The veteran tricolor, who will celebrate his 38th birthday next September, once again overthrew a player much higher ranked than him in California. Two days after defeating Hubert Hurkacz, 8th ATP, in the second round (6-0, 6-7[5], 6-2), “La Monf” faced the dangerous Briton Cameron Norrie, winner of the tournament in 2021 and again 8th in the world in September 2022. Falling back to 28th place in the world, the 28-year-old led 7-6[5], 3-0 before faltering against a resilient Gaël Monfils. The tricolor finally turned the game around to win, with panache, 6-7[5], 7-6[5], 6-3 after 3h15 of play.
The Norwegian will be Gaël Monfils’ next opponent. Falling not without difficulty of the Slovak Lukas Klein (141st ATP) in the first round (6-4, 7-6[4]), the 9th player in the world was solid against Arthur Fils, 43rd in the world and knocker of Davidovich Fokina in the round previous, to grab a place in the round of 16. Dominant from the start (2-0), Casper Ruud was not worried about his throws (6-2). The Frenchman showed more resistance in the second round but his opponent offered himself a break on his third opportunity (4-3), before finishing without trembling. 6-2, 6-4, after a little over an hour and ten minutes of play. “I had my revenge,” laughed the Norwegian at the net, a few months after his heavy defeat in Hamburg against the Frenchman.
Tommy Paul left nothing to his opponent of the day, Ugo Humbert, in front of a captivated American public. Winner of the ATP 250 in Dallas then finalist of the one in Delray Beach in February, Tommy Paul, 17th in the ATP rankings, had time to acclimatize to the American hard court season. Falling the very talented Alex Michelsen (6-2, 6-2) in the second round, the American took advantage of a few errors from the Frenchman, who led 4-2 in the first set, to get back together (4-4) then take the lead. win of the first round (6-4) by playing a fourth consecutive game. In the second round, Ugo Humbert folded at the worst moment (5-4) and let his opponent slip away, on a big day, in the round of 16 (6-4, 6-4) after a little less than 1h30 of play. Thursday. He will face the surprising Luca Nardi, who defeated Novak Djokovic in the 16th round.
The Bulgarian, who has been experiencing a second youth (at 32) for several months, perfectly mastered Adrian Mannarino after his victory in the second round against Alexandre Müller, 7-5, 6-2. The 35-year-old Frenchman, who fell below 20th place in the world (21st), did not manage to worry his opponent with his put in play (a small break point, not converted) and finally – logically – inclined after 1h21 of play, 6-3, 6-3.
Daniil Medvedev, opposed to Sebastian Korda, had to fight but won (6-4, 5-7, 6-3) against the American who had beaten him in their two previous confrontations. Holger Rune, who (finally) entered the fray after Raonic’s withdrawal in the second round, overcame the Italian Lorenzo Musetti in two sets (6-2, 7-6[5]). For his part, Taylor Fritz (12th ATP) quietly won against Sebastian Baez (6-2, 6-2) and will face the Dane in the next round.