ROLAND GARROS 2012

The draw SHOULD go live in a few minutes at this link: https://www.facebook.com/RolandGarros/app_315297695213618 but let's be honest it probably will not

This is all very exciting though... PLEASE CAN SERENA HAVE A GOOD DRAW AT THIS TOURNAMENT FOR ONCE

i remember a couple of years ago the RG draw ceremony went really smoothly and on time!

I can't say I do.. is it that hard to properly test it beforehand.

I really want João Sousa (POR) to qualify and draw João Souza (BRA). Make the umpires work for their money

http://www.eurosport.fr/tennis/roland-garros/2012/chat.shtml?chatid=c99db0e52f

well this is doing a text version of the live draw so that's good

Pretty tough first round for defending champion Li... she plays Cirstea

Lol Serena plays a French player first round - Razzano. Le sigh.

yasssss Serena and Maria in the same quarter

Serena -Masha QF. Not watching this tournament, then.

oh COME ON like Razzano is a threat in 2012, she lost to Morita this week

FUCK FUCK FUCK Mrs Krumm gets Fran. No Olympics for her then :(

Azarenka/Stosur QF I believe :D That is good. Less chance for Stosur to play Serena...

Lol lex not saying she's a threat. Just saying the crowd will be even more against Serena than usuallll

Serena/Maria QF? YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS. One of the few players I wouldn't expect Serena to completely choke against in the French quarters.

Why would you not want Stosur to play Serena given the last 2 times?

Venus/A-Rad in round two. I don't know who that's good for.

Because that was Miami and Charleston and this is Roland Garros.

Just like Serena beat her in Stanford and then yeah. I'd rather just not have the trouble

Venus/Rad R2? LOLLLL FINALLY NO CAKEWALK FOR A-RAD :D

Full women's singles draw: http://img6.imagebanana.com/img/zn26r77y/MD.jpg

Why do the same match-ups always happen?

Serena/Woz 4R. Nooooo :/

and Justine Henin will be commentating for French TV from the quarters onwards. So maybe for Serena/Sharapova lolz.

Federer/Djokovic, Nadal/Murray semis

wow @ Sharapova's draw to the QF, may as well be empty

Well what does it matter, a QF is nothing to write home about

Praying that Kanepi beats Wozniacki in R3.

Wonder who the lucky qualifier will be who draws Cake.

Oh fuck, Barthel/Li R3. Li has the draw from hell and is not making it out of that alive :(

is there a handy jpg of the men's draw yet abcfsk?

lol @ you knowing i wouldn't have a jpg for the men's :/

Men's: http://a.yfrog.com/img863/572/3x7sn.jpg

ahaha no it was just cuz i misread the thread!

RG draw day is NOT the day on which to have to juggle work in an office >:(

merci abcfsk

I wonder if Granola will be the one to put an end to this moronic ISNER CLAY GOAT American media hype

Noooo no chance of my Sousa/Souza match-up happening :(

Why do the same match-ups always happen?

this is really bizarre and annoying yeah, though not as bad as last summer, when - just as it seemed we'd finally got rid of Stosur - she drew her bitches Bepa and Li EVERY BLOODY WEEK which probably contributed significantly to this Stosur-as-Slam-champion nonsense situation that I still can't quite believe we have to live through

Since Woz beat Serena in Miami, they've been drawn as early as possible ever since (Madrid/Rome/RG) -__-

would you rather the bad old days of Woz getting a cakewalk draw every week?

Apparently those are reserved for world #1s. Absolute LOL @ Azarenka's draw

Stephanie Myles ‏@OpenCourt

I don't want to jump to any conclusions but after saying hello to Papa Williams, seems clear there is Another future champion on the way

!!!!! is Lakeisha pregnant?!

The upper half in general is pretty laughable

i think i want to just go into hibernation for these 2 weeks :/ i can't deal

predix

4R
Azarenka d. Safarova
Halep d. Petrova
A.Radwanska d. Ivanovic
Kerber d. Martic
Barthel d. Suarez Navarro
Kvitova d. Lepchenko
S.Williams d. Kanepi
Sharapova d. Tsurenko

QF
Azarenka d. Halep
A.Radwanska d. Kerber <= really quite torn on this one
Kvitova d. Barthel
S.Williams d. Sharapova

SF
Azarenka d. A.Radwanska
S.Williams d. Kvitova

F - S.Williams d. Azarenka

4R
Djokovic d. Verdasco
Tsonga d. Baker
Federer d. (Q)
Berdych d. Del Potro
Ferrer d. Granollers
Gasquet d. Murray
Almagro d. Tipsarevic
Nadal d. Raonic

QF
Djokovic d. Tsonga
Federer d. Berdych
Ferrer d. Gasquet
Nadal d. Almagro

SF
Djokovic d. Federer
Nadal d. Ferrer

F - Nadal d. Djokovic

I had never heard of the US wildcard Brian Baker. Here's a pretty good article on him: http://www.tennis.com/articles/templates/features.aspx?articleid=17768&zoneid=9

he's in the Nice SF this week, impressive even if his big victory (over Monfils) was over a player with an injury that necessitated pulling out of RG. my pick of him is a bit of a wild flutter/reflection of how little I trust Simon and Wawrinka.

