Cameron Norrie anchors Lyon draw as he opts for action over rest

British No 1 Cameron Norrie is eager to get more time on clay ahead of the French Open.

Norrie has opted to enter the the ATP 250 event in Lyon in the week before the French Open.

He returns to defend the title he won here in 2022 and is the only man in the field to have previously won the title.

The Brit has been handed the second seeding which grants him a bye into the second round.

In the round of 16 Norrie will meet either David Goffin or a qualifier meanwhile at the other end of the draw is another player looking to gain form.

Felix Auger-Aliassime accepted a wildcard entry into Lyon and will assume the top seeding.

Auger-Aliassime lost his opening matches in both Rome and Madrid and is yet to win on clay this year.

The top-ranked Canadian will meet either Australian Max Purcell or a qualifier in his opening match in the Lyon Round of 16.

World no 17 Tommy Paul will also head to Lyon where he has been handed the third seeding and a bye into the round of 16.

Paul has also had a bleak clay swing having lost his opening matches in Houston and Madrid.

However he enjoyed a better run after dropping down to Challenger level in Provence with a run to the final that was ended by Andy Murray.

Paul will play a home hope in Lyon after being bracketed to face the winner of the all-French first round match between Gregoire Barrere and compatriot Corentin Moutet.

The fourth seed is a man with a greater affinity to the red stuff in Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo.

Cerundolo rounds off the top seeds and enjoys a bye into the second round as well.

The Argentine will face either Spain’s Albert Ramos-Vinolas or Italian Juan Pablo Varillas in the Round of 16 in Lyon.

Argentina is well-represented in Lyon with Tomas Martin Etcheverry set to take on fifth seed Miomir Kecmanovic in the Round of 32.

Countryman Sebastian Baez is seeded sixth and has been handed a date with Marton Fucsovics first up.

Richard Gasquet is the only home player among the seeds in Lyon and will face Swedish youngster Mikael Ymer in the opening round match.

Experienced Argentine Diego Schwartzman lies in wait for the No 8 and final seed Brandon Nakashima of the United States.

Jack Draper’s entry ensures that Gret Britain has two players vying for the Lyon title with the youngster drawn against France’s Alexandre Muller to start.

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