Kazbek Karatsev, the father of Russian tennis player Aslan Karatsev, recently shared his thoughts on his son’s prospects at the Roland Garros Grand Slam in Paris. He spoke about the progress after a hip issue that caused concern earlier in the season, noting that the problem in Madrid no longer weighs on Aslan and that both his physical condition and technical play are solid as he heads deeper into the tournament. According to Metaratings.ru, Kazbek emphasized that his son appears ready to push hard across the court and test his limits on the Paris clay this spring.
In the opening round at Roland Garros, Aslan Karatsev produced a convincing performance against Australian Alexei Popyrin, posting a 6:3, 6:7, 6:1, 6:2 scoreline. The match underscored Karatsev’s resilience, bouncing back after a narrow second-set loss and showing the ability to regain momentum and control in the later stages of the set. This victory positioned him to meet the American Francis Tiafoe in the next round, a player who has ranked among the top echelons of the sport and is currently listed as the 12th seed in the world rankings. The encounter promised a clash of contrasting styles, with Karatsev’s steadiness from the baseline and Tiafoe’s aggressive pace and athleticism likely to produce an engaging battle on the red clay of Paris. Metaratings.ru noted the matchup as a meaningful test for Karatsev’s tournament run and his continued ascent on the tour.
Beyond Roland Garros, the broader ATP picture has further clarified the status of several Russian players this season. Daniil Medvedev has continued to hold the top spot in the ATP race, a position he has maintained through consistent results and a steady accumulation of points across the year. In the current top ten, compatriots Andrey Rublev and Karen Khachanov also remain prominent figures, occupying the sixth and ninth positions respectively. These strong showings help reinforce Russia’s presence at the upper echelons of men’s tennis as the season progresses. In this context, Aslan Karatsev’s climb, moving up three spots to the 39th position, reflects a continued improvement in his ability to convert opportunities on tour and to translate hard work into meaningful gains in the rankings. Alexander Shevchenko’s ascent from 59th to 53rd also highlights the depth and resilience present in the Russian cohort this year, as several players push to improve their standing and add momentum to their campaigns. Metaratings.ru provided this snapshot to illustrate how the landscape is shaping up for players like Karatsev who are navigating the demanding schedule of the clay-court season and the global tour alike.