The final phase of the Roland-Garros eSeries by Renault 2025 took place on Saturday at the Tenniseum, where Sports.fr had the opportunity to speak with Marion Bartoli about the prestigious Grand Slam tournament at Porte d’Auteuil.
When asked if Arthur Fils’ tournament would be considered successful if he reaches the second week, Bartoli stated that reaching the round of 16 would mean he has largely fulfilled expectations, especially given his current ranking at 14th in the world. This ranking suggests he will face opponents with lower rankings in the first week. However, she noted that Fils has yet to win a match at Roland-Garros or during the Olympic Games held in Paris at the same venue, indicating a challenging road ahead.
Bartoli acknowledged the additional pressure on French players, referring to Amélie Mauresmo’s insights regarding the expectations placed on homegrown competitors. She highlighted that any success beyond the round of 16 would be a bonus for Fils, particularly if he faces off against Jannik Sinner, who would be the logical favorite in that scenario.
Turning to potential champions of the tournament, Bartoli identified Carlos Alcaraz as the standout favorite, given his status as defending champion and recent victories in Monte-Carlo and Rome. She cautioned against underestimating Novak Djokovic, who despite a rocky start to the clay season, recently clinched his 100th career title in Geneva, suggesting he could make a significant impact in the latter stages of the tournament.
Bartoli expressed skepticism about any outsider winning the men’s tournament, noting that history suggests players who perform poorly leading up to Roland-Garros rarely emerge victorious. She did mention that a surprising run by Arthur Fils could occur, especially with home crowd support, given his past performances, including three quarter-finals in Masters 1000 events.
This perspective not only highlights the high stakes for players like Fils but also reinforces the idea that support from fans can elevate an athlete’s performance under pressure.