Nick Kyrgios, Ashleigh Barty, Thanasi Kokkinakis and Jordan Thompson begin their Roland Garros campaigns tonight.
Paris, France, 30 May 2017 | tennis.com.au
Australia’s top-ranked player, and the tournament’s No.18 seed, faces German veteran Philipp Kohlschreiber on Court 2.
It is Kyrgios’ first meeting against the No.43-ranked Kohlschreiber.
After withdrawing from Rome a fortnight ago with a hip injury, Kyrgios told AAP at the weekend he was recovering well.
“I’m doing everything I can to get ready for my first round,” he said.
Following that match, Ashleigh Barty meets No.12-seeded American Madison Keys.
Barty, who is sitting at a career-high ranking of No.76, enters the match high on confidence after reaching the Strasbourg quarterfinals last week and teaming with Casey Dellacqua to win the doubles title.
Keys, an Australian Open semifinalist in 2015, is on a four-match losing streak dating back to March.
Thanasi Kokkinakis makes his long-awaited Grand Slam return on Court 1, where he faces a big challenge against No.8-seed Kei Nishikori.
The 21-year-old South Australian last competed at Grand Slam-level at the 2015 US Open, with injuries since delaying his promising career and ruling him out of the past five majors.
The draw hasn’t been kind either to Australian Davis Cup hero Jordan Thompson, who meets No.21 seed John Isner on Court 3.
Yet No.92-ranked Thompson can draw confidence from a return to Roland Garros, where he won his first Grand Slam match last season, and facing his first American opponent since sensationally upsetting Isner’s Davis Cup team-mate Jack Sock in the quarterfinals in Brisbane in April.
All four Aussies are aiming to join Sam Stosur in the second round.
> Stosur powers into round two
World No.2-ranked doubles star John Peers begins his campaign tonight too. The 28-year-old, who is the top seed alongside Finnish partner Henri Kontinen, plays Spanish duo Tommy Robredo and David Marrero on Court 8.
Also featuring in doubles action on day three is Bernard Tomic, teaming up with Dominican Victor Estrella Burgos, and Matt Reid, partnering Georgia’s Nikoloz Basilashvili.
French Open action is broadcast live on Fox Sports in Australia, beginning with Kyrgios’ match from 7.00 pm AEST. Barty’s match will also be televised, as will matches featuring French hope Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and No.3-seeded Romanian Simona Halep.