Amidst the romantic red dust and vibrant spirits, the 2024 French Open has swiftly moved into its more intense and decisive second week. The history of tennis is a vast ocean filled with surprises and uncertainties, stirring the emotions of countless fans. With the conclusion of the first four rounds in singles, the quarterfinalists have emerged, signaling the approach of the climax and the unmissable drama.
Novak Djokovic, ASICS Tennis Ambassador
Novak Djokovic, representing ASICS, advances to his 15th consecutive French Open quarterfinal, but not without challenges. Despite straightforward wins in the first two rounds, the Serbian legend faced two grueling five-set battles in rounds three and four, both times coming back from a 1-2 set deficit. Overcoming physical adversity and fluctuations in form, Djokovic defeated powerful clay-court seeds, Jannik Sinner and Francisco Cerundolo. With this, he surpassed Roger Federer for the most Grand Slam victories in history, now at 370.
“At my age, if I didn’t think I had a chance to win, I wouldn’t be here. I always have the belief and obsession to win a Grand Slam title. Although my clay court preparation this year was average, which made me lower my expectations, my hope and belief remain unchanged.” Djokovic will face Norway’s Casper Ruud, a rematch of last year’s final. Can he secure another victory at Roland Garros? We await with anticipation.
Alex de Minaur, ASICS Tennis Ambassador
Alex de Minaur sets a new personal best at Roland Garros, reaching the quarterfinals for the first time. As the Australian No.1’s clay court prowess has grown this season, success follows naturally. Notably, de Minaur’s previous best at the French Open was only the round of 64 in seven attempts. This time, he advanced through the first two rounds without dropping a set, then fought back from a set down to defeat fifth seed Daniil Medvedev in the fourth round. This marks his second appearance in a Grand Slam quarterfinal and makes him the first Australian man to reach the last eight at Roland Garros since 2004.
De Minaur commented after the match, “I didn’t expect to make it to the quarterfinals at the French Open, considering my past results here. After struggling on clay for so many years, finally breaking through at this tournament and achieving my best result at a Grand Slam again, I’m very proud of myself.” He will next face fourth seed Alexander Zverev.
Borna Coric, ASICS Tennis Ambassador
Borna Coric’s French Open campaign ended in the first round as he fell in three sets to home favorite Gilles Simon, finishing the clay season with a 2-5 record. Now ranked No.73, Coric needs a turnaround in the second half of the year. Fortunately, grass and fast hard courts, where he has enjoyed success, are upcoming. In 2018, Coric claimed his first grass title at Halle by defeating Roger Federer, and in 2022, he captured his maiden Masters 1000 title in Cincinnati, defeating Rafael Nadal and Stefanos Tsitsipas along the way. Demonstrating his all-around skills, Coric must conserve his energy and wait for his moment to return to top form.
Sabine Lisicki, ASICS Tennis Ambassador
Sabine Lisicki, representing ASICS, celebrated her 28th birthday during this French Open. As the 13th seed, she was upset by Kaja Juvan in the first round. Lisicki reached the semifinals at last year’s French Open, her best Grand Slam performance. While an early exit is disappointing, her 2024 clay season included quarterfinal appearances in Madrid and Strasbourg. The resilient German player will surely bounce back and continue to give her all in the remaining season.
Camila Giorgi, ASICS Tennis Ambassador
Camila Giorgi, seeded 12th, made her first Grand Slam quarterfinal appearance in her career at this French Open. In the quarterfinals, she faced fourth seed Aryna Sabalenka. Giorgi, known for her aggressive playing style and tenacious defense, thrives on clay, as evidenced by her doubles title at this year’s Rome tournament alongside Sara Errani. Expectations are high for the passionate Italian to continue delivering surprises on the court.
Ons Jabeur, ASICS Tennis Ambassador
Ons Jabeur reaches the quarterfinals at Roland Garros for the second consecutive year, aiming to improve on her previous best. The Tunisian No.1 struggled with injuries earlier in the season, impacting her ranking, but she regained form on clay, reaching the quarterfinals in Madrid. As a seasoned competitor with a versatile game and solid all-around skills, Jabeur is a formidable contender for the title. She will face third seed Coco Gauff in the quarterfinals.
Su-Wei Hsieh, ASICS Tennis Ambassador
Taiwanese star Su-Wei Hsieh, an ASICS ambassador, achieved a breakthrough at this French Open, reaching the mixed doubles quarterfinals alongside Luis David Martínez, snapping a losing streak on the tour. Hsieh’s solid baseline play and ability to hold her own against male opponents were key to her success. A Grand Slam mixed doubles finalist grants lifetime membership, a status Hsieh has already achieved at the other three majors. Can she complete the set in Paris? We watch with interest. Hsieh and Martínez will face fourth seeds Wesley Koolhof and Neal Skupski in the quarterfinals.
Each swing aims for self-transcendence, every victory touches upon dreams. The ASICS team will continue their fight at Roland Garros with unwavering determination, battling for every point, knowing that triumphs are built from the sum of each win. As the tournament enters its latter stages, we eagerly anticipate more thrilling encounters and the unfolding of new chapters.
(Text by Wang Fei and Huang Xu)