2020 ROLAND GARROS

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/1d/Logo_Roland-Garros.svg/150px-Logo_Roland-Garros.svg.png

dan evans quoted as saying the balls theyre using are not fit for a dog

Moutet-Giustino have just passed the six-hour mark (16-16 in the 5th). We had a 14-12 last night. French holding on to that no-t/b thing.

Moutet contrives to lose, despite hitting 31 more winners than his opponent, fewer errors and winning 25 more points. Worse than the Wimb f.

completely unnecessary tweener lob winner

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvip9NfxbL4

querrey was broken serving for the match in the 3rd vs rublev, lost it in 5

tsitsy also has himself down two sets, perhaps will also come back

guess playing the final in hamburg 2 days ago took its toll

Well, last year's finalist Markéta Vondroušová appears to have fared somewhat more poorly this tournament than last year's.

jo konta also out, semis last year

bertens/errani stats are intense
https://www.flashscore.com/match/2mHekcoH/#match-statistics;0

shapo is serving for the match in the 5th set vs carballes baena

shapo has 100 unforced errors this match

obv he can't close it out

now serving to stay alive at 6-7

game set match rcb

I really don't like how this half is panning out. Novak is cruising through.

daniel altmaier taking out berretini in straights is not a result i saw coming

incredible performance from teenager iga swiatek in taking out Halep, who wasn’t playing badly at all! Iga was just zoning.

Sinner! Up two sets on Zverev, who’s having another one of those days where he’s just letting himself be pushed around by a more aggressive player.

Sinner plays a loose game, double faults on BP to go down 4-5, Sascha holds and takes the set. Going four now.

switek/trevisan for a spot in the semis wow

great day for 19yos today as sinner makes the QFs, the first man to do so on his RG debut since Rafa, who he’ll play next.

Sinner’s aggressiveness is so fun to watch, really smart and mentally tough as well. Not too many people can break through when Zverev’s playing like an impenetrable wall but Sinner was actually winning most of the longer points today.

hugo gaston has only NOT been 19 for like a week, hes pushing/frustrating thiem, perhaps into a deciding set

lol I turned away from this match to watch something else and just tuned back in. thiem looks like he has no ideas left.

well that was incredible. Perhaps inevitable that Gaston couldn’t keep up his level but that was still a mighty, mighty effort. As Thiem said, “dropshots from another planet” indeed.

thiem looked ready to bail on this match abt 5 minutes ago & now is serving to level it

What a frustrating match. Thiem is half dead and Schwartzman is choking it away.

It's tense at the 3rd

Poor Diego. He should be winning this comfortably but he’s a bundle of nerves out there.

He got the break back to earn a tb. Thiem has strung a series of solid winners: 5-1

Drop shot Thiem

diego has def gotten in his own way but thiem has played better esp in big moments

Schwartz has crawled back, saving two sps: 6-6

Eventually pulls out a big return and then smashes for the set Thiem

Jesus. That set was a rollercoaster.

And the rollercoaster continues!

Schwartz keeping his one break adv. Quite a turn around even if occasionally Thiem is winning points he can't string them out.

Unbelievable

Thiem has a bp from 40-0 down

And he does it. Thiem pretty much made it with a couple of God rallies.

Now Diego has to serve to stay in the match. Feeling a bit for him

TB! God this is brutal

Had to hang on to everything there..

Everything is happening put here

Blow for blow, first sp Diego

Thiem absolutely fucked that up. Off to a 5th

As it was destined to be

Emphatic break Diego. 4-2

5-2 in a slightly underwhelming final set, but hey they've playing five hours so I think it's allowed.

it’s thiem’s second five-setter in a row, not to mention that he’s coming off his first Slam win. I’m surprised he lasted this long tbh.. incredible effort. And he’s still running!

And there it is! Well done Schwartzman

happy for diego

also happy for thiem to get some deserved rest tbh

Weak weak drop shot to hand Diego his win tells the story. But yeah great effort and just awesome intensity at the 4th.

Great day for Argentinian tennis after Podoroska’s win earlier too.

Yup.

