French tennis star Luca Van Assche makes history by advancing to the second round of the Rolex Paris Masters, defeating Mariano Navone and highlighting the rise of French talent.
Van Assche advances in Paris Masters
Premier French player Luca Van Assche qualified for the second round of the Rolex Paris Masters by defeating Argentine Mariano Navone in two sets (6-3, 7-5). This marks the first time Van Assche has reached the second round of the Paris tournament, having previously not won a match in this category since 2024. Van Assche’s performance highlights
The 22-year-old, ranked 47th in the world, achieved the victory on the first day of competition at the Plénitude Arena in Nanterre, where he had the responsibility of opening French participation in the event following his move from the Accor Arena. Navone’s challenge and Van Assche’s strategy
Navone, who had defeated Novak Djokovic at the US Open, is currently ranked higher than Van Assche but struggled with the indoor conditions. Van Assche's performance was notable for his strong serving throughout the match, and he secured a crucial break of serve when Navone double-faulted while down 6-5, leading to the French player's victory. Van Assche reflects on French tennis
In a post-match interview, Van Assche expressed his joy at winning the match in Paris and highlighted the emergence of new French talent, particularly Moïse Kouame, who recently won the Brest Challenger and is now ranked 132nd in the world at age 17. Emerging talents in French tennis
Van Assche noted that Kouame had already demonstrated exceptional mobility at age 8, sliding to both sides, a skill unusual for his age. He also mentioned his former junior rival Arthur Fils, now ranked seventh in the world, noting that while Fils had a faster rise, the presence of multiple top French players is a positive development for French tennis.
