Stepanek Qualifies For Roland Garros
Stepanek Qualifies For Roland Garros
The Czech star is one of 11 players who moved into the main draw on Friday
Day 5 of qualifying at Roland Garros saw former Top 10 player Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic turn back the clock to win his final-round qualifying match on Friday, while two other players achieved their dreams of making it to the main draw of a Grand Slam for the first time.
No. 20 seed Stepanek, the oldest player in the draw at age 37, recorded a convincing win over No. 2 seed and #NextGen star Yoshihito Nishioka of Japan, 6-3, 6-2. The Czech player fired eight aces and saved all four break points against him in the match. Stepanek is now set to make his 13th appearance in the main draw at Roland Garros. He will be among an expected 50 players aged 30 or over to contest the main draw.
No. 8 seed Dustin Brown returns to the main draw after a two-year absence after prevailing over fellow German and No. 24 seed Daniel Brands, 7-6(1), 6-3. Brown will now look to win a main draw match at Roland Garros for the first time in his career,
No. 17 seed Gerald Melter of Austria and Jordi Samper-Montana of Spain were overjoyed at qualifying for a Grand Slam for the first time in their careers. Melzer, who has won three ATP Challenger Tour titles this year, defeated Matteo Donati of Italy, 6-4, 6-4. Samper-Montana moved past Aslan Karatsev of Russia, 6-2, 6-3.
Other players who qualified for Roland Garros on Friday include No. 4 seed Jan-Lennard Struff, No. 14 seed Nikoloz Basilashvili and former Top 50 player Steve Darcis.
The most ideal opening round that this year’s qualifiers will find in the main draw are three separate all-qualifier matchups, while the one spot everyone will hope to avoid is a first-round match against No. 2 seed Andy Murray.