournaments [like Roland Garros] but always I had to believe in myself,” said Rune. “I was still young last year, so it was great for me to play these kinds of tournaments at that time.”

Rune’s progression since that week in Portugal was on full display on Tuesday against Shapovalov, a player who defeated Rafael Nadal on the clay in Rome just under two weeks ago. While aware he was facing an established Top 20 opponent, Rune was determined to only concentrate on what he could control in his first tour-level meeting with the Canadian.

“It was definitely a tough match,” said Rune. “Denis can play some unbelievable tennis. For me, it was just trying to focus on what I could do on the court, try to keep holding my serve, try to take every chance I had. I did that pretty good.

“Of course, I maybe could have closed the third set easier than I did. I had a lot of chances, but I’m just happy that I stayed focused and finished the match in three sets.”

Rune had an early taste of the big stage at the US Open last year, when he came through qualifying to take his place in a Grand Slam main draw for the first time. His reward was a first-round meeting with World No. 1 Novak Djokovic on Arthur Ashe Stadium. For Rune, the four-set loss was a key part of his learning curve, but he has now arrived at a point where he wants to turn his potential into concrete results.

“Obviously [playing Novak] was a huge experience for me, so I wouldn’t have replaced that match for any other at that time,” said Rune. “But it’s nice, you know, not to play the best guys in the first round. I would rather wait a little bit.

“Of course, you can’t say that Denis is an easy draw. He’s such a great player. Especially in the Grand Slams, he shows his best tennis.

“I really just tried, as I said, to focus on each point and to keep focusing on myself and not to do so much else.”

With success comes increased recognition, but Rune feels he is becoming accustomed to playing against the biggest names on Tour. Rather than it causing any extra nerves, he sees it as a reward for the hard graft he puts in on the practice court.

“I think it’s nice,” said the Dane. “This is what you work for every day, to be able to play the biggest tournaments. And to play these kinds of players, like Denis, also is great for me. It’s an amazing level.

“I’m super happy and pleased to be in this position right now. To be able to have chances against these guys. To be able to win my first title in Munich was a huge step forward in my career.

“I’m really positive and working hard every day to get better.”

The opening round of men’s singles play will conclude on Tuesday at Roland Garros, while men’s doubles action gets underway on Day 3. Returning finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas opens his tournament against #NextGenATP Italian Lorenzo Musetti, closing play on Court Philippe Chatrier, with Casper Ruud and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga squaring off on the Paris centre court earlier in the day in what could be the final match of the Frenchman’s storied career.

World No. 2 Daniil Medvedev headlines the action on Court Suzanne Lenglen and will seek his first clay-court win of the season against Facundo Bagnis. On the outer courts, 14th seed Denis Shapovalov and #NextGenATP Dane Holger Rune meet for the first time.

In doubles action, second-seeded Croatians Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic put their nine-match win streak on the line following back-to-back titles in Rome and Geneva.

View Singles Draw | View Doubles Draw | View Schedule

[4] Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) vs. Lorenzo Musetti (ITA)

Tsitsipas and Musetti square off for the third time since 2021, with the Greek 2-0 in the ATPHead2Head. Tsitsipas enters as one of the form players on the ATP Tour with a 14-3 record on the European clay swing and a tour-leading 30 wins on the season. The Monte Carlo champion’s only clay defeats came against Carlos Alcaraz (Barcelona quarter-finals), Alexander Zverev (Madrid semis) and Novak Djokovic (Rome final).

Musetti has a tall task to prevent his opponent from reaching at least the last four in Paris for what would be a third straight season. The 20-year-old Italian has notched exactly two main-draw victories in each of his four clay events this season, including at the ATP Masters 1000s in Monte Carlo and Madrid, leaving him with an 8-4 record on the surface. He earned the second Top 10 win of his career by beating Felix Auger-Aliassime in Monte Carlo, having previously beaten Diego Schwartzman last year in Acapulco.

Tsitsipas is expecting a stern test from the man who reached a career-high of No. 51 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings earlier this month.

