Paris Olympics 2024 tennis, Day 2 Highlights: Bopanna-Balaji out, Rafael Nadal beats Fucsovics to setup 2nd round meeting against Novak Djokovic

Sumit Nagal suffered a three-setter against Moutet. Later, we’ll see Rohan Bopanna and N Sriram Balaji in action.

Apart from the four Grand Slams, the Olympics are seen as one of the biggest tournaments in tennis. Top tennis icons such as Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, Roger Federer, Andre Agassi and more have finished at the top of the podium at the Olympic Games. Meanwhile, a few tennis stars have failed to secure a podium finish by a slight margin.

A new edition of the Games, the Paris Olympics 2024, has started, and multiple surprises are expected to unfold on the clay of Stade Roland Garros in the upcoming week. Hence, let’s take a look at the top three matches to look out for today:

Sumit Nagal vs Corentin Moutet preview

Sumit Nagal began his year with a breakthrough victory over Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik in the first round of the 2024 Australian Open. Moreover, he also outclassed Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi in the Monte Carlo Masters. At the same tournament, Nagal took a set from former World No. 7 Holger Rune in the second round.

The Indian tennis star has made three Challenger finals this season, winning in Chennai and Heilbronn. Before arriving in Paris, he lost to Spain’s Pedro Martinez (7-5, 7-5) in straight sets in the Round of 16 of the Kitzbuhel Open 

Meanwhile, Corentin Moutet has enjoyed a good run this season. The Frenchman reached the fourth round of the 2024 French Open with wins over the likes of Nicolas Jarry and Sebastian Ofner. Before that, he also played in the semi-final of the Santiago Open.

Rafael Nadal vs Marton Fucsovics preview

The round-one match is less than 48 hours away and there is still uncertainty over this clash. While Rafael Nadal will ideally be looking to add to his Beijing 2008 Olympic gold, he will kick start his campaign against Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics.

Fucsovics, who’s ranked 83rd is coming off a poor season with his latest outing in the Austrian Open ending in the very first match itself. He faced a strong challenge at the 2024 French Open where Tsitsipas crushed him in straight sets in the first round.

Playing against Nadal on clay is always a daunting task but the Hungarian will be aware that the Spaniard is currently vulnerable. If the match takes place as scheduled, the 32-year-old should not be underestimated. He will be striving to join an elite group of players who have beaten the 38-year-old at Roland Garros.

Rohan Bopanna/N Sriram Balaji vs Gael Monfils/Edouard Roger-Vasselin preview

After the 2024 Wimbledon, the Indian pair decided to get accustomed to each other’s style of play and proceeded to compete in the German Open. Unfortunately, things didn’t turn out as planned, as the duo crashed out in their very first game in straight sets. However, they have certainly spent a decent amount of time practicing in Paris since then.

Balaji’s aggressive play and quick ground coverage make the pair unique. Coupled with Bopanna’s powerful backhand and big serves, the duo forms a well-balanced team. With the pressure of performing at the world’s most prestigious event, the 44-year-old veteran India has the right athlete to bank on.

Up against them, though, will be the formidable French duo of Fabien Reboul and Edouard Roger-Vasselin, who boast an impressive record on clay. Contrary to the Indians, the hometown pair is coming off an excellent stint at the German Open where they were the runner-ups. They also beat the top-seed Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek in the semi-finals and will certainly be high on confidence.

With a packed French crowd cheering for the home favorites, the Indian pair will face an uphill task in their first-round match at the 2024 Paris Olympics. However, the French pair had to undergo a huge setback as Gael Monfils replaced Fabien Reboul at the last time. Reboul reportedly suffered an injury, and as a result, he won’t be able to play at the Olympics.

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