2019 ROLAND GARROS

fed back; novak going to hold all slams again; nadal still the favorite

kerber already out

Looking to be 28 degrees already next Sunday, that’ll be interesting on court.

kei/tsonga is a fun 2nd rd match, tho neither in top form rn

Goffin is looking good - maybe he'll take a set off Rafa. Meanwhile, the French wildcards seem to be justifying their selection.

Edmund-Chardy the other night whetted the appetite for a summer of fading-light deciding-set battles on raucous minor showcourts. It's the best thing.

not sure whats gotten into nico mahut either but ill take some amirite

evening of 1-handed backhands, tsisty on display and stan v grigor

Goffin is looking good - maybe he'll take a set off Rafa.

― Michael Jones, Wednesday, May 29, 2019 9:55 AM (two days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

nice call!

siniakova puts out osaka, naomi's 1st grand slam loss since kerber @ wimbledon but also not a hugely surprising result her form was lacking

Serena also gone.

Stan-Tsitsipas is pretty tasty

fed into the qtrs w/o dropping a set ~ gonna get a match from either stefanos or stan next tho

Incredible break back Stan 40-0 down and then Stefano starts making errors but Stan made it good by coming up with the goods

Breaks back again lol

What a god rally to save a 3rd set point!!!

Astonishing drop shot

How many set points man

yea incred game here

Jesus what a fucking hold

Reckon Stefanos will win if his mind allows it tho'

i thought that going in but as of now i would bet stan

Well another SP here

Finally, set apiece.

Pre-surgery you'd never bet against Stan in a long match. Today should show if he's really back.

Stan has his break. Stefanos' his level is down a bit

Holds easily for the set lol

First time I am watching Stefanos Tsitsipas - ton of ability etc. Look forward to more from him - in this slam or in the future.

Yeah, he's a sure thing to crash the Big 3 dominance party any day now. He already dispatched Federer with ease at the Australian.

this match!

That shot!

Perfect end to a beautiful match.

One of the greats, that. Best since Delpo-Nadal at Wimbledon, in my limited opinion.

That was crazy. The game point seemed out, though !

I was gonna say best since Nadal-Thiem at US Open: 0-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-7, 7-6

Yeah, would have liked to see the HawkEye on that.

He already dispatched Federer with ease at the Australian.

Er, that's not how I remember it but ok! 7-6 in the 4th after nearly 4 hours, saving 12 BPs, including four when on brink of a two-set deficit. Fed has thrashed him since in Dubai too. BUT, yeah, he's the real deal and I want Tsitsi to win everything. He's beaten Novak and Rafa in the last 12 months too.

xp - Oh yeah, forgot about Thiem-Nadal. I think Delpo's level was maybe higher for longer though.
Hawkeye apparently showed it was in.

Okay, with relative ease. I had forgotten the score was that close. But it didn't seem like Tsitsi was having to play out of his mind to handle anything Fed threw at him. At least that's how I remember it.

Today, despite the loss, it was good to see his endurance and strong will. I like how he doesn't get rattled or stay down on himself after a screw up or a quick outburst. He'll do even better with experience.

And I was glad to see Stan looking like a real threat again at a major. I was worried that, at 34, he might never come close to his old form again.

Booked to see a film so missed the end. Glad Stan can still get involved in a thriller! Will watch highlights later

Shot between the legs for a winner from Thiem

Thiem/@ThiemDomi /(🎥@Eurosport_RU ) pic.twitter.com/qE7ShSTgya

— doublefault28 (@doublefault28) June 3, 2019

^Awesome! Too bad the match was a dud.

Stoked to see Anisimova play for the first time.

(1) of ash barty, amanda anisimova, marketa vondorousova or jo konta will win the french open

Their combined record at the French Open previous to this year was 3-12

I think Barty will win. I'm rooting for Anisimova. I know nothing about Vondorousova. I like Konta and if Barty and Anisimova weren't in the mix, I'd be rooting for her.

