By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Monday May 27, 2024
Rome was amazing for Chilean men’s tennis. Paris… not so much.
Nicolas Jarry and Alejandro Tabilo were both first-round victims at Roland-Garros on Day 1, as 16th-seeded Jarry fell to France’s Corentin Moutet in four sets (6-2, 6-1, 3-6, 6-0) while Tabilo was taken out by Belgium’s Zizou Bergs 3-6, 7-6(5), 6-2, 6-2.
Just over a week ago, Jarry was a finalist in Rome, where he became the first Chilean to contest a Masters final since 2007, and Tabilo reached the semis.
“He's better ranked than myself at the moment, but I've always believed in myself,” said Moutet, who benefited from an electric atmosphere on Court Simonne-Mathieu in a match that finished close to midnight.
It was Moutet’s second consecutive win against Jarry – he also took him out in Santiago in February, in an atmosphere that favored the Chilean.
Moutet was happy to face Jarry on French soil.
“I was booed in Chile from the beginning to the end of the match,” he said. “I don't know if it's a question of disrespect. For you it's disrespect. For me it isn't, but that's everybody's individual point of view.”
Tabilo, seeded 24th, entered Sunday’s contest with Belgian qualifier Zizou Bergs with a 19-10 record on the season and a title (at Auckland) in tow. But it was the World No.104 who took the run of play.
“It's been incredible, especially after a second set like that,” Bergs said. “It's the first time I've won in four sets. The first time at least in a main draw with other Belgians as well that are here. I'm still feeling the adrenaline.”