French veterans among the Roland Garros wild cards

Paris (AFP) – Veteran French players Pauline Parmentier and Nicolas Mahut are among those who have received wild-card entries to the main draw at Roland Garros, the French Tennis Federation announced on Wednesday.

Mahut, a 36-year-old veteran ranked 116th in the world, was a member of France’s Davis Cup winning team in November and will be able to play in the French Open for a 16th time.

It will be the 14th time at Roland Garros for Parmentier, who is 32. She is 76th in the world after winning her first title in a decade in Istanbul at the end of April. But the boost in her rankings came too late to qualify her automatically for her home Grand Slam.

Because of a deal with the US Tennis Federation, two Americans also received wild cards. Taylor Townsend, a 22-year-old who is ranked 72nd was given a place in the women’s draw and Noah Rubin, also 22 and ranked 198th, was added on the men’s side. Two Australians will be added because of a similar agreement.

Five young French men also received invitations: Calvin Hemery, (23 and ranked 123rd), Corentin Moutet (19, No. 144), Gregoire Barrere (24, No. 241), Maxime Janvier (21, No. 283) and Elliot Benchetrit (19, No. 337).

On the women’s side, French players Amandine Hesse (25, No. 202), Myrtille Georges (27, No. 215), Jessika Ponchet (21, No. 228), Fiona Ferro (21, No. 201) and Chloe Paquet (23, No. 101), were added.