Overview
- Svajda defeated No. 25 Francisco Cerundolo in a five-set third-round match on Saturday to advance to the Round of 16 at Roland-Garros.
- The 23-year-old entered the match ranked No. 85 and had never advanced past the second round at a Grand Slam before this tournament.
- Svajda said the win was emotional because it fell on what would have been his late father Thomas’s 61st birthday and he told reporters he felt his father was “watching from above.”
- A viral TikTok of Svajda in Paris has raised his public profile as he becomes one of three Americans remaining in the men's draw.
- The men's draw has opened after top-player exits and absences, creating opportunities for lower-ranked players and giving Svajda a chance to reach the quarterfinals if he beats Cobolli.