Full order of play for Saturday, what time it starts and how to watch in UK
ROLAND GARROS — Coco Gauff is 19 but is nevertheless one of the tour’s senior pros these days, having made her breakthrough four years ago.
As such, she has very rarely in her career had the experience of playing against someone younger than her.
In fact, it has never happened at a grand slam, something that will change when she faces Mirra Andreeva at around 12.15pm on Saturday.
“When I was her age, I didn’t think about [age] and I’m sure she’s not thinking about her age on the court,” Gauff said.
“And all the people who’ve played against me when I was her age, I don’t know if they were thinking about my age. I doubt they were.
“I feel like it really doesn’t play a factor regarding when we step on the court. Maybe there could be an experience thing that maybe could show, but honestly I really doubt it when it’s someone of her level.
How to watch
- TV: Eurosport 1/2 (Sky 410/411, Virgin 521/522, BT 412/413)
- Live stream: Eurosport app/discovery+ (£6.99 a month)
“I think she knows the game well, and she’s proved her position to be here and proved in her results in the past, so I don’t think the age thing matters.”
It will only be the third time in her professional career that Gauff has played a younger opponent, but she says it will make little difference to her.
“The first two times I didn’t even think about it because when you step on the court, you just see your opponent, and you don’t really think about the personal side of things,” Gauff added.
“You just see forehand, backhand, serve, and all the same.”
Ones to watch
(All times BST)
Along with the mouthwatering prospect of Gauff vs Andreeva, there is also a clash of two more members of the next generation in the night session, albeit on the men’s side.
Frances Tiafoe is already a previous grand slam semi-finalist and one of the game’s great entertainers, but he has struggled to make his mark on clay. Reaching the third round is already his finest achievement at Roland Garros so far, and he faces a stern test in Alexander Zverev at 7.15pm on Saturday night.
The German made the semi-finals here last year before injuring his ankle during the second set against Rafael Nadal, and looked close to his best in dispatching Alex Molcan in the second round.
Upset-watch
There is no obvious pick here. Any of the seeds on Chatrier during the day losing would be a massive shock, but it’s hard to see any of them coming off.
The one chance might be for the fast-improving Zhang Zhizhen to catch last year’s finalist Casper Ruud, who showed a few lapses in concentration against unfancied Giulio Zeppieri, cold at 10am on Suzanne Lenglen. It will be 11am in Paris, but still an early start for the Norwegian, who has really only just rediscovered some of the form that helped him to within one match of world No 1 last year.
Saturday’s schedule
(All courts start at 10am unless otherwise stated)
Court Philippe Chatrier (from 10.45am)
- Elena Rybakina (4) vs Sara Sorribes Tormo
- Holger Rune (6) vs Genaro Alberto Olivieri
- Iga Swiatek (1) vs Wang Xinyu
- (Not before 7.15pm) Alexander Zverev (22) vs Frances Tiafoe (12)
Court Suzanne Lenglen
- Zhang Zhizhen vs Casper Ruud (4)
- Mirra Andreeva vs Coco Gauff (6)
- Fracisco Cerundolo (23) vs Taylor Fritz (9)
- Olga Danilovic vs Ons Jabeur (7)
Court Simonne Mathieu
- Yoshihito Nishioka (27) vs Thiago Seyboth Wild
- Ekaterina Alexandrova (23) vs Beatriz Haddad Maia (14)
- Bianca Andreescu vs Lesia Tsurenko
- Daniel Altmaier vs Grigor Dimitrov (28)
Court 14
- (Following a women’s doubles match) Borna Coric (15) vs Tomas Martin Etcheverry
- Anna Karolina Schmiedlova vs Kayla Day
Court 7
- (Following a women’s doubles match) Nicolas Jarry vs Marcos Giron
- Elisabette Cocciaretto vs Bernarda Pera
