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The Canadian was one of nine #NextGenATP winners on Monday

Judging by their performance in the first round of Roland Garros qualifying, a slew of #NextGenATP players are ready to make their mark in Paris.

Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime was one of nine #NextGenATP competitors to notch a win in the French capital on Monday, defeating South African Lloyd Harris 6-4, 6-3. The 17-year-old became the first player born in the 2000s to compete in an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event earlier this year at the BNP Paribas Open, where he earned his maiden tour-level victory against compatriot Vasek Pospisil.

Since, Auger-Aliassime has gained even more momentum by advancing to the quarter-finals at two ATP Challenger Tour events in Portugal.

“Sometimes you expect to be nervous, to be tight, to not play your best tennis. But I think from the first game I was serving well, so that helps a lot because against good players, to help out physically, it’s always good to serve well,” Auger-Aliassime said according to RolandGarros.com. “At the start of the year I played well at Indian Wells, now I’m playing good on clay. I won two [ATP Challenger Tour] titles on clay last year, so I really think I can play well on any surface.”

The Canadian, who is the youngest competitor in the draw, will face another #NextGenATP player in the second round: Spaniard Jaume Munar. The 21-year-old beat No. 11 seed Tim Smyczek 6-3, 7-5 to set a rematch of a first-round match at the Barletta, Italy, Challenger earlier this year, in which he beat Auger-Aliassime after two hours, 51 minutes.

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Munar, who is at a career-best No. 155 in the ATP Rankings, is getting plenty of attention from someone who knows a thing or two about climbing that ladder. World No. 1 Rafael Nadal watched his younger compatriot play in person during Australian Open qualifying earlier this year.

The seven other #NextGenATP players who progressed are Jay Clarke, Hubert Hurkacz, Miomir Kecmanovic, Duckhee Lee, Casper Ruud, Akira Santillan and Carlos Taberner.

TUESDAY 22 MAY 2018 - DAN IMHOFF
New courts, smart makeovers and fond farewells: redevelopment of Stade Roland-Garros is well under way.

Roland-Garros 2018 court 18.
©Philippe Montigny/FFT
Wafts of fresh paint beneath the stands of Court-Philippe-Chatrier give way to the scents of spring blooms among manicured foliage as tournament staff manoevre trolleys of scaffolding between show courts.

They are the impending signs of Roland Garros about to hit full swing; a smattering of fans spilling between outside courts to catch a glimpse of pre-tournament qualifying.

Five-time quarter-finalist Tommy Robredo has just crashed out on the all-new Court No.18, a semi-sunken arena with bench seating capacity for 2200 spectators, making it the site’s fourth-largest court.

Spectators amble from the popular new showcourt at the far reaches of the grounds and weave their way back between groundsmen in the courtside alleys, eyeing the new taped off decking with umbrellas ready to be unfurled come Day 1 on Sunday beside Chatrier.

Roland Garros is in the midst of a massive redevelopment due for completion in 2020, and already the benefits to fans and players are tangible.

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The most obvious signs of the huge overhaul are immediately visible upon passing through the sleek new entrance on Boulevard d’Auteuil, where the mesh façades of the cube-like Village complex stand as an impressive backdrop to two more new outside courts – No.7, with its 1500 seats, and No.9, with capacity for 550.

Former champion Francesca Schiavone was beginning her qualifying campaign in a bid to contest her 17th Roland Garros main draw on nearby court No.6.

The 37-year-old Italian and 36-year-old Robredo have not seen such dynamic changes to these grounds in their careers.

Both no doubt harbour desires to see the overhaul through to its completion; the potential to contest another main draw, possibly on the future Simonne-Mathieu-Court, located in the adjacent Auteuil Greenhouse Gardens and due to be ready for the 2019 tournament.

Named after the Frenchwoman who claimed 10 Roland-Garros titles in the 1930s, the 5000-seater stadium will ease site congestion when it replaces the popular Court No.1, better known as the “Bullring.”

Restored burrstone buildings in the nearby gardens – originally built in 1898 – will be used for hospitality events in 2018 before being opened to the public in 2019.

Grigor Dimitrov entraînement / practice Suzanne-Lenglen Roland-Garros 2018
©Philippe Montigny / FFT
“Roland Garros is one of the jewels in the French capital’s crown,” tournament director Guy Forget beamed at this year’s launch.

“As part of the New Roland-Garros project, the tournament is currently undergoing a transformation so that it fulfils the requirements of the stadium’s various spectators. At the forthcoming tournament, visitors will see some new constructions for the first time, which promise to be magnificent.”

Changes to Suzanne-Lenglen are small but impossible to miss. New RG-etched seats made from the blonde French Vosges timber give the court an authentic original look as children scamper for prime position in the sun, cheering their approval when Grigor Dimitrov hits a target during practice.

The new wooden seats are designed to resist all weather and will be fitted in the Philippe-Chatrier and Simonne-Mathieu courts next year.

Bigger changes will be under way when the trolleys of scaffolding are rolled out during qualifying week in 2019, as fans bid farewell to the Bullring and welcome one of the last and most imposing pieces of the redevelopment jigsaw.

Some 80 per cent of Court Philippe-Chatrier will be demolished and rebuilt after Roland Garros 2018, and in two years from now – in line with the other three Grand Slam events – will sport a retractable roof.

The grounds’ ongoing metamorphosis is already delivering on a promise of magnificence.

Roland Garros - rozstawienie:

1 Nadal, Rafael ESP
2 Zverev, Alexander GER
3 Cilic, Marin CRO
4 Dimitrov, Grigor BUL
5 Del Potro, Juan Martin ARG
6 Anderson, Kevin RSA
7 Thiem, Dominic AUT
8 Goffin, David BEL
9 Isner, John USA
10 Carreno Busta, Pablo ESP
11 Schwartzman, Diego ARG
12 Querrey, Sam USA
13 Bautista Agut, Roberto ESP
14 Sock, Jack USA
15 Pouille, Lucas FRA
16 Edmund, Kyle GBR
17 Berdych, Tomas CZE
18 Fognini, Fabio ITA
19 Nishikori, Kei JPN
20 Djokovic, Novak SRB
21 Kyrgios, Nick AUS
22 Kohlschreiber, Philipp GER
23 Wawrinka Stan SUI
24 Shapovalov, Denis CAN
25 Mannarino, Adrian FRA
26 Krajinovic, Filip SRB
27 Dzumhur, Damir BIH
28 Rubliow, Andriej RUS
29 Gasquet, Richard FRA
30 Lopez, Feliciano ESP
31 Muller Gilles LUX
32 Verdasco Fernado ESP