Swiatek reaches the semis. Looking forward to more from her.

wish Lex was here, Swiatek has been on his One To Watch list for a while now

Dinner breaks Nadal, he is going to serve for the set!

Sinner lol

Nadal really shut that down, playing his best to break back!

Nadal won the first but Sinner looks great. On serve in the 2nd.

swiatek is really goddamn good

yep. and once again it’s not as if Podoroska’s playing badly... Iga’s just a really smart player.

Podoroska breaks, 1-4, in a game lasting nearly 10 mins to edge this match past the hour.

Breaks back immediately with a couple of great shots. Now to serve for a place in the final

Beautiful winners to close it out

Really amazing stuff. Has dropped only 23 games enroute to the final.

"Swiatek's music tastes dates back to well before her birth. She is a fan of rock gods AC/DC and Guns N' Roses."

I really like Kvitova to win the whole thing but that's just history talking.

the 5 routes to a Slam final this century with fewer games dropped:

Serena, USO 2013 (16)
Serena, USO 2012 (19)
Venus, Wim 2009 (20)
Serena, RG 2013 (21)
Serena, USO 2002 (22)

plus Safina also dropped 23 at RG 2009

Not bad company for Swiatek at all

— Alex Macpherson (@alex_macpherson) October 8, 2020

And pre-century

Since many asked:

Insanely good from Swiatek, but not a record. In 1994, Mary Pierce dropped only TEN games en route to the French Open final (not 100% sure this one is a record, either). #RG20 pic.twitter.com/ifcnhwyB4c

— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) October 8, 2020

Kenin has an early break

Errors all over, double break for Kenin

what a rally to break back, still a ton of work to do, 2-4

2 aces, 3-4, she's finding her range now

Kenin will have to serve it out, 4-5

Kenin on 0-30 then an ue and a drop shot from Kenin, 30-30

df for 40-40, then 2x ue for the 1st set Kenin. Will Kvitova get it right?

Feels like Petra’s just starting to find her game - just needs to settle and not go for too much on those finishing shots.

rooting for kvitova too btw... there’s no real reason for it but I’m finding it hard to get over my irrational dislike of Kenin lol. Something about the way she stomps around the court (and the constant fawning of US commentators doesn’t help).

Comes down to whether Petra will find her range when returning.

This is so frustrating, Petra is clearly the best player..

Kenin played a couple of excellent points to break. Doing what she needs to.

Sigh.

Kenin’s like a souped up Wozniacki - tends to frustrate aggressive players by just running after every ball and drawing errors but isn’t likely to be the one hitting winners.

Definitely frustrating for viewers too.

yeah the stomping around is real, i find it hard to root for her also but shes v solid

Petra has her third bp

grr net cord

great return, 4th bp

Kenin was good at anticipation there

Kenin serves it out, really got through that

yeah the stomping around is real, i find it hard to root for her also but shes v solid

― johnny crunch, Thursday, 8 October 2020 bookmarkflaglink

Makes every ounce of her talent and technique count.

To serve for the final

0-30, this is a loss of nerve from Kenin

0-40

Breaks, errors finally come from Kenin's racket

terrific crosscour backhand from Kenin, now she is up 30

Cannot find a 1st serve, 2 bp

she will gte a chance to serve it out again

jeez Petra’s first serve was non-existent there.

30-30

fuck Petra annihilated that 30-40

fucking ue

another ue, MP

for Petra its all or nothing. And today, its nothing

Yet another FH error and Kenin takes it. Ah well - easily rooting for Iga in the final then.

Same, looking forward to it

god rallies starting in this first game

10 min game, half a dozen excellent points already

14 mins and Nadal has finally made good on his own serve lol

Neither here nor there but Nadal’s baby blue and pink outfit is pretty adorable (my first time seeing him play this whole tournament).

diego broken. :(

Nadal breaks at first attempt, weird game, almost as if resistance by Nadal just followed with a slightly deflated serve from Diego

bp for break back, I know I know..

Sensational play from Diego, won 3 rallies in a row to break back!

He did it! My god, this match is going to take five hours even if Rafa wins in straights.