R4
Azarenka def Cibulkova
Stosur def Cetkovska
Ivanovic def V. Williams
Kerber def Medina Garrigues
Barthel def Suarez Navarro
Kvitova def Wickmayer
S. Williams def Wozniacki
Sharapova def Pavlyuchenkova

QF

Azarenka def Stosur
Ivanovic def Kerber
Kvitova def Barthel
S. Williams def Sharapova

SF

Azarenka def Ivanovic
S. Williams def Kvitova

F

Azarenka def S. Williams

lol :D

Ugh I hope you are wrong, the world needs an Ivanovic SF run even less than it needs Azarenka winning another slam.

Ivanovic has got a pretty easy route, yeah.

Hmmm I am ever vigilant for unwanted Ivanovic revivals but Venus or Aga are about her worst 4R opponents, she's just the kind of dumb basher Aga feasts on and if it's Venus she'll just piss her pants if it gets remotely close. Wouldn't be surprised if Unforced Errani gets her first anyway.

Azarenka in the same general region as Stosur and Radwanska whom she pwns. Meanwhile, Sharapova, Serena and Kvitova on the other side of the draw. It would be too much to hope that Cibulkova grows a brain and does the job this time, right?

I anticipate Peak Shitova turning up losing early, too.

great story in the nytimes on CAKE: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/26/sports/tennis/26iht-srfobartoli26.html?_r=1&ref=global&pagewanted=all

last few paras are ;_;

Looking fwd to ITV4's coverage -- way more committed than the BBC.

I'm on streams. But I've already seen some of Del Potro, so that's nice.

don't think kuznetsov will be able to keep it up, but he's playing amazingly right now - takes the first set against Tsonga 6-1.

Dunno if Jo's just doing the French guy in front of a French crowd thing, but he seems really sluggish at the mo, not moving well at all.

ah nvm, seems to have gotten it sorted

Ormaechea *5-2 Venus

lollll

I am amazed at the lack of Roddick schadenfreude on this thread

there's no point. maybe when he loses first round of wimbledon :D

I hate myself :/ procrastinate from revision by watching frigging stosur/baltacha so it all piled up and I had to miss most of the venus match + johansson/rodionova which I can only assume was an absolute comedy for the ages

The scoreline suggests A-Nasty gagged against Johansson. Gagging against Johansson at RG, how is that even possible. Finally Mathilde wins a match here!

Ormaechea is meant to be good, did anyone actually see the set she won off Venus? Ditto Kuznetsov/Tsonga - Roz how does Kuznetsov play?

Funniest thing about the Roddick match is seeing that he got broken multiple times by Mahut on clay. That's pretty special. Eagerly awaiting Wimbledon, hoping he's unseeded for extra humiliation points.

Dinah Pfizenmaier seems to be one to watch, she's 20 already but this time last year she was unranked because she did that German thing of staying in high school. Hit the ITFs running last year and is now winning Slam matches. Amazing name too, one of those that's particularly fun to say out loud. (I miss Angelique Widjaja.)

Ugh why did I agree to work in an office this week*, I'm not going to be able to see a single point >:(

*so that I can take the rest of the tennis season completely easily I guess

re: Kuznetsov - only saw bits and pieces cause my brother was insisting on watching the F1 at the same time :/ and then I had to go do some work. Need to see more but def seems like a good ball-striker and quick to move forwards, which is always nice to see.

Ormaechea is very competitive and spirited, could be interesting.

It won't last, but this Brianti-Azarenka match is hilarious right now

nooooooo 5-3 to 5-5 :( Brianti had a set point and turned into a pusher. Why couldn't she have at least gotten a set :(

Great success for Mauresmo - I can't remember a recent slam where Azarenka didn't bagel her way through the first week.

dfghbkcufgbkhfcvygb

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

7-6 (6) to Brianti

FORZAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

ahahahahahaha to BRIANTI? looooool

and JaJa has just been breadsticked by PATRICIA MAYR-ACHLEITNER

and WHAT IS BARTHEL DOING OUT THERE?!

oh women's tennis you just give & give

Davis def Barthel 6-1 6-1

Like... Just how?

I've been too busy watching Azarenka/Henin but apparently Barthel didn't even try. Shady.

Great success for Mauresmo - I can't remember a recent slam where Azarenka didn't bagel her way through the first week.

She's taught her well <3 Even Amelie could never with this nervy French Open performance. She must be so proud

wow is this really going to happen?

I dare not hope - I remember how lethargic and grumpy Azarenka looked in Miami before Cibulkova gagged...

Is this really going to be a bagel?

Because I mean

asdgdgngfndgkj

Would hate to see A Rad given a free run to the finals.

Or Stosur :(

I can't deal with this, Blair at Leveson and having to do work at the same time

ughhhh Stosur run nooooooo

Fuck a top half.

gawd even just looking at the score I can tell this multideuce 4-0 game is crucial

and I know women's tennis and how this story normally goes :/

LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL Vika how can you miss that? Like, literally how?

Oh god

Well it was a nice run whilst it lasted, Brianti

and I know women's tennis and how this story normally goes :/

here we go

I was in the middle of work and didn't realise this was happening. wtf!

