EXCLUSIVE: Lloyd Harris and Raven Klaasen bow out of French Open

Lloyd Harris and Raven Klaasen were knocked out of the French Open men’s doubles in straight sets 7-5, 6-2 by Spanish pair Jaume Munar and Roberto Carballes Baena on Thursday.

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The South African duo started slowly, but managed to get some momentum going.

Speaking exclusively to The South African website’s Dave Marshall in Paris, Klaasen explained how the match went from his perspective.

“We didn’t start ideal but we kind of worked our way back into the match.”

Klaasen felt that his serving levels were not where he would have liked them to have been.

“I didn’t have a particularly good day serving. If I could have hit a few better serves it would have made a difference.”

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Klaasen added that he felt that their opponents were better able to create opportunities for themselves.

“On clay you’ve got to be able to manufacture points and those guys moved well.”

Harris chipped in that he felt that any momentum created in the middle of the first set when the game was poised 5-5, was stalled.

“I think we could have created more chances, and we kind of lost momentum.

“We just had to string more points together in a row more than anything.”

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Harris felt that were a bit out of sync as a team.

“Some games I was winning two points for us and some games he (Klaasen) was getting two points for us.

“It wasn’t coming at the same time.”

Both agreed that the conditions were more suited to what the Spaniards were used to.

“This surface plays more to their strengths than to ours.

“It’s harder on clay to overpower your opponents.”

Lloyd Harris could’ve played on centre court

Meanwhile, Harris’s singles opponent from the first round, Alexander Zverev, has been granted a centre court match on Thursday evening against Slovakia’s Alex Molcan after the earlier withdrawal of Gael Monfils due to injury.

When it was suggested to Harris that it could have been him on centre court tonight if he had defeated Zverev, there was much laughter.

“I don’t know if they would have given me centre court.

“I would like to claim that they would have put me on centre court.”

Both players were very disappointed and they would like to continue their partnership wherever possible.

Harris is keen to be Klaasen’s partner.

“I’m always happy to play with the ‘Fox’, always.”

Klaasen agreed that he also enjoys their doubles pairing.

“It’s fun to play with Lloydy, I’ve known him since he was young and finally we’re getting the chance to get out there together.

“Old gen and next gen!”

Again much laughter followed.

However, Harris had a different description for himself.

“I don’t even feel like next gen, more like middle gen!”

The way these two get along on and off the court, the hope is there are many more opportunities that they get to play doubles together.

Dave Marshall is covering the 2023 French Open at Roland Garros exclusively for The South African website