The draw for the main draw took place yesterday morning, alongside the qualifications that continued this Sunday. Result: two clashes between top 100 members and a French duel between Mathilde Johansson and Virginie Razzano.
The tournament welcomes the 20 best young players in the 9/10-year-old category from the department on Wednesday, May 6, and the final on Saturday, May 9, between the two semifinals.
The Cagnes-sur-Mer Open also integrates disability into high-level sports. A wheelchair tennis exhibition match will take place at the opening of the final on Sunday afternoon.
The top two seeds not spared
As expected, the list of registered players included many talented players, notably with 10 members of the top 100. The draw for the main draw was bound to deliver exciting matches from the first days of the tournament.
The two most exciting clashes of this first round will involve the top two seeds. The German Carina Witthoeft (WTA No. 70) will face the American Nicole Gibbs (No. 94), while Shelby Rogers (No. 78) will take on the Belgian Alison Van Uytvanck (No. 91).
Among the French players, Fiona Ferro, who has a wild card, will have a tough challenge against the Russian Daria Gavrilova (No. 79). Océane Dodin (No. 136) will battle against the British Johanna Konta, while Pauline Parmentier, seeded No. 8 and ranked 89th in the world, must overcome the Russian Elizaveta Kulichkova (No. 111). Finally, Mathilde Johansson and Virginie Razzano will clash in a French duel.
Amandine Hesse, the last Frenchwoman standing
Four French players were on the schedule for Sunday, May 3, for the second round of qualifications. Morgane Pons, after a tightly contested match, eventually conceded in 3 sets against the Ukrainian Nadiia Kichenok (6-3, 5-7, 6-2). Irina Ramialison, who had made it through the qualifications in the last two editions of the Open, will not repeat this performance after her defeat in 2 sets against the Russian Ola Doroshina (6-4, 6-2).
The young Clara Froget, 14 years old, who had created an upset in the first round, was unable to recover from a muscle tear sustained yesterday and had to withdraw without being able to defend her chances on the court.
On the French side, the silver lining finally came at the end of the day from Amandine Hesse, who defeated the Ukrainian Katarina Zavatska: 7-5, 6-0.
Laurence Andreoletti