Sweet Lord

Does it HAVE to be this way? BRIANTI FOR FUCK'S SAKE COME ON NOW, LOVE

ugh why do i HAVE to tune in on the comeback?

this set is gonna end 6-4 azarenka isn't it? :/

it would have been so much fun

how pathetic do you have to be to lose 4 straight games against an azarenka who has literally probably never played worse

UGH IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SO FUN. BRIANTI I HATE YOU

I had to do some work and I have to say I am not even the tiniest bit surprised at this turn of events

How can two players be this stupid? I AM SO CONFUSED

BRIANTI YOU ARE LIKE IN YOUR THIRTIES OR SOMETHING AND THIS IS YOUR BEST EVER CHANCE AND YOU ARE JUST GIVING IT AWAY?! YOU UTTER LOSER

just the BODY LANGUAGE. like, what? Azarenka showing nothing but negativity until a set and 4-0 down. Brianti showing nothing but negativity since then. AT LEAST ACT LIKE YOU STILL BELIEVE.

Tennis is such bullshit sometimes. I mean, look, Marcel Granollers is seeded 20 at a Slam. How the fuck?

:) :) beautiful slice winner from Brianti!

like lex said, not like it's surprising or anything but still... gross.

they have 100 unforced errors between them btw

61 unforced errors for Azarenka. And still she will win.

I mean, if not for that bullshit, barely-in smash at 2-2 40-40, who knows.

Fucking gutless.

Lots of women choke against Serena when she throws in one of her shitfests, but that's Serena, who actually is fucking good. Azarenka? What's there to be afraid of?

So after all that Azza and JaJa both win anyway. Whatevzzz

xp ha i was just thinking abt that time i think a couple years ago where Vika herself choked after being up a set and 4-0 against Serena at the AO.

Thank heavens for that. Hopefully she'll wake up for the next round.

Ed let's be real most of the women choke horribly all the time, to just about anyone, regardless of whether the opponent is any good or the match is very big. Just look at Johansson's tragic history.

ahahaha I just remembered that one RG match years and years ago when Lubomira Kurhajcova led Lisa Raymond 6-0, 5-0, 30-0. You can probably guess how that one went.

xp ha i was just thinking abt that time i think a couple years ago where Vika herself choked after being up a set and 4-0 against Serena at the AO.

Vika didn't choke that.

meh you'd say that abt any Serena comeback.

No I wouldn't.

Vika just literally didn't choke that. Serena stepped up her game and Vika was done.

ok you know what, sorry i brought it up, not gonna argue (though you'd best look up the 2010 AO thread for a different take anyway :p)

Li up two breaks on Discout Ana. Defend!

Guys, when did American women learn how to play on clay?

^^HUGE win for Stephens, definitely - wish I had seen it! less surprised by BMS - Lisicki has been injured for most of the year and isn't in good form at the moment.

Bellucci-Troicki match is hilariously WTA. Expect brainless Bellucci will screw this up.

^^fourth set ended with four breaks in a row, natch. and to the fifth set we go.

bogomolov retired down 4-5 40-AD in the 5th set against clement

what an utter twat

Amélie was on TV criticising Bogomolov for that (quite rightly). Then John Inverdale started talking about how much strength and inspiration Clément must have drawn from the home crowd and she went very silent.

Ryan Harrison is STILL an appalling little shit, it's actually quite funny because he's not even very good. Apparently he's proud of his FH, I...have no idea why. It's such a bad look to berate yourself like that just after your opponent has hit an impossibly angled BH followed by an impossible sprint to get back your dropshot.

WTF happened to Barthel? Apparently she gave a cheerful "oh well, you win some you lose some" press conference.

Li's nightmare draw has suddenly turned pretty sweet.

Latisha Chan saving her career, she had megapoints to defend here and has...almost done it!

Ahaha and just after I post that I see this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzRnMNkrM3o

"No homo" - Ryan Harrison

roddick upon being asked in his press conference if he's playing mixed with serena here:

"Ask her. I can't get ahold of her. If you see her, ask her for me."

Mixed doubles draw:

Serena Williams/Bob Bryan

teehee

Querry is so much more fun to watch than Isner

watching paint dry is more fun to watch than Isner

you ws though

if it stops him playing tennis certainly

pleeeeeease can Tsveti beat Witchmayer

TSVETI <3 <3 <3

Alla Kudryavtseva ‏@AllaK11

I really don't know what else to do to win a fucking match... One last try in mixed...

:*(

(i was kind of blah on her until I started following her on Twitter, where it's obvious that her problem is that she is WAY too smart and self-aware to be an elite pro athlete, which requires confidence to the point of delusion)

Sveta talked to 50 cent on the phone once. Shame on the reporter whose follow-up question was not "so what did you guys talk about?!"

Also:

Who did you dream of kissing when you were a teenager?
Marat Safin, and he knows it!

/interestingrevelations

plz kill me

plz i beg you

kill me

jesus christ

fucking hell

idiot

Will worship at the altar of anyone who takes Serena out.

Not that that's gonna happen here.

yes it will

fucking french open

fucking crowd

fucking linespeople

fucking nerves

46-1 still pretty good i guess :D

she won charleston and madrid <3

but is this real life

i can't mentally function

HINDRANCE REPLAY THE POINT WHAT IN THE FUCK OFFFFF

i shouldnt watch tennis

i care too much

Well you care about someone who's won bucketloads... can't complain. Others suffer more.

at least the pain is pretty quick this year

no quarterfinal loss to maria fucking sharapova

that doesn't matter abcfsk

i still care :( too much :(

DF! Women's tennis!