Kicking myself for missing Anisimova/Halep. I should have realized they would be scheduled to play early, after yesterday's rainouts. Tomorrow, I'll get up at 5AM for the semis probably to find that it's raining in Paris again.

I really want to enjoy watching Anisimova reach the top now, before we all get sick of her being constantly in commercials over the coming years.

vondorousova is really good

id not be surprised by any of them doing it at this pt tbh

id put konta last as thinking she'll do it, but shes running super hot this clay season

Insane women's SFs

Two teens in the final would be some kind of thing!

Konya fails to serve for the set

Vondrousova played a fantastic TB to win that. Beautiful get from the back of the court and then dropshot to win

Lot of questions for Konta to answer.

And now it's 12pm and Nadal Fed

so happy for ash

Nadal up a break but conditions are challenging for both. F has BP

Back on serve

Epic set, epic game

Took a while but has a break Rafa

I hate playing tennis in the wind. It's hard for me to enjoy watching even Rafa and Roger doing it.

I quite admire how well they are playing in the circumstances.

Oh for sure, and it's even tougher on clay where a gust can blow the stuff into your face.

What a get from Nadal to break back here

Incredible game from Nadal to make it 4-4. Fed threw everything at him but Rafa held on..

Now deuce Fed, from 40-0

A fucking masterclass, what a break. Ok a couple of Used from Fed but genius level. Serving for the set.

*UEs from Fed

It's 2-0, great great stuff.

nadals cross ct backhand has been unbelievable

Yeah he has tapped

What a get for double break

I hate playing tennis in the wind. It's hard for me to enjoy watching even Rafa and Roger doing it.

― punning display, Friday, June 7, 2019 8:00 AM (one hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

agree, this match could have been miles better & we sadly will almost surely never see them play on clay again

ITV just had an awful debate (between 3 guys) on the scheduling.

And now Them and Djoko facing the wind

Novak can't cope with the conditions, 5-2 down and he's asking questions. Thiem is doing better and serving for the set

Djoko playing a bit better since he had BP on his serve in the 2nd set. Good game at the net to get out of that and there is a bit more focus now. On serve.

Rain has stopped play

We got back from the rain and Djoko carried on playing, broken Thiem and has just served it out

Holy fuck just unbelievable recovery from Thiem and then a win on DP - BP Thiem

Doesn't get it and Djoko gets the game. All on serve and the match is delivering now.

Thiem is all blood and guts - breaking Novak's serve and now there's more rain

Thiem has won the 3rd but Djoko is up a break at the next

Thiem is having to hold himself a bit, Djoko all over him - a 5th very much on the cards

And Thiem breaks right back (pathetic DP from Djoko) then holds with an ace and now Djoko has to hold serve to stay in the French Open

Great BH from Thiem to force error: 0-15

Return just long: 15-15

and long again: 15-30

Just didn't play this too well, played a lot long for Djoko to hold

Beautiful lob Thiem: 15-15

A DF hnads a break to Novak who worked Thiem really well. Serving for the set and a decider

Two set points

Needed one

Great set so far - a couple of break points either saved, both saved.

*either way

Thiem breaks and was looking like an easy hold until a DF. Gets through. Novak needs to pull out all the stops here.

Rain break with Djoko serving at deuce

I hate these rain delays - Djokovic doesn't need any help regaining momentum.

Husband and I have been on the road for four hours right now (it's Eid weekend here in Malaysia) - listening to tennis on the radio is weirdly more intense than watching it on TV.

First point at a return Djoko stops the point believing to be out. Umpire disagrees but Djoko saves BP and then holds. Still a break down but it could've been the end.

fuck me this is good

yea great level this service game by both guys

damn that break back. This break has done Djoko a world of good.

*rain break

Thiem serving for the match: 3x UEs from D

fuck FH at the time

two mps fucked

now a break back point

jfc!

Thiem has his game in working order again. Holds nicely.

beautiful ripped thiem forehand to finish

Thiem!!!

