Australian Open: end of the adventure for Léolia Jeanjean, Arthur Cazaux is not the favorite, Benjamin Bonzi will challenge the Belgian David Goffin

The French day at the Australian Open began on Monday with the defeats of Arthur Rinderknech and Léolia Jeanjean, before Caroline Garcia's entry into the competition against Naomi Osaka scheduled for late evening.  

Tight against world number 16 Frances Tiafoe, Arthur Rinderknech (61st) ended up surrendering in five sets against the American.

The 29-year-old Frenchman lost 7-6 (7/2), 6-3, 4-6, 6-7 (4/7), 6-3 after a fight lasting more than four hours. While he was solid on serve, lining up 33 aces, Rinderknech also made a lot of unforced errors.

Down two sets to zero, the right-hander seemed to be heading for a three-set defeat when he finally managed to break “Big Foe” at 4-4 in the third set.

200% Deposit Bonus up to €3,000 180% First Deposit Bonus up to $20,000

Once again in trouble in the following set, when the American served for the match at 5-3, Rinderknech found the resources to break his opponent in extremis and equalize at two sets all. Massé in the right arm before the start of the deciding set, Tiafoe gradually regained the upper hand in the deciding set, won 6-3 thanks to a double break.

The adventure ends for Jeanjean

The only French survivor of the qualifications in Melbourne, Léolia Jeanjean (149th) lost Monday 6-2, 6-4 against the British Jodie Burrage (173rd) in the first round of the Open from Australia.

After the elimination of Diane Parry (66th) and Chloé Paquet (122nd) on Sunday, Caroline Garcia (68th) and Varvara Gracheva (69th) represent the last French chances of moving on to the second round in the women's draw.

Back from a break of almost four months away from the circuit, the former will play Monday evening on the Rod Laver Arena against the former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka (51st), double winner of the Australian Open (2019 and 2021). The two players had already faced each other in the first round in Melbourne in 2024, a duel won in two sets by the Frenchwoman against an opponent who had just returned to the courts after giving birth to her first child. Varvara Gracheva will enter the competition on Tuesday against the American Caty McNally (540th).

Müller in bad shape

Winner of his first ATP tournament in Hong Kong at the beginning of January, Alexandre Müller (58th, 27 years old) began his first round match against the Portuguese Nuno Borges (33rd) in the middle of the day.

Around 3:30 p.m. (04:30 GMT), he was trailing two sets to one. Arthur Cazaux (78th) must also enter the competition later on Monday and will not start as the favourite against the Argentinian Sebastian Baez (28th), whom he is facing for the first time. In the fourth and final match scheduled for Monday on court No. 15, Benjamin Bonzi (64th), winner of the ATP 250 in Metz in November, will challenge the Belgian David Goffin (54th). The three previous confrontations between the two players have systematically turned to Goffin's advantage.