Nadal breaks back again. Diego needs even more 1st serves, that's meat and drink for Rafa

He may not be able to hold his own serve but I’m deeply enjoying Schwartzman doing to Nadal right now what Nadal routinely does to other players. These rallies are insane.

Nadal hit two ues and can't help to hint at a smile...serves an ace to see off that bp

Nadal again just sees Diego off, another ~15 min game

Diego is terrific, really enjoying seeing him. Hope he keeps this up for the next 2-3 years and he could win this slam.

Diego gets a game

Serves are kept but Nadal is stretched to a set point, adv, incredible rally and winner there

another punishing rally and this set is not over, Nadal made a drop shot for another sp

10+ mins and Nadal gets that 1st set: 6-3

We've been here many times before but I don't think I've seen someone pull Rafa apart on clay as much as this (can't remember what it was like when he lost to Djoko), but Diego took a while to find himself on his own service game.

Breaks again, Rafa! Its a more entertaining match tho'

Ridiculous that they’re still not using Hawkeye on clay.

Good hold for Diego, still in the set.

wow!!

squash shot magic diego!

at the next a net cord pushes Diego's shot over the line then Nadal was ruthless at the end - holds!

0-40 now, terrific how Nadal just broke his spirits with that hold

Saves them all, an ace among them but still work to do

an ue from Nadal, so still in this..

excellent hold though still a break down.

But finally broken, we have been here many times..

indeed, this is a very Nadal match.

Feeling broken too, like Diego

my god that last pass would’ve been amazing if he had made it. but alas, nothing’s going Diego’s way

prob too late but Schwartzman breaks back and we’re on serve in the third.

Poor Diego. Fought so hard to get that set to a TB only for Rafa to do what Rafa does. Still an incredible match, hope Schwartzman sticks around for a long time.

Went to Tb, but Nadal eases through.

XP - think he can get through to a final, has a serious shot at winning this.

Djoko got to 0-40 on his serve in the 1st game, eventually saved all and survived that, just looked again and now he's 3-0 up

at 4-2 now and they are both playing good stuff

6-3, 1-1. Djoko taking 10 mins to save himself, but like the first semi- the more established player does it (ugh)

0/10 bps tsi

Finally does it

6-5 tsipas

FH dtl to break and win the set!

Yes Tsipas!! Breaks in the 4th

breaks back

what a bp save for stefanos!

drop shot, one more bp

he did great to get out of that, on serve

quick hold, do expect Djoko to get it in four..

has two more bps to save. Stefanos did ask for the physio earlier..

found an amazing angle to create another bp, which is saved again!

brilliant bh by stefanos to set up a gp, and converts that, on serve

one more bp, 11th in the set

ace!

digging so fkn deep: 5-4

bad ue for Djoko, now its deuce

sp!

5th fucking set

Keeps it on serve at the 5th Stefanos

lol finally breaks in the 5th :-(

bah

For the first time in 13 finals, I’ll be fully behind Rafa on Sunday. Which means he’ll probably lose.

id been confident this whole tournament rafa was going to take it, over novak, but now that we're here im having doubts

Didn't get a chance to watch any of this today; would've been beautiful if Novak had lost from mp up, considering the 20-odd times he's come back from that position. A nice bookend to this late imperial phase (having lost from mp up vs Cilic at Queen's in June '18, before he started winning things again). I've completely made my peace with Rafa matching Roger's 20 Slams at this point.

I do wonder if the pandemic has extended the reign of the 30-somethings (US Open notwithstanding) a little. Obv Fed was out for the year, but Novak and Rafa slogging through a full spring/summer schedule may have worn them down a little for the Slams. Let's call it a day at 20-20-17, yeah?

I only realised today that each time I've seen the Big Three play in the flesh, they've all lost! Nadal to Davydenko, World Tour Finals group stage, 2009; Federer w/Wawrinka, Olympic doubles, 2012; Djokovic to Del Potro, Olympics bronze medal match, 2012 (and Fed was getting stomped on Centre by Murray for the gold at the same time). Cf. my dad, who managed to be serially disappointed by Pele, Stanley Matthews, Duncan Edwards... Frank Sinatra, Danny Kaye... At least Eusebio didn't disappoint.

