Lucas Pouille and daughter receive Guard of Honor after Frenchman qualifies into French Open main draw
Former World No. 10, Lucas Pouille, stormed into the Roland Garros main draw on Thursday after he defeated Jurij Rodionov in the qualifier. After the win, the Frenchman was seen carrying his daughter in his arms through the tunnel.
Lucas Pouille's journey to the French Open has been a challenging one, as he battled alcoholism and depression before making his way back into professional tennis. Despite his struggles, Pouille has had notable successes in his career, including defeating Rafael Nadal at the 2016 US Open. However, his confidence suffered, and he faced difficulties after succumbing to alcoholism.
Lucas Pouille carrying his daughter after qualifying for Roland Garros is just so wholesome.
This man has been through the ringer.
He’s been knocked down by alcoholism & depression
But be sure of this… he’s standing back up. 🥹
https://t.co/HVl8oV8Acj
On Thursday, when Lucas Pouille took down Austria's Jurij Rodionov in the qualifier, he secured a spot in the main draw of this year's Roland Garros, which will be his first major since last year's French Open.
After recording the win, as the Frenchman walked into the tunnel, he received a very warm reception from the people. Pouille, who was carrying his daughter in his arms, received a heartwarming guard of honor at Stade Roland Garros.
@TheTennisLetter So sorry to hear of his struggles. Was wondering what happened to him. LucaP was an upcoming highly talented French atp player with a very bright future. So glad to see him fight his way back thru the Challenger Tour. Best of luck at RG.
People on Twitter also showered their love on the 29-year-old, wishing him health and happiness. The fans also showed their excitement at watching Pouille back in the ATP competitions.
Lucas Pouille took down Jurij Rodionov to secure a place in the main draw of the French Open
Lucas Pouille started his French Open qualification campaign against Tomas Machac on 23rd May. Despite a valiant effort against the Frenchman, Machac lost the match in two sets, 7-5, 6-3.
In the next round, Pouille went up against Tseng Chun-Hsin from Taiwan. Although Tseng managed to claim the first set, Pouille showcased his resilience and fought back to secure a hard-fought victory with a score of 5-7, 6-3, 6-0.
Lucas Pouille qualifié pour le tableau principal !! #RolandGarros https://t.co/dAuGivNeiS
Being just one win away from a spot in the main draw, the former Australian Open semifinalist locked horns with Jurij Rodionov. Rodionov got off to a strong start, taking the first set. However, Pouille remained composed and engaged in a fierce battle in the second set. Ultimately, Pouille's determination paid off as he emerged victorious with a score of 1-6, 7-5, 6-0.
This win held great significance for Pouille, as it marked the first time since September 2021 that he had achieved three consecutive victories at any level. The home crowd rallied behind the Frenchman, providing him with tremendous support. In an exceptional third set, Pouille showcased his skill and dominance by breaking Rodionov's serve three times without dropping a single game.