By Ros Satar, at Roland Garros
- Kyle Edmund [28] v Jeremy Chardy | H2H Tied at 1-1
- Edmund looking to snap a five-match losing streak in Roland Garros opener
PARIS, FRANCE – British No. 1 Kyle Edmund will look to try and end his clay court season on a high after a disappointing run in the build-up to Roland Garros.
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[table “ADPDAll” not found /]Kyle Edmund [28] v Jeremy Chardy | H2H Tied at 1-1
In any other season, the clay would be British No. 1 Kyle Edmund’s favourite time of year, having forged a lot of success for his big serving, big hitting game on the dirt. Not so this year though. It has been an up and down year for the Brit, losing his coach to retirement, and an illness that forced him to take on the Indian Well Challenger to get some matches under his belt before the start of the spring hard court swing.
It seemed to pay off as he claimed that title and picked up a couple of wins there and in Miami, but on favoured surface, it has been a different story. A solitary win in Marrakech, where he was defending a run to his first tour final, and since then he has been on a five-match losing streak – hardly the best preparation for the second Slam of the year.
In normal circumstances you would have to favour the more powerful and usually steady Edmund over the generally more inconsistent Frenchman Jeremy Chardy, who tends to hit flat with very little wins to his name.
Edmund ought to feel confident of picking up a few free points off his serve, and his powerful serve and booming forehand combo on a surface that gives him the time to ready the shot and pull the trigger, should be guarantee of success.
However, a run of losses like this can shake the confidence, and with a baying French crowed willing their man on, it will be twice the battle for the reserved Yorkshireman. That being said, the French players have a tendency to quake under the pressure of home crowd scrutiny. Chardy has not exactly set the world alight in his build-up but has at least picked up a couple more wins than Edmund.
Prediction: Edmund in four sets.
Edmund and Chardy are scheduled fourth on Court No. 1, not before 4pm (3pm BST).
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