(Hi everyone)

Tennis is suffering.

wait what the hell happened and how is she losing the final set at love

OMFG I got home at 3-0 La Razz and OMG

such a wonderful start to my holiday

0-30. A choke from 5-0 is the MORE plausible option here tbh

oh look

as always serena starts acting like she cares 5 minutes from defeat

will end 6-3 or 6-4 probz if i am lucky i guess

HURTS TOO MUCH :D

not that it matters but why did they replay the point after asderaki called hinderance on razzano

who has been cheating all throughout this match btw :D

YASSSS so good to see La Razz go for her shots stil

#bitter

razzano shut the fuck up

at least she lost the point this time

lol at this

just a typical serena match at the french open <3 never change

5-0 to 5-2. So women's tennis playbook

serena at the french <3 fighting back just to lose again since 2003 <3

30-0. ALLEEEEZZZZZZZZ

and here it is

feel sick

bout to get post-exams drunk at least

looooool Asderaki has gone hindrance crazy

OMG LOL MY LIFE LOL LOL LOL

oh serena... that return...

POINTE DE MATCH

ahahaha that DF. Obviously

serena you can't in all seriousness lose to this

lol

I should have called in sick today

This is hilarious.

Um, Razzano is basically crippled out there. WTF is going on this match is nuts

wow how did Serena miss that after that return

I bet Brad Gilbert is having an aneurysm

whoa @ that serve

how is razzano crippled lol
moving fine in the point

from what Razzano did on the MPs I cannot imagine her closing this out

this just can't happen

I LITERALLY HAVE TO GO OUT RIGHT NOW

I WILL MSIS THE FUCKING BUSS

hahahaha Serena's returns

omg someone end this already

Is that deuce #8?

nine

that was MP #5...

MP #6!

7 MPs gone. This match is ridiculous

Blimey what a mission.

that was incredible

SOMEONE INFORM ME

WHAT IS GOING ONNNNNNN

I AM ON MY PHONE ON THE BUS

AARGH MELTDOWN

this is going to be a gem of a press conference, huh

WHICH OF YOU WILL BRING ME THE NEWS?

A BIT LIKE A POLICEMAN INFORMING A WOMAN THAT THEIR HUSBAND HAS DIED

WHICH ONE OF YOU

Sorry, uberweiss, I'm afraid it's bad news

NO

PLEASE NO

I WILL NOT BELIEVE IT

PLEEEEASE

That was a good run of not losing in the 1st round of Slams, though.

La Razz took it on her 8th MP, which was OBVIOUSLY a disputed line call that Asderaki had to overrule

so happy for her after last year

does Seles or Serena hold the no-1R losses record?

still gives me LIFE that Seles's record lasted until her VERY LAST MATCH EVER

also

CHARLESTON AND MADRID

http://i1014.photobucket.com/albums/af264/JamieOwen3/serena-gif.gif

Bout to get so drunk

I hate living

Q. Similar question. You had such good clay court season. You've just come off a really tough loss. Can you try and put it in perspective in terms of your hopes for Roland Garros and the clay season?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah. I have to put it in perspective. My Roland Garros so happens to be over.

God damn it, Serena, why are you making me like you?

mmm, her response to the question about Razzano's tragedy should be the antidote to that.

Cibulkova killed King, who I thought might be a tough opponent. If Domi is in good form, could she...possibly...dare I hope...could she...finish what she started in Miami against Vika?

*prays*

re: Serena, I do find it hilarious that she's become everything she despised: she can bring her A game at the warm-ups but at the Slams she chokes and cries and sulks like her last name is Zvonareva. Or just inexplicably doesn't turn up for big matches.

It's often forgotten that both Serena and Justine had big reputations as chokers early in their careers, and part of their respective legends is how they overcame that. But I think it's telling that when Serena found it easiest to swan in to win Slams when she was most blase about the sport, but now she's obviously putting a lot of pressure on herself and really taking her preparation seriously...she crumbles. It's not because her game isn't good enough, we saw how she eviscerated everyone during the USO series and #charleston&madrid. She's just...become Safina.

How has Johansson survived to the third round?

by playing A-Nasty and Cetkovska?

she's so streaky though, lost her first 10 matches of the year, finally won a match in Fes qualies, got lucky and got in as a LL and then suddenly made it to the SF.

I am VERY SAD about Zheng's loss ;_;

and I was gonna put some money on Martic over CAKE but completely forgot, so I am very much pro this CAKEBACK

i will have cable in 3 hours! so pissed i've missed the start of this

never let me start the grand slam thread again

this is all my fault :(

lol

It's not just me, surely, that has noticed Wozniacki seems to get Gajdosova an awful lot. I mean, it's not as if Gajdosova wins a lot of matches to get to the match-up a la Aga/Vika. She really should be thanking her lucky stars she's not facing a competent basher.

(also it's not as if Woz has won lots of matches recently either lolz)

lulz @ how Serena losing sends tennis fans into meltdown but Venus losing HARD to A-Rad barely merits a flicker of interest

A-Rad vs Sweta next: I know I know I know, A-Rad is the "duh" choice BUT Sweta has won their last FIVE matches...