Beautiful - Nadal is laughing away somewhere but I hope he does it tomorrow.

he = Thiem

And so to the women's final

Barty racing to a 3-0. It might be one of these matches that begins at 6-2, 3-1 in the 2nd

Vondrousova doesn't look 19, but she's playing like it. Barty's face reminds me of some British tough guy character actor. Beady eyes, tight lipped. I can't recall what I've seen him in. Sort of a Bob Hoskins type.

Barty wins 6-1, but Vondrousova was playing herself into the match toward the end of the set. If she can get to actually winning her own games we might have a final

Closer set but Barty still holding onto a break

Lets get Barty to serve for this!

BP and MP

Done!

Well that was decisive.

She has just been ruthless. Vondrousova could've made a match out of this but no chance was given.

Ash Barty, Two-Time Smotherer of Teenage Glory

right, mastered this tennis lark, come back to cricket now

Just got back home to two gorgeous points, Thiem has just broken in the 1st

Looks like he is going to break at the next but every point is crazy

Astonishing rally to break back

This is jesus level

Incredible hold by Nadal, Thiem is giving everything he's got.

Nadal broke which the most sublime bit of cour coverage on the Thiem drop shot

6-3. How was Nadal not taken to a tie-break. If I was a sportswriter I'd be shitting myself to describe what has gone on here

On serve so far but Thiem not putting any pressure on Nadal's serve and its fucking me up

15/30, some danger signs for Rafa...for the very first time this set

15/40, two SPs Thiem

Yes, so well played and constructed!

its in play that rafa loses this, words i never thought id type tbh

Thiem is 0/40 down - just a mix of mistakes here.

and Nadal has gone up a level, responded - a couple of beautiful plays at the net

0/30, Thiem has yet to win a point in 2.5 games

well, he won one point

rip domi

I think you should ask the mod to delete your previous post johnny

fuck me wtf that was incredible get, the anticipation and the ball bouncing away from Thiem into the net

Follows with an ace and then 4-0 in 15 mins

xxp there were 90 seconds when it was true~

ok Thiem has won a game nicely - hopefully he can give us one great effort in the 4th.

fuck me 6-1

30-30 on the Nadal serve in the 4th. We might get a good set instead of a coronation

Mods if I am wrong delete me

well at least Nadal had to dig a bit

Two beautiful returns from Nadal - 0/30

Broken again

nadals ad-court serve saves him so often, just beautiful

Thiem fighting at the next. One BP here, involving a great defensive lob

first serve in the net :(

3-0, incredible response from 1-1 set all.

This is insane man, 0/30 with that.

3 BPs saved with two aces

To serve for a 12th French Open

The scheduling plays a part, no doubt:

If Thiem had played a Tuesday QF, got 2 days off, won his SF in straights, and Rafa had to play 4 straight days, let us not pretend sets 3 and 4 would have gone as they have.

If you dispute that, you're not being intellectually serious.

— Matt Zemek (@mzemek) June 9, 2019

The scheduling plays a part, but the "if he'd won his semifinal in straight sets" is a big if that doesn't have to do with the schedule. Likewise Rafa arriving having played almost all straight-set matches was not some fluke.

Agreed on that bit however it would've been good to see a Monday final ideally, which of course wouldn't work for TV.

I was out of town this weekend so not able to watch much of this. I do wonder what would have happened with better weather Fri/Sat. Thiem was in the zone from R4 onwards and the rain delays only served to halt his momentum vs Djokovic. That semi played in a single session may well have been a straight sets win.

Shortly after the second set someone tweeted "Thiem now the only man currently under 30 to have won a set in a GS final". I'd like to say that's changing in the next few weeks, but who amongst the NextGen looks comfortable on grass? Maybe Sascha is coming out of his slump. Tsitsipas for the US Open.

xp

Watched that semi and it would've been more like four sets but with the Sat to recover.

Reckon Nadal would've been taken to a 5th yesterday.

Well if you really wanna entertain "what if"s about the weather, those ridiculous winds on Friday were a killer to both Djokovic's and Federer's chances with their flatter shotmaking. No telling who might have made it to the finals. Same goes for the women's side.

