Jeremy Chardy gave the home crowd something to cheer about with a tough four-set win over qualifier Michael Berrer in the opening round Tuesday. He will look to sustain the momentum of his huge win when he takes on the big-serving American John Isner in the round of 64 this coming Thursday.
Who will emerge victorious in this second-round showdown? Read on below for an in-depth breakdown of this French Open matchup and while you’re at it, you can check out our preview of the match between Andy Murray and Joao Sousa.
Jeremy Chardy scored a thrilling win for the French contingent Tuesday at Roland Garros, defeating 34-year-old Michael Berrer, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4. It was a sweet victory for Chardy who advanced to the second round of the French Open for the fifth consecutive year.
[sc:Other240banner ]Even though Chardy struggled to get his first serves in (54%) against Berrer, he made the most of the ones that got through, winning 44 of his 51 first serve points for a solid 86% clip. He also found some success in his forays to the net, winning 19 of 26 points there. He will need to bring that same kind of aggressiveness in the second round if he is to oust the hard-hitting Isner.
Chardy will fancy his chances of beating Isner as he is unbeaten against the American in their two previous meetings. Their last matchup happened two years ago at the Valencia Open where Chardy won in straight sets, 7-6 (7), 6-3.
If he is to shock Isner for the third straight time, Chardy needs to make the most of his break point chances. In the match against Berrer, Chardy only converted three of his 10 break point opportunities. Chances like that will be few and far between against a dominant server such as Isner so the Frenchman will have to improve on his return. Chardy only won 35% (42-of-120) of his receiving points against Berrer in the opening round.
John Isner barged into the second round of the 2015 French Open with a comprehensive 7-5, 6-3, 6-2 victory over Andreas Seppi on Tuesday. It was a resounding performance from Isner who needed just one hour and 41 minutes to oust the Italian.
Key to Isner’s impressive win was his towering serve. He converted 75% (65-of-87) of his first serves against Seppi with the American winning 49 of his 65 first serve points. Isner is third in the ATP Tour in that department, winning 81% of his first serve points this year. He finished the match with a whopping 21 aces.
The American will need to bring that killer serve this coming Thursday if he is to end his losing rut against Chardy. Isner’s success will largely depend on his first serve. He is third in the ATP Tour in first serve percentage with a solid 70% clip. If Isner’s first serve is right on target in the second round, it’s going to be a long afternoon for Chardy.
What makes Isner so tough to beat nowadays, though, is his ever-improving return. He proved that in the opening match against Seppi, winning 46% (43-of-93) of his receiving points. He was exceptional with his return on Tuesday, converting six of his 14 break point opportunities. That will serve him in good stead against Chardy whose serve was somewhat shaky in the opening round. The Frenchman went just 51-of-94 with his first serve against Berrer in the first round.