...but Sweta is a moron, so yeah. A-Rad.

(I'd really like Venus to have a good send-off at Wim or the Olympics, there's something a bit sad about results like this even if I wanted Aga to win.) (Not for the first time, I wish Venus and Serena had swapped careers)

Anyone but A-Rad in the finals, pls. Time to randomly be good again, Kuz.

went out with commentators saying murray was sure to retire stumbling around the court like an old man. Come back and he's wiping the floor with Nieminen.???

YESSSS Kirilenko out

re: Murray

tennishead ‏@tennishead

Virginia Wade (not holding back): “I have more sympathy for Nieminen because you can’t play against somebody who’s being a drama queen.”

hahaha, seriously tho pathetic of nieminem to keep looking at murray like "please retire, pretty please?".

so Hantuchovan

ahahaha what is Fran losing to Tsveti now? lol, Slam former champions FEAR HER

Well. Two consecutive Slam 3Rs for Bratchikova *boggles*

kinda annoyed that itv and eurosport decide to show the same match simultaneously.

those isner dropshots are hilarious

no one saying boo about Varvara Lepchenko?

hate isner

lol I misread the RG.com scoreboard badly and for a second was all "wait why is Haas playing Goerges"

YES ARANTXA RUS :D

YES VARVARA LEPCHENKO :D

Waking up to a Jankovic loss these days just gives me so much life. Now I just need that accompanied by an Ivanovic loss next round.

What I really need to happen is for Kaia Kanepi to play like I know she can so that we don't get Goerges/Wozniacki in the QF :/

Nice to see a Shvedova revival! Back in the top 100.

Poor Vania King, her Olympic spot snatched away from her at the last minute...

Shocked that of all people Paul-Henri Mathieu managed to win one of those Isner epics.

Shocked that Paul_Henri Mathieu won a close match of any kind, given what a fucking wimp he is.

Love Slava, hopefully a good run at Wimby too because she's athletic and fast and good on grass.

YOU GUYS DID YOU JUST SEE ERRANI BREAK IVANOVIC THERE SO SO GOOD.

Shame she lost the first set 1-6, but she really should be up 4-0 in the second if she hadn't missed a volley in the second game. She's attacking Ana's shitty backhand really well atm. Though when did Ivanovic ever hit decent slices? She's done a few!

idk I've seen people tempted to say Errani is just the kind of grinder who gives dumb headcase bashers like Ivanovic fits but Errani really is so harmless, rather like AMG, even against top players in shitty form. Her record against top 10 players is something like 0-96594858339344 and against top 20 players it's not much better.

I know and right on cue it's a mess again. I just really, really cannot abide Ivanovic in the top 10 again.

Ivanovic has sliced well for years - her finesse is underrated, maybe because she bashes a ball in the net for every sweet touch. I don't know, I really like the aesthetics of her game when she plays well for an entire match, just hasn't happened in the past three years so I stopped watching.

hahahahahahaha @ the score. Is Ana still doing this awful drawn-out desperate AJDEEEEEEEEEEEEEEs?

Why has Berdman lost a set to Anderson kmt

her finesse is underrated, maybe because she bashes a ball in the net for every sweet touch.

That would be about three balls, and usually a couple long too.

Now, Errani can you please finish this off, and then fuck off and lose tamely to A-Rad or Sweta, k thx?

PAMELA <3 <3 <3

Pam Shriver ‏@PHShriver

Does anyone like the Ana I's fist pumping, leg raising act on most points she wins in close matches? ‪#annoying

Ana: BACK!!!111111111

lol

Normally I wouldn't, but I have to go to tennisforum right now.

PAMELA <3 <3 <3

No one celebrated more for each useless point won than Cake yesterday, mind.

Oh look, Sweta is playing her one good game of the year.

if Sweta somehow wins here she'll only lose to Errani next, you know.

So far the best-performing American of the tournament is... Sloane Stephens

Bye A-Rad! Uh, pray you don't get in Cetkovska's part of the draw at Wimbledon!

(obv Sweta could choke from here but that would just be lol)

Like the other day, I'm glancing at the scoreboard and RIGHT THERE I could tell that Aga winning that game to pull back to 2-3 was the turning point

Or not.

Anyway I am totally down with a big Sweta run out of nowhere, though just as likely as her losing to Errani, is beating Errani and then putting in an absolute shit-fest v Azarenka (or, pray, Cibulkova).

No choke :o

I love Aga but honestly I am just relieved that there will be no Vika/Aga match here

I love Aga but even New Improved Aga on clay really should be a massive lol, and today, it certainly was. What was her conversion % on game points there? Looked bad.

Anderson winning TWO sets is also something that we don't need.

Oh Ana :( She was playing so well in the first set. Rad stinking out the court.

Fuck, Stosur is looking pretty uber.

there are a lot of people who can look uber versus Petrova these days

jesus, wish I had been awake when this happened - 36-shot rally between the two Baby Feds which left Dimitrov cramping and Gasquet vomiting in the dirt.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=n6n1VGZIlx0

holy shit, that's quite something.

(the harsh critic in me says: before the end of the SECOND set? really?? WORK ON YOUR FITNESS, BOYS.)

can't believe I didn't see any of today's five-setters. Verdasco...ugh. But today marks the END of my office stint and I intend to rest on my laurels for the rest of the summer tennis season. And never book a bloody sub-editing shift in a Slam week ever again.