“It’s important to go through all the process,” he said. “You have to suffer. You can’t pretend to be in a final of Roland Garros without suffering.”

here we go..

Iga looking sharp already with her power, breaks Kenin well: 2-0

finally gets a point off the Iga serve: 40-15

3-0. This is domination.

This is power with beautiful shot selection (something Petra didn't really have) and Kenin can't do much about it.

Kenin now getting into the match. good returning and now two break back points

DF for a break back, excellent, this could be a really good final now..

Unexpectedly soft from Iga

V interesting, Kenin is competing well. She has no weapons but a good serve and all round game, she does not make errors, winning her games to 30.

3-3

another df: 30-30

terrific exchanges in the best game so far. Iga seeing deuce through: 4-3

40-40, so little between them

df Kenin, for a bp

incredible rally (19 shots), and Kenin makes it

one more bp with a bad ue, a lot of pressure

5th deuce

winner Iga, another bp

what a game, Iga to serve for the set!

3rd df, 15-30

some beautiful FHs now, 30-30

1 x sp

deuce, bad slip..

what returning!! we are back on serve!

15-30

15-40, 2 x sps

does it: 6-4!!

Very high quality first set. Swiatek visibly nervous while trying to serve it out but her overall composure and ability to think her way out of trouble are just so impressive.

Kenin is playing about as well as she could but lacks the firepower to match.

Iga is really being pushed to find her best tennis by Kenin.

So far she is coming up with the goods

And Kenin breaks early with an excellent return.

2x break back points

number one Iga fan is feeling nervous for her <3

I hate watching tennis when I’m rooting for someone. Why are my muscles tensing up like I’m about to hit the ball? More importantly, whyyyyyyyy are my palms so sweaty???? pic.twitter.com/0zDbaKrd5o

— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) October 10, 2020

what a winner Iga: 1-1

A hold after 5 consecutive breaks of serve.

Kenin has time out for the physio.

she is patched up, comes back to serve and now its 15-40

Broken with ease, Iga 3-1

Iga just carrying on here, gorgeous drop shot at the end of a great rally, two handed BH winner, ace, this could be over shortly.

Kenin is being humbled here: 5-1. Nothing she can do, now to serve for the title.

lol Kenin manages to win a point in what seems like ages: 15-15

(3rd point 4 games)

1 x cp

FH winner to win!!

6-4, 6-1. No sets dropped by this teenager. Poland's first grand slam singles winner!

Can you imagine the feast we are in for? Osaka, Andreescu, Iga. Fucking hell.

I love it. And Kenin as my favourite villain too lol.

I kinda like that she makes the most of what she has. She makes sure you are at your best, or else she beats you.

Just tuned in to the final and Nadal’s already up a break lol. Not particularly invested in whoever wins this, although for symmetry’s sake I suppose I lean slightly towards Novak:

Djokovic = 18, Nadal = 19, Federer = 20

Not watching it as I had other plans. Hope it's fun

serving for a bagel

fwiw nadal has had to work p hard here

only half-watching while dealing with dishes and groceries, but this is pretty brutal from Nadal.

Had to save three BPs but Novak finally, FINALLY, holds. 1-0 in the second.

for his sake i hope thats not the only game he gets this match lmao

TWO games as Nadal serves out the set. Yikes.

good beatdown payback for the AO 2019 final

Okay this is hilarious, great thing to wake up to

lol

It’s not that hard to win games against Nadal in Paris, I mean I won 3 of them!! @rolandgarros pic.twitter.com/0ijlzbH7cG

— Sam Groth (@SamGrothTennis) October 11, 2020

After 2 hours and 13 mins, Novak finally breaks Rafa’s serve and holds. On serve in the third.

Welp there it is. Djokovic started to find his range a little bit at the end there but it just wasn't enough.

congrats Rafa - 13th RG trophy, 20th Slam, ties Federer, will prob outdo him by this time next year.

Sounded like an awesome display. Maybe how he dispatch Fed (~10 years ago?)

pic.twitter.com/TzQhBeuwML

— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) October 11, 2020