Shamil Tarpishchev, president of the Russian Tennis Federation, commented on Karen Khachanov’s triumph at Roland Garros. The statement comes as Khachanov, ranked 11th in the world, defeated the 69th-ranked French player Constant Letien in a five-set duel. After losing the first two sets, Khachanov shifted the momentum to claim victory by scores of 3:6, 1:6, 6:2, 6:1, 6:3 in a match that stretched over 3 hours and 42 minutes.
Khachanov admitted the win represented a hard fight, noting the court surface was new and unfamiliar, unlike last year. He faced an opponent who was less known to him at the start, requiring a long adjustment period and stubborn endurance to turn the outcome in his favor.
Looking ahead, Khachanov will take on Moldova’s Radu Albot in the next round at Roland Garros.
Former Russian tennis player Andrey Rublev offered his perspective on his performance in the opening round of the French Open. Rublev, Russia’s second-ranked player and world’s seventh, defeated Serbia’s Laszlo Djere, who sits at 57 in the ATP rankings, in the tournament’s first match.