Maybe we need an indoor Slam :)

Bring back the WCT Finals in Dallas. The Handsome (One Hundred And Twenty-)Eight.

That's insane that the 2nd set made Thiem the only men's player now under 30 to have won a set in a Grand Slam final, as noted upthread. After Cilic and Del Potro's birthdays last September, there were none. The only players under still 30 to have made a final, Nishikori (2014 US), Roanic (2016 Wimbledon) and Thiem (2018 French) had all lost in straight sets.

The other cray-cray stat is that 53 of the last 64 Grand Slam tournaments have been won by Federer, Nadal, or Djokovic.

I think they've really let their guard down at Flushing Meadow. RF/RN/ND have won 14 out of the last 16 in Melbourne, RG and SW19, but a mere 11 out of the last 16 in NYC. Bah!

It's fun to read some of the old tennis threads in here. For example (without attribution), Roland Garros 2009 thread, shortly after the men's final:

"Always half-suspected that Nadal would burn out fairly early on - these teenage prodigies doesn't necessarily just keep on winning. Becker had four Slams by the age of 21 and was apparently ready to dominate the '90s but it took him the rest of his career to win another two and he only ever spent 12 weeks as #1. Nadal has obviously already surpassed that but I do wonder whether he can sustain this."
"i guess now there's del potro, monfils, tsonga, cilic and simon. plus gulbis ('88), who is quite possibly the most naturally talented player i've seen in ages but bit of a mental weakling. might get better once he gets older tho."
"I'd guess that [RF] has a spell of God mode as afterglow, maybe even coasts to Wimbledon with Rafa out/injured, but give it another year and things might start slipping. Doubt he'll consider retiring until after the 2012 Olympics though."
"i dont think novak will really challenge for the #1 - hes not mentally there and yah he seems to tire easily. hes a threat but imo he just doesnt have what it takes to really fuck w/ fed or nadal long term"
"I'd be glad to see Roger regain #1 for a spell and win at least 3-4 more Slams right in the heart of the Rafa/Nole/Andy era"

Salad days on ilxor dot com

I have only had one favorite tennis player ever. I'm glad I picked Nadal. He could end up with the record for most grand slam wins ever and keep it for 100 years. Stay healthy my man.

The "how many slams do you think Federer can win" conversation from that thread is amazing in retrospect.

lol i feel like I must have been that gulbis quote. the poster boy for squandered potential.

it's crazy that we're still talking about Fed/Nadal a decade later.

Roz! It was you! Aw, I thought he was great too. Did actually beat Fed at RG... 2014?

I wish I could remember (I could look it up) who put me straight about Rafa on the Wimb 2003 thread. I was shocked this teen had just dumped out Ancic, and someone said "watch this kid - he's going to be amazing". Maybe that was you too.

lol I have an incredibly embarrassing Halep post on that 2009 thread

lol i still think of halep as a youngish player and then the reality of how long she's been on tour hits.

You were in good company, Dan. Lex practically made an emoji out of her a few posts later. Well, hey.

Fed to end his career at Basel 2021 with 22 Slams (another W, another USO); 18 for Rafa (next year Thiem beats him at RG and Rafa retires), 16 for Novak (one more AO but a general slump from now on. Please). Murray plays another 18 months on the singles tour from late this year, makes top 25 but no better than L16 in Slams and misses a medal in Tokyo. Thiem #1 end of 2020, Tsitipas thereafter, then Auger-A. Zverev Olympic gold but continues to underachieve elsewhere. All hugely wishful thinking.

Let's check back in 2029 :)

xposts nope, wasn't me - I didn't post on ILX until 2005, and only started on the tennis threads around 2008 I think.

I miss Lex around here, but he still posts tennis updates on twitter.

Speaking of Mario Ancic, look at this Wall Street goof: http://www.oneequity.com/team/bio/50

I love that his work bio completely neglects to mention his tennis career.

Ha ha! The President is called Dick Cashin. I ASK YOU.