Alexander Zverev and Dominic Thiem could meet in the final eight round of the French Open 2018. This was the result of the draw in Paris on Thursday evening.
By Jens Huiber from Paris
At the end of the draw ceremony, the French Tennis Federation had a surprise in store: when the men’s and women’s tableaus had already been approved by the head referee, last year’s champions Rafael Nadal and Jelena Ostapenko passed by the L´Orangerie in fine twist.
Nadal was much better off than Ostapenko: Alexandr Dolgopolov in the opening match, Kevin Anderson could wait in the quarter-finals. Also in the upper half of the tableau, Marin Cilic and Juan Martin del Potro were drawn by lots, who also met in the round of the last eight.
Like Alexander Zverev and Dominic Thiem. Zverev opens against Ricardas Berankis, Thiem against a qualifier. However, there are several dangers lurking on the way to a German-Austrian duel: Stefanos Tsitsipas or Kei Nishikori, for example, from Thiem’s point of view. Zverev might be in the way of Lucas Pouille.
Philipp Kohlschreiber will play Borna Coric, Florian Mayer in the German duel against Mischa Zverev. Maximilian Marterer meets Ryan Harrison, Jan-Lennard Struff meets Evgeny Donskoy. Andreas Haider-Maurer finally starts against Karen Khachanov.
In the women’s singles, record winner Serena Williams enters the race without a break, she opens against Krsitina Pliskova. Angelique Kerber is expecting Mona Barthel, Julia Görges Domenika Cibulkova. All this takes place in the upper half of the tableau, led by Simona Halep and Garbine Muguruza.
Ostapenko is in the lower grid, she could meet Rome winner Elina Svitolina in the quarter-finals. Caroline Wozniacki will try to improve her relationship with the ashes by beating Daniele Collins. Tatjana Maria finally gets to deal with Kirsten Flipkens.
Here the single tableau in Paris of the ladies
Here the single tableau in Paris of the gentlemen