Kovacs clearly found a way. The results started to mount up: he won in Acapulco in February, reached the quarterfinals in Miami and the semifinals in Houston in March, and on Saturday he came back from two sets down for only the second time in his career to beat Jaime Faria in four hours.
“It’s just being tough. Trying to have the mentality, just never laying down. Don’t lay down,” Tiafoe said, trying to explain how he had managed to win. “If he gets you and he earns it, great, but just don’t lay down, don’t help him over the finish line. And that’s kind of my mentality.”
If he needs to go the distance again, at least Tiafoe knows he has what it takes to beat Arnaldi in five – he did it two years ago in the first round at Wimbledon. Arnaldi won their only other encounter in straight sets in Madrid last year.
Whatever happens on Monday, both men still have reasons to be cheerful: Arnaldi has matched his best-ever Grand Slam performance this week and Tiafoe knows that he is back on the right path.
Court Philippe-Chatrier, first match
Zachary Svajda vs Flavio Cobolli (10)
If you are surprised to see Svajda’s name in the draw at this stage in the tournament, you would not be alone. The man is still pinching himself to make sure he is not dreaming. This is his Roland-Garros debut and he thinks he has only played about 15 matches on red clay in his life, but now he is one match away from the quarterfinals.
“I’m definitely shocked, surprised for sure,” he said. “It hasn’t kicked in yet. It’s crazy. I’m just taking it all in. I knew I would get good on the clay. I thought maybe in a few years, but I never expected right now. I’m very grateful and blessed and just taking it all in.”
Ahead of him is Cobolli who is looking to match his best Grand Slam result – reaching the Wimbledon quarterfinals last July.
Court Philippe-Chatrier, second match
Diane Parry vs Maja Chwalinska
This is one for the eagle eyed and the technically minded among you. As you watch Parry, just keep an eye on her backhand. She is that rarity in the modern game, particularly the women’s modern game, in that she plays it single handed. Most of the time. But not always. The world No.92 started out with a double-handed backhand as a child but then when she was around 12 years old, she switched to the single hander. But last December, she tried the double hander on her returns. Not every time, but now and again to keep her opponents guessing and to add a new weapon to her game.
With the single hander, she loves to slice – especially on clay – but with the double hander she can hit flat and hard. And she has the most success with it against left-handed players. Like Chwalinska.
Court Suzanne-Lenglen, second match
Madison Keys (19) vs Diana Shnaider (25)
In the midst of chaos, Keys stands tall, calm and collected. Her match on Saturday was played to the sound of fireworks close by as revellers celebrated PSG’s Champions League victory. And as the walkways and cafes of Roland-Garros echo with chatter about seeds losing, new favourites for the title and upsets pending, Keys simply smiles. “There’s definitely been instances where I’ve gotten way too concerned about this person lost, so now my quarter is open,” she said. “I do think we’re seeing the men deal with it for the first time in a really long time where it feels completely wide open. They should really get their heads around it.”
Wise words from the former Australian Open champion. She overcame a tough challenge from Victoria Mboko in the last round and now faces Shnaider, a woman she beat in three tiebreak sets in Brisbane this year, her third win against the 22-year-old in three meetings.