(also, the perv in me thinks, what good fortune that Dimitrov's cramps entailed his shorts coming halfway down. A$$ A$$ A$$ A$$ A$$)

Oh look, it's a sneak preview of the Shitova that will probably lose next round to Schiavone, happening right now.

(Bratchikova has hit some great winners, mind you, but the first part of the set was... just.. revolting)

To BRATCHIKOVA? Seriously? Oh my god Petra.

Bratchikova's year-end rankings, going back over a DECADE

2011 143
2010 143
2009 214
2008 195
2007 371
2006 234
2005 259
2004 229
2003 425
2002 451
2001 818
2000 925

WELL DONE PETRA.

Good Petra is back. And relax.

The Petra bandwagon is totally worth being on for shots like that beautiful touch forehand about a game ago, but... man is it unpleasant a lot of the time.

Lepchenko/Schiavone looks like a tussle - every time I look at the scores it's at deuce.

Good choice to switch there - Lepchenko played a near flawless set of two games to win the second. Uh, who's more likely to let Petra win next round?

I don't know who I want to win this...I like Fran, but Lepchenko will be less dangerous for Petra. And it'd be really great for Lepchenko to make the Olympics after Her Story and everything (Stephens will get tons more chances in her career).

Poor Fran's ranking if she drops here. It'll double at least!

I've got nothing against McHale, and she's hitting some nice BH winners, but Li losing isn't quite good.

Lepchenko doing big things returning but playing it too safe serving out set.

Lepchenko's played some really gutsy, impressive tennis, except when serving for it.

Well. Back from 0-40.

Did it.

Kudos for that. It's really, really tough to put Fran away at this tournament.

Youzhny is actually crazy, right

Chunkova once again totally not happening. Only second ever 4R for Zakopalova.. I don't know if that's a surprise or not given her longish career and such.

Shit, it's only 5-2. Learn to read the screen already.

xps I wish I'd seen him carve "SORRI" (with the I, lol) into the clay after being bagelled

Shit, it's only 5-2. Learn to read the screen already.

5-5 now. And that's how Kookie crumbles!

If ever there was a woman who needed to keep her maiden name, it's Koukie. And Zakopalova is a great name!

shvedova pretty much the only good thing about this tournament. loving her revitalisation. PLEASE BEAT NA :D

will lol so hard if Wussquet loses to Haas.

this pavlyuchenkova match has hilarity written all over it. *straps self in*

...2 points later, it's over

this really isn't my tournament

as the first time this year Chunkova has won consecutive matches I'd say this was a v positive tournament for her

Prob won't even be seeded at Wimbledon (assuming the organisers do the right thing and give Venus a seeding).

NOOOOOO SEEDING OUTSIDE THE TOP 32

I am such a stickler for that. SEED BY THE RANKINGS AND ONLY THE RANKINGS

If M-Nav came back again you wouldn't seed her just because she's a gazillion-time champ

Ordinarily I"d agree but they gave special treatment to Sharapova that one time (with lol results), and Venus has won it five times so should get the same. Then no more of such nonsense.

They shouldn't have given it to Ma$habot! TWO WRONGS DON'T MAKE A RIGHT

Look, it's not really defensible, and Wimbledon organisers are gross, gross bastards who play favourites. And it _was_ wrong to do it for Ma$ha. But if you _have_ done it for her, then giving it to a five-time Champion in probably her last Wimbledon is not a second wrong, more a continuation of a bad situation than a second bad situation.

I guess it's too late for gasquet to learn to hit a forehand. And all the other stuff he's deficient in, like a mind.

oh what a get from rafa

oooooh kanepi :)

kanepi/shvedova sf would soothe my soul

wait sharapova's in that half as well actually

WHY CAN'T THE TWO HALVES OF THE DRAW EVER JUST BE EVEN

looooool WOZNIACKI IS SUCH A LOSER CHEATER :D NICE TRY

down break point she rings the ball out but it's in
wozniacki just stands there for like 5 minutes indignantly
LOSER :D

2 match points lost

5-1 to 5-3

yawn

sad

how do you serve for a match 3 times against wozniacki and not win any of them

that missed forehand at 5-2 30-0 smh

oh great, another set of this

*turns to golf*

wozniacki playing on and THEN complaining

her sportsmanship is just unbelievable

3rd match point lost :D on a DF this time :D

JOHN FUCKING INVERDALE TALKING THROUGHOUT EVERY SINGLE RALLY

SHUT THE FUUUUUUUUUCK UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUP

how did john inverdale get this gig

just HOW

literally such an idiot

STOP TALKING

also how did kanepi and wozniacki get their gigs as tennis players

so many people in the wrong profession on my screen right now

If this shitty match continues tomorrow

i mean at this point kanepi, just retire

just tragically pathetic

Match ended on an unforced error during moonball rally. Beautiful.

Gorgeous complaining her way through the third set. Bad sport.

omfg

RUS BEAT GOERGES? HOW? HOW DID I MISS THIS MATCH? LMFAOOOOO brilliant

Rus/Kanepi for a spot in the quarters <3

http://i.minus.com/ibhfmf1InmibW3.gif

lol wtf?

