Novak Djokovic, Ben Shelton, Coco Gauff and other tennis stars participated in a fun challenge amid their 2024 French Open campaign. In a promotional video for the 2024 edition of the event, some of the top ATP and WTA stars attempted to strike a pose resembling the iconic Eiffel Tower, with hilarious and awkward results.
The 2024 French Open has released several promotional videos to showcase its culture and scenery. One of these videos features some of the best tennis players in the world, who are asked to pose like the Eiffel Tower, the most famous landmark of Paris.
The video featured 21 players from both the ATP and WTA tours such as Djokovic, Shelton, Gauff, Casper Ruud, Ons Jabeur, Andrey Rublev, Mirra Andreeva, Alize Cornet, Daniil Medvedev, Jelena Ostapenko, Sebastian Korda, Paula Badosa, Andy Murray, Aryna Sabalenka, Carlos Alcaraz, Zheng Qinwen, Taylor Fritz, Arthur Fils, Caroline Garcia, Tommy Paul, and Jannik Sinner.
The challenge is simple: the players have to stand with their arms and legs spread out, forming a triangle shape that resembles the Eiffel Tower. The video showed the different approaches and reactions of the players, who had varying degrees of success and enthusiasm.
Some players, like Djokovic, Shelton, and Ruud, nailed the challenge with confident and elegant poses. Others, like Sinner and Ostapenko, struggled to find the right angle and shape. Jabeur, Murray, and Medvedev were among the players who went the extra mile to perfect their poses. Rublev and Gauff were among those who were playful and humurous, and called the challenge "stupid."
Watch the video below:
A look into Novak Djokovic, Ben Shelton, and Coco Gauff's upcoming second-round matches in Paris
The defending champion Novak Djokovic started his title defense with a 6-4, 7-6(3), 6-4 win over French wildcard Pierre-Hugues Herbert. Djokovic is aiming for his 25th Grand Slam title and his fourth French Open crown, after winning the tournament in 2016, 2021, and 2023.
The Serb's next opponent is Roberto Carballes Baena, who is ranked 63rd in the world. The Spaniard defeated Frenchman Constant Lestienne 6-3, 7-5, 4-6, 6-2 in the first round. The 31-year-old has won two ATP titles, exclusively on clay, and reached the third round of the 2020 French Open.
This will be Carballes Baena's third meeting with Djokovic in a Grand Slam, having previously lost in straight sets in the first round at the 2019 US Open and 2023 Australian Open.
15th seed Ben Shelton overcame a slow start to beat Hugo Gaston 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 in the first round. Shelton will face a tough test in the second round against Kei Nishikori, a former World No. 4 and the 2014 US Open finalist.
Nishikori survived a five-set thriller against Canadian qualifier Gabriel Diallo in his first match, 7-5, 7-6(3), 3-6, 1-6, 7-5 in a four-and-a-half hour marathon. This will be Shelton and Nishikori's first meeting on the ATP tour.
Third seed Coco Gauff cruised to a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Russian qualifier Julia Avdeeva in just 52 minutes in the first round. Gauff will face World No. 131 Tamara Zidansek in the second round, who defeated Alison Van Uytvanck 6-2, 2-6, 6-1 in her previous round. Gauff and Zidansek will be meeting for the first time on the WTA tour.
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