Mixed fortunes for French Open’s record eight lucky losers

There were an Open- era record eight lucky losers in the men’s singles first round at Roland Garros, as a spate of players withdrew injured fol lowing changes to the rules regarding prize money.

The eight have produced some of the stories of the early stages of the 2018 French Open, from a roadtripping grandmother to an Egyptian world number 182 making his Grand Slam debut on Court Philippe Chatrier.

AFP Sport takes a look at who made their good fortune pay off, and who saw their luck run out: beaten by American Denis Kudla in the final round of qualifying last Thursday.

But a spot in the main draw opened up and the world number 136 took advantage in some style, downing 14th seed and Paris Masters champion Jack Sock 67 (7/4), 6-2, 4- 6, 7- 6 (7/5), 6- 3. The Estonian’s win was his first at a Grand Slam since Roland Garros in 2014. on the showpiece Philippe Chatrier court. The Italian impressed too, but missed four set points in the third set as he was eventually seen off 6- 4, 6- 3, 7- 6 (11/9).

-- Stakhovsky, who made his name by stunning Roger Federer at Wimbledon in 2013, made it four lucky losers into the second round by ending Feliciano Lopez’s record- equalling 65th consecutive Grand Slam campaign. The Ukrainian, who was ‘knocked out’ in qualifying by Belarusian Ilya Ivaskha, beat Lopez 6-2, 6- 4, 6-2.