I NEED VIDEOS

Kanepi/Kuznetsova final. RIGHT HERE. RIGHT NOW. (In my head, and nowhere else).

Bageled by Sara Errani. Nice, Sveta. -_-

yeah, getting completely pummeled. First 7 games in a row before I couldn't stand to watch anymore.

Hah, wins her first game by breaking Errani to love. Of course.

Only God can jurge her! Still, lolololol. I'm all about Kerber coming through her section now, she's got fight and maybe if she gets to another SF it'll be contagious and everyone else will grow some.

If Cibulkova beats Azarenka today, I think I'll have to take the entire week off work to celebrate. A slam second week without Azarenka, Wozniacki, Jankovic _and_ Ivanovic, and which still includes Kvitova (even if she is playing pretty shit), Li and Kanepi would just give me so much life.

^^^YES to all of this.

kuznetsova's screechy outbursts are so fucking annoying

Haha I briefly checked the scores last night at the party I was at, after it was over, and was just like "duh, of course" when I saw Killer Kaia won. Had no idea of the drama en route to the fairly predictable result.

Goerges' attitude has always been abominable. Losing to Rus is more than I could have hoped for.

As for what is currently happening, I have to say that it does not surprise me one tiny bit. Full-on moron in the first set, I presume.

Last 16s for completion!

(1) Victoria Azarenka vs. (15) Dominika Cibulkova
Sloane Stephens vs. (6) Samantha Stosur
(26) Svetlana Kuznetsova vs. (21) Sara Errani
(10) Angelique Kerber vs. Petra Martic
(7) Na Li vs. (Q) Yaroslava Shvedova
Varvara Lepchenko vs. (4) Petra Kvitova
Arantxa Rus vs. (23) Kaia Kanepi
Klara Zakopalova vs. (2) Maria Sharapova

(1) Novak Djokovic vs. (22) Andreas Seppi
(18) Stanislas Wawrinka vs. (5) Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
(3) Roger Federer vs. (Q) David Goffin
(9) Juan Martin Del Potro vs. (7) Tomas Berdych
(6) David Ferrer vs. (20) Marcel Granollers
(17) Richard Gasquet vs. (4) Andy Murray
(8) Janko Tipsarevic vs. (12) Nicolas Almagro
(13) Juan Monaco vs. (2) Rafael Nadal

absolute lol @ kuz's attempt at serving that set out

Most proud of picking Martic, Lepchenko and GOFFIN.

Just wish I'd been wrong about Granola.

I have opted for Martic/Care Bear instead.

new predix

QF

Stosur def Cibulkova
Kerber def Errani
Li def Kvitova
Sharapova def Kanepi

SF

Kerber def Stosur
Sharapova def Li

F

Kerber def Sharapova

QF

Djokovic def Tsonga
Federer def Berdych
Ferrer def Gasquet
Nadal def Almagro

SF

Djokovic def Federer
Nadal def Ferrer

F

Djokovic def Nadal

We think Domi can finish what she started in Miami? I...will say YES.

Hahahahahaha Care Bear d. Sharapova would be an amazing final. Too many people are handing the trophy to Ma$habot already based on her dominance over scrubs.

Oh sveta, why you so brainless?

Martic bringing out her desperation level on the verge of defeat. Net forays, dropshots...saved a MP by chipping and charging

...but not enough. Care Bear in her second Slam QF.

Is a Shvedova def Stephens final too much to ask for? :(

After the Woz Kerber is the most boring player in the top 10.

Kerber is more interesting than Stosur, surely?

I guess other than that Kerber frames or shanks the ball less often...

We think Domi can finish what she started in Miami? I...will say YES.

all depends on how domi plays. her attitude could either be 'should've won last time, will win this time' or 'couldn't have played much better last time and still lost :('

if she's on her game azarenka will have no answers. so who the fuck knows. let's be honest vika will probz win :/ at least that means stosur will almost certainly not be making the semis

Hint, Domi: drawing Vika into the net and then tapping the ball softly straight at her is not a good tactic

In spite of hating her, I actually really like Azarenka's outfit, even though it makes her look more like a cake than a person. Oh wait, that would be why. Come on Domi.

Nu-brainless-ball-bashing Domi can totally smack some A+++ forehands. MORE!

This opening game is epic and awful :o

FUUUUUUUUUCK.

I expect lots of breaks because, duh, Domi is a midget and Azarenka, while not a midget, has a shit serve.

THAT WAS SO FOOLHARDY AND YET SO FUCKING GOOD! :D :D :D DOMI!

Nice volley, Domi!

Judging from these errors, Azza is totally there for the taking today.

Comedy gold that game point. I enjoyed it!

Hey, Djoko was up a break and now he isn't. I don't think he could lose to Seppi, mind you. Anyone watching that?

Azarenka's movement on clay is not very sure-footed. Surely she's vulnerable to being wrong-footed. Do it, Domi!

irl lol @ azarenka's attempt at a drop volley

Azarenka's "transition" game is just.. it's not good at all. She's not exactly inept at the net but she's not actually good at getting into position at it. Weird that so few players are any good at exposing this - Serena and Clijsters, yes, and Bartoli on a good day.. and Mental Giant Domi (appearing presumably for one set only).

Seppi is serving for the first set, btw.

