By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, May 24, 2015

 

No. 15 seed Venus Williams faces fellow American Sloane Stephens for the first time in the French Open first round.

Photo credit: FFT

On each day of the French Open we will provide you with notes on three matches to watch, plus notes and numbers to keep you well-equipped for the day ahead.

SEE THE COMPLETE DAY 1 SCHEDULE HERE

1. (12) Gilles Simon (FRA) vs. (WC) Lucas Pouille (FRA), Second Match, Court Philippe Chatrier

The highest-ranked Frenchman in the field takes on talented 21-year-old compatriot Pouille, who arrives in Paris on career-high rank of No. 90. Simon should be motivated playing for his 350th career victory and fifth straight trip to the second round. Pouille will need to protect his serve. The slender Simon leads the ATP Tour in break-point conversion percentage (51 percent), is third in second-serve return points won (56 percent) and fifth on the circuit in return games won (33) percent in 2015.

2. Borna Coric (CRO) vs. Sam Querrey (USA), Third Match, Court 6

Two years removed from the Roland Garros junior semifinals, the 18-year-old Coric makes his main draw debut. Coric tuned up for Paris by reaching the Nice semifinals and enters the opening round at a career-high rank of No. 46. The Croatian's two-handed backhand is his best stroke and should get plenty of action from Querrey's favored inside-out forehand. Querrey has failed to survive the first round in five of eight prior French Open appearances.

3. Sloane Stephens (USA) vs. (15) Venus Williams (USA), Third Match, Court Suzanne Lenglen

This all-American clash is the first meeting between the pair. The 40th-ranked Stephens enters fresh off the Strasbourg semifinals — her best result of the season — and is one of the fastest women in the game capable of extending points. Stephens has reached the Roland Garros round of 16 in each of the last three years; she's 9-35 lifetime against Top 20 opponents. Making her 18th main draw appearance in Paris, Williams has reached the quarterfinals or better in four of her seven tournaments this season. Williams is fourth on the WTA in return points won (48 percent) this season.

By the Numbers

2 Number of times Venus Williams has lost in the Roland Garros first round (to Barbara Schett in 2001 and to Urszula Radwanska in 2013).

4 Number of former French Open men's semifinalist in action on Moday: Gael Monfils, Tomas Berdych, Jurgen Melzer and Andy Murray.

13 Years between Mirjana Lucic-Baroni's opening-round win over American Lauren Davis and her last French Open win over Stéphanie Cohen-Aloro in 2002.

17 Number of American women in draw and the number of women age 30 or older in the main draw.

200-200 Fabio Fognini's career record as he plays for his sixth straight trip to the second round

350 Gilles Simon plays for his 350th career victory when he faces wild card Lucas Pouille in an all-French first-rounder.