Invited by the Parisian Grand Slam, Pierre-Hugues Herbert inherited the worst possible draw to be able to go far in the big picture: Novak Djokovic. But the 33-year-old Alsatian puts things into perspective, especially after seeing his son seriously ill.
“What comes to mind is the ordeal we went through as a family with my son Léandre, seriously ill and recovered since April 9. Playing on the central court at Roland-Garros while I spent two weeks in Necker and a month in Basel hospital over the last seven months,” he told L’Equipe.
“I find that funny. It’s never happened to me to play as the No. 1 seed in a Grand Slam. It’s funny because with my story, with all the struggles I’ve had lately, it rather makes me laugh. I experience this Roland-Garros as a reward, a celebration. “I’ll have to potentially have the match of my life to get through it,” continues the former world number 36.