This match is different to the Miami one...there, Domi was playing out of her mind. Winners everywhere. Here, she's playing decently but Azarenka is just absolutely dreadful.

woah nice backhand DTL down break point from Seppi

Rooting hard for the only one who can take out Nadal tho

wtf

6-4 seppi

Great hold, great break-back for Domi. She's got this if she holds her nerve.

For someone who relies on steady grinding, Azarenka sure misses BIG sometimes.

Also Azarenka's terrible, terrible forward movement is endlessly amusing.

looooooooool at that Azza dropshot

looooooooool at the racquet smash and boos that ensued

LOL terrible Azarenka drop-shot. Like, not even remotely disguised, not well-timed, and definitely not well played.

RACQUET ABUSE WARNING. FUCKING POME!

mauresmo has clearly done wonders for azarenka's game

Amelie, Amelie, how could you work with this blight on the landscape when you were such a classy, elegant player? Your face is showing serious remorse right now.

I mean...I guess when you hire Amélie Mauresmo to teach you how to play at Roland Garros, you get what you ask for.

lulz we all posted that at the same time

This is top notch entertainment but we have to remember it's not over.

Novak now a set and a break down. Hmmm.

Novak trolling us, lulz?

Our world no 1s syncing their losses

That noise Azarenka made at 30/30... wtf?

Multi-deuce game at 6-2, 4-2. Ruh roh.

NO. This is going to be... Hantuchova/Wozniacki last year, but sixteen times more orgasmic. SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP.

Domi loses it on a DF. Of course.

Break the bitch again, Domi. You can attack that pathetic serve just as well as she can attack yours.

oh do spare me, domi

If my wrists make it out of this set unslashed I will be surprised.

"do the balls smell like success?" is one of the odder things i've heard a tennis commentator say and that's saying something

yes @ that letcord :D

YES AT THAT ERROR.

C'mon Domi, you've broken her enough times already. Just one more.

Seppi failed to serve out set 2, after having a big chance to tie it up on Djokovic's. Hmm. Synchronicity indeed.

Fuck's sake Dominika.

Well, Azza stuffed up serving for the set completely. Hope!

I'm more hoping for her to fall over and not get up, frankly.

Carried off in a stretcher a la Lisicki, and taken to a padded soundproof cell, that sounds nice.

wtf wtf

Fantastic point from Domi there

That's a drop-shot, Domi. POME.

POJDMEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Cor that drop shot.

Azarenka's forehand <3

MATCH POINTS

Okay, that was a good point from Azarenka. But still, NO MORE.

haha holy shit @ that MP save

YESSSSSSSSS

Hurray!

FUCK YES YES YES YES. I'm going to drink everything in my house right now!

Up your fucking haughty cunt, Azarenka.

Ahem, pardon.

Stosur guaranteed a SF spot. Sigh...

I'll take a _probable_ Stosur SF spot over a definite Azarenka one.

Very nice.

Set point Seppi in the other match...

WHOA. Takes it

tuning in to the djokovic match, first thing i hear is david mercer calling a djokovic shot a "beginner's shot". <3 that man so much

but wtf is this shit

NOLE :@ YOU ARE MY ONLY HOPE

I vote for best of three for men first week.

Wow @ these basic-ass errors from Nole. Twice up a break in this set, both times broken back immediately.

Djokovic v Seppi is women's tennis.

I literally can't remember the last time anyone hit a winner in this match

David Goffin looks about 12

Wow, Federer just hit one of the worst dropshots I've ever seen. He was standing on the service line, had all the time in the world, and the ball went right into the bottom of the net

This David Goffin is good, huh. What a way to take the set! BLAM FH DTL winner.

oh shit! yes goffin!

This tournament is trolling so hard and it is pretty much amazing.

djok 3-0 to 3-3

what is this bullshit

this isn't on, wtf

Oh yesss that volley

impressive hold from 0-30!! really enjoying this guy

I'm def a fan. Love his BH and all-round game.

Asked how she would recover from the defeat, a stone-faced Azarenka said sarcastically: "I'm going to kill myself" Hmmm

well ok then!

lol j/k kinda

Amazing rally & winner there!

that forehand DTL after trading crosscourt forehands with federer omg!!

don't expect fed to miss a routine forehand return off a 2nd serve at 4-4 deuce

Simon Reed and Mats Wilander? Good night, that stream.

ugh all these errors :/

& lol edwardo

nooooooooooo

his backhand just leaking errors from 5-4 30-15 up :(

Bad time to switch to Goffin/Fed because the kid bottled it. He's cute. Ugh, I'm a lech.

I think it's more Goffin tiring. He's played some epic matches in this tournament. It was nice while it lasted :(

AMAZING.

Oh look, I haven't see a Turkish Airlines ad in a bit, and there it is. Hey, how come Azarenka hasn't inked any deals involving TV ads?

Or rather, one that is at least as omnipresent.

Why are there two really interesting games going on at the same time when I HAVE A DEADLINE AT 9AM.

Where are all the Goffin & King jokes? SMH at contemporary ILX tennis threads.

( ;) )

so, hobak came back

arghhh, I can't believe I slept through Nole five-setter, Vika loss and GOFFIN.

Lol McEnroe is postulations Stephens making a run to the finals

I mean, that would be cool but come on

wow, stephens is an impressive ball-striker

meh why can't I seem to find a stream for Stosur/Stephens?

