Sixteen Tricolores played in the first Grand Slam of the season. Five women and eleven men, among them, Arthur Fils, Ugo Humbert, Caroline Garcia and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard are expected.
They are expected
They are three seeds in the men’s draw: Ugo Humbert (14th), Arthur Fils (20th), Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard (30th). The first has almost become a safe bet on hard courts. Ugo Humbert achieved a remarkable 2024 season on this surface: winner of the ATP 500 in Dubai, finalist of the Rolex Paris Masters, all that is missing is a great Grand Slam performance in Messin to confirm that he is one of the most strong on this surface.
Same thing for Arthur Sonif he passed a milestone in 2024 (winner of 3 titles last season (Bordeaux, Hamburg, Tokyo and top 20) he intends to pass a new one in 2025, hoping to do as well as a round of 16 on a Major (his record at Wimbledon 2024 Disappointing at the Next Gen Masters and far from reassuring in Hong Kong, he must regain his splendor in Australia to confirm his status as a Major). 20th in the world The two men could face each other in the third round.
Finally Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard has for its part already confirmed its excellent end to the year 2024. Rewarded with the ATP Award 2024 for best progress, the incredible 2m03 server marked his territory for the first tournament of the season in Brisbane. Semi-finalist of this ATP 250, he notably knocked down Kyrgios and Tiafoe, achieving 87 aces in 4 matches. He reached 30th place in the ATP his best ranking at 21 years old. In Australia, he will be seeded in a major for the first time. And the formidable 21-year-old waiter must immediately face Gaël Monfils, 17 years his senior. Quite a generational shock.
The big odds?
Recent surprise winner of the ATP 250 in Hong Kong, Alexandre Müller won the first title of his career on the circuit at the age of 27. The Frenchman also made history by becoming the second player in history to win an ATP tournament by systematically losing the first round of his matches. Confident and solid on the surface (like his success against his compatriot Arthur Fils), the 56th in the world will have to confirm his progress in the first round against the Portuguese Nuno Borges, 20 ranks ahead of him in the ranking (36th).
Like his incredible comeback in Auckland against the Spaniard Pablo Martinez (led 6-1, 5-2, Gaël Monfils turned the match around to win: 1-6, 7-6, 6-3 in 2h24), the Tricolore once again proves that at 38 years old he is capable of a breakthrough. Like every season, the one who reached the quarterfinals in Melbourne twice (2016, 2022) will be one of the French people to follow for this 112th edition.
They are coming back
She will return to the Australian Open 4 months after she announced she was taking a break, Caroline Garcia former world number 4 and current 58th arrives in Melbourne with plenty of doubts. The one who is no longer seeded (like the rest of the French players entered) will meet Naomi Osaka, whom she beat last year in the first round. The Lyonnaise will not necessarily be favored by the forecasts, however, as she comes out of a break of several months to preserve her mental health.
-The French number 2, Diane Parry (66th) had reached the third round of the last edition. After successes against Wang Xin and Rakhimova, the Habs lost three sets to the nugget Mirra Andreeva. The 22-year-old from Nice, gold medalist at the Youth Olympic Games in Rio in 2018, will play her first match of the season in Australia against Croatian Donna Vekic, seeded 18. Not easy.
Fantastic eighth finalist at the last Roland Garros, Corentin Moutet and his spoon serve will take the start in 2025 at the Australian Open. If he has reached the third round three times in a competition that he appreciates (2021, 2022, 2023), the native of Neuilly-sur-Seine is making his return to the first Grand Slam of the year. Not spared by the draw, he faced local Alexei Popyrin, seeded 25, from the start.
They shone in 2024 in Melbourne
2024 was a rather prolific year for French tennis in Australia. Three Blues reached the famous second week. Two men and a woman. First of all Adrian Mannarino. The 73rd in the ATP had an incredible tournament defeating the young Ben Shelton (21st) in five sets in the third round after a marathon of 4h46. His adventure came to an abrupt end against an intractable Novak Djokovic in the round of 16 (6-0, 6-0, 6-3). The veteran tricolor must contend with Karen Khachanov (seeded 19) from the start. Not a gift.
Benefiting from an invitation, the young Arthur Cazaux discovered the main draw of the Australian Open for the first time last year. Formidable on serve and solid at the net, the 22-year-old got rid of big names like Holger Rune (13th in the world) to pass three rounds before falling during a great battle against Hubert Hurkacz. Against Sebastian Baez (seeded 28), he offers himself an important test.
In women, Océane Dodin was the nice surprise of the women’s table. Qualified for the first time in her career in the round of 16 of a Grand Slam tournament after her success against her compatriot Clara Burelthe Lille native was then outclassed by the future finalist Qinwen Zheng (6-0, 6-3). Down to 117th in the WTA, she will not participate in this new edition.
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