Kyle Edmund is ready to relish the expectation of the French Open as the Brit prepares to get his campaign underway against teenager Alex de Minaur on Monday.
Last year saw the Brit introducing himself on the international stage by reaching the third round before being on the wrong end of a five-set thriller against South African Kevin Anderson.
However, this year, there is a sense of expectation rather than hope for a man who has enjoyed a meteoric rise.
Breaking in to the top 20 for the first time, with eye-catching wins over Grigor Dimitrov, David Goffin and Novak Djokovic, Edmund has produced some fine tennis, even as GB’s tennis’ ‘poster boy’ due to Andy Murray’s injury.
Only three years ago Edmund, 23, had to go through qualifying to get to the first round at Roland Garros but now, thanks to fine displays in the Australian and Madrid Opens, he goes into his opening match against the 19-year-old Australian seeded 16th.
“I always have expectation on myself to do well,” he said.
“But of course when you are going up the rankings and you start to play guys more often lower ranked than you, it’s just the way it works and there’s more expectation to do well and win.
“It’s natural, but I realise that, so it’s just trying to focus on not letting that get in the way and playing good tennis as much as I can. It’s finding that balance.
“But I’ve found since the Australian Open that has been the case – you want to do well yourself and build on that, but others want you to do well so I’ve had a few months of that I guess.
“It’s just part of it, really. I wouldn’t say it changes what I do in terms of my routine or process or how I go about things, but it’s a positive in the fact that I’m going in the right direction.
“If you’re going in the other direction you’re not going to get talked about more, so it’s only because of that reason that it’s going in the right direction and things are positive.”
Also in the men’s draw is Cameron Norrie who, thanks to his efforts this week in the Lyon Open, has qualified directly for a Slam for the first time thanks to his ranking.
Expected to reach as high as 85th in the world, this comes only a year on from turning professional for Norrie – with this already his best French Open performance before even hitting a ball.
He faces off with German Peter Gojowczyk, on Monday, with a place in the second round on the line having beaten John Isner just a week ago.
British hopes rest with Joanna Konta and Heather Watson in the women’s draw, with the former looking to get past the first round for the first time.
That’s in stark comparison with the rest of her Slam record, reaching the Australian Open and Wimbledon semi-finals in recent years, though a third-round tie with Venus Williams could be on the cards should the two head towards the business end.
But first for 22nd seed Konta is a match with Kazak world No 93 Yulia Putintseva, confident she has what it takes to be in the business end of the competition.
"People assume I don't have a great relationship with the French Open because of my results in the past two years," she told the BBC.
"However I have experienced success here having qualified for the tournament - I've only qualified for two Slams, at the US Open and the French Open. That is an incredible highlight for me, especially at that point of my career, so I have great feelings of success here.
"I feel I'm playing good on the clay right now and I back myself in every match I play so I consider myself a threat. I back myself on every surface."
Watson, meanwhile, will undoubtedly have the crowd against her as she faces home French talent and world No 133 Oceane Dodin in her opener.
After missing out on a place at last year’s Slam, Watson will be hoping that her impressive victory over Kateryna Bondarenko in the Nuremberg Cup earlier this week will mark a change of fortunes.
Elsewhere in the draw, reigning champion and top seed Rafael Nadal begins his defence against the tricky Ukrainian, Alexandr Dolgopolov.
In the women’s draw headlines were made outside of the seeds, as three-time champion Serena Williams goes unseeded and faces Kristyna Pliskova of the Czech Republic in her opening match with the possibility of facing long term rival Maria Sharapova in the last 16.
Top seed, Simona Halep, faces American Alison Riske, while defending champion Jelena Ostapenko is seeded fifth and begins her defence against Ukrainian Kateryna Kozlova. Sportsbeat 2018