“Lorenzo is a very good player on this surface,” he said. “I have played him before. I think he’s someone that can bring out on the court some good potential and has been, has shown in the past that he’s capable of playing good tennis.

“I’m obviously very happy to be playing [on] these courts again. I know this first-round match is going to really bring the best out of me; at least I will try. It’s going to be the battle of two one-handed backhand players, and I think a pretty interesting match for most spectators to watch on this first round.”

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[8] Casper Ruud (NOR) vs. [WC] Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA)

Ruud has the unenviable task of attempting to send Tsonga into retirement, with the 37-year-old Frenchman set to hang up his racquet following Roland Garros. 

The Norwegian enters Paris on the heels of his eighth ATP Tour title in Geneva, where he beat Joao Sousa in the final in a third-set tie-break. His 28 clay-court wins and five clay titles in the past 52 weeks are the most on the ATP Tour, according to Infosys ATP Performance Zone stats. 

Tsonga competed in Lyon last week but fell to eventual finalist Alex Molcan in the opening round to drop to 2-6 on the ATP Tour this season. But the former World No. 5 is looking forward to a grand finale at his favourite tournament.

“I feel relieved, because it’s the last tournament, because both my mind and my body have told me that it’s time to stop.” the Frenchman said ahead of a 13th appearance at his home Grand Slam. “I’m also very excited, because I have always wanted and liked to play this tournament. It’s always a highlight in my career.

“I want to go to the court to play a very consistent player, a very good player. I know it will be a tough match, but I’m delighted to be able to have a match like this. I know it will be fun no matter what.”

[14] Denis Shapovalov (CAN) vs. Holger Rune (DEN)

Both Shapovalov and Rune have made deep runs on the European clay in recent weeks. The Canadian defeated Rafael Nadal to reach the Rome quarter-finals, while Rune won his first ATP Tour title in Munich on 1 May. The #NextGenATP Dane also reached the Lyon semi-finals last week, beating three Frenchmen before falling to top seed and eventual champion Cameron Norrie.

Shapovalov was beaten by Ilya Ivashka in his opening match last week in Geneva, but has reached three quarter-finals on the season in addition to a semi-final in Dubai. The Canadian also helped his country win the ATP Cup in January.

The pair will contest their first ATP Head2Head matchup on Court 12, where they will open play.

Best Of The Rest

Medvedev returned in the nick of time from a hernia procedure, playing his first clay event of the season last week in Geneva. Though he bowed out in the opening round to France’s Richard Gasquet, he’ll be pleased to have at least one match under his belt ahead of Roland Garros. His opponent, Facundo Bagnis, was also knocked out in the Geneva opening round but won two qualifying matches to reach the main draw.

After that contest opens play on Lenglen, two Frenchmen are on the second stadium’s slate: Richard Gasquet will take on South Africa’s Lloyd Harris, with Hugo Gaston facing 18th seed Alex de Minaur in the evening.

Seventh seed Andrey Rublev will face South Korea’s Soonwoo Kwon on Court 14, while 11th seed Jannik Sinner faces American qualifier Bjorn Fratangelo on Court 7.

In addition to Mektic/Pavic, three other Top 10-seeded doubles teams are also in action: fifth-seeded Colombians Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah, sixth seeds Wesley Koolhof and Neal Skupski and eighth seeds John Peers and Filip Polasek.

Rafael Nadal earned more than just a first-round win at Roland Garros on Monday. The Spaniard was also named to the TIME 100 Most Influential People of 2022 list as part of the ‘Icons’ group, which also includes singers Adele and Mary J. Blige, actor Keanu Reeves and WTA player Peng Shuai.

Earlier this year, the lefty claimed a record 21st Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, and he could win a record-extending 14th Coupe des Mousquetaires at Roland Garros.

Legendary NFL quarterback Tom Brady wrote about Nadal for TIME, praising the 35-year-old’s “mental and physical toughness” as well as his focus.

“I admire athletes who push themselves to the limit, and I’m absolutely inspired every time Rafa takes the court,” Brady wrote. “There’s something to be learned from watching his determination, his strategy, everything that it takes for him to never take any moment for granted. He’s forever going to be remembered as one of the very best athletes in all of sports.”

No. 63 Joao Sousa, +16
The 33-year-old has climbed 16 places to No. 63 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings after he reached his second tour-level final of the season at the Gonet Geneva Open. The Portuguese, who triumphed in Pune in February, did not drop a set en route to the final before he was edged by Casper Ruud in three sets in the championship match. Read Geneva Final Report & Watch Highlights.

View Latest Pepperstone ATP Rankings

No. 38 Alex Molcan, +9 (Career High)
The Slovakian has jumped into the Top 40 for the first time after he advanced to his third ATP Tour championship match at the Open Parc Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes Lyon. The 24-year-old earned standout wins over seeds Karen Khachanov and Alex de Minaur, but was unable to overcome Cameron Norrie in a tight final. Watch Lyon Final Report & Watch Highlights.

No. 70 Richard Gasquet, +5
Following a run to his first semi-final of the season in Geneva, the 35-year-old has risen five spots. The Frenchman shocked World No. 2 Daniil Medvedev in the second round and also earned straight-set wins over John Millman and Kamil Majchrzak.

Other Notable Top 100 Movers
No. 17 Reilly Opelka, +1 (Joint Career High)
No. 20 Alex de Minaur, +1
No. 54 Federico Coria, +4
No. 58 Tallon Griekspoor, +6
No. 89 Roberto Carballes Baena, +13

As can be expected of a three-time Grand Slam winner, Stan Wawrinka was disappointed with his first-round loss to Corentin Moutet at Roland Garros on Monday afternoon. But the 37-year-old was not too downbeat about his performance in just his third tour-level tournament after being out for more than a year with a foot injury.

“Obviously it’s a great disappointment to lose in a Grand Slam, but it’s the reality of my life now,” said the 2015 Roland Garros champion at his post-match press conference. “I knew before the match that I needed to work a lot physically, to work my tennis. It’s not [that] I’m playing badly or I’m not good, but I’m not yet feeling good for matches like that.

“This is the mirror of where I am now. You have to go through times like this with bad matches, with bad first rounds in a Grand Slam, because I need to play a few matches to renew the feelings you look for in a match.”

The Swiss came out strongly on Court Suzanne Lenglen, but faded after the first set against Moutet, who ran out a 2-6, 6-3, 7-6(2), 6-3 winner. Wawrinka acknowledged he had been unable to sustain his level against the World No. 139, but credited the French wild card with raising his game to turn around the match.

“I played well in the first set, but he wasn’t into the match yet,” said Wawrinka. “The beginning of the second set he got into it a bit better. I started hesitating and you know things swing very fast, especially when you’re looking for confidence in yourself, in your game. As soon as you are heading in the wrong direction, the head goes very fast.

“Moutet fought very well, he played his game. His game is difficult to play because he has a lot of talent, he’s left-handed, he mixes his shots a lot. It’s beautiful to see for the fans, but it’s very complicated to return. He played his game today and he did well.”

The 16-time tour-level titlist Wawrinka delivered a reminder of his abilities at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome two weeks ago, defeating Reilly Opelka and Laslo Djere at the ATP Masters 1000 event for his first victories in 14 months. Despite those promising results, he feels further physical improvements are required to reach the next level.

“[When] I renewed with training and at the end of February and beginning of March, I knew it would take time to get back into the competition and to renew the level where I feel good,” said Wawrinka. “[Where] I get on court and I’m okay, I’m fit and I’m ready to play a good match.

“I am okay, but I’m not as fit as I would like to be. As far as tennis is concerned, I’m not back to the level I wanted, I have to take weeks of physical preparation and do some training matches. I’m getting close. A few weeks and I should be there.”

Wawrinka accepts that the whole process can take time, and the Swiss is prepared to put in the hard yards to get there.

“At my age when you’re out of the Tour for over a year, you take time to get back to the level you want,” he said. “I know what I want.

“I’m convinced that I can [come back] with a very good level because I have many clues that show that I can do it. It will take months, but I’m not afraid. It’s not a problem for me to train hard.”