Chris O’Connell has ended up slicing a baffled determine at Roland Garros, pondering how his doubtlessly career-changing clay-court European season may have culminated in one other sluggish first-round exit within the French Open.
For the third 12 months working, O’Connell, who believes not with out good cause that clay is a robust floor for his attritional recreation, went out within the first spherical in Paris on Monday. But this one actually appeared to harm – and puzzle – him as he missed out on the possibility of a second-round date with world No.1 Carlos Alcaraz.
Beaten 6-0 6-2 6-4 by his Japanese pal Taro Daniel, a participant ranked 35 locations under him, O’Connell simply could not perceive how, after such a giant season on clay wherein he’d reached the Munich semi-final, he’d once more produced such a poor, slow-starting effort on the most important stage.
For despite the fact that he had an issue with an indirect pressure in his left aspect which affected his serving, the Sydneysider reckoned there have been no excuses for what he felt was a weirdly acquainted lapse that all the time appeared to happen when he obtained to Paris.
“I’ve had a really good season, having good wins, playing well on the clay,” shrugged O’Connell, .
“But something happens when I come here. I just can’t find that form that I’ve had over the past few months.
“(The physique was) a bit bit off however that wasn’t actually the problem at this time. It affected me a bit bit on serve,” he mentioned.
“I do not know, it appears to be a constant sample right here on the French over the past three years now the place I’m getting off to horrible begins and never feeling very snug on the market.
“The same sort of thing happened last year and the year before that and it happened again today.”
In 2021, O’Connell succumbed to Aljaz Bedene in 4 units after shedding the primary two, whereas the 12 months earlier than he once more needed to play catch-up in useless after gifting the primary two units to Tommy Paul, happening to lose 10-8 in an epic five-setter.
“You want to have your best results in the slams but it is just not happening for me here,” mentioned O’Connell.
“I think it’s one of my best surfaces but, for whatever reason, here I just play really bad tennis.”
He wonders if it could have had one thing to do together with his failure to adapt to sea-level play after enjoying at altitude in latest tournaments.
Whatever, he is decided to remain optimistic after his breakthrough marketing campaign on the clay which has transported him to a career-high 77.
“I’ve had a really good clay-court season and plan to continue playing on clay after Wimbledon,” mentioned O’Connell, who is predicated in Split, Croatia.
“I’m just going to get off the clay as soon as possible. Forget about it. Concentrate on the grass and then get on get back on the clay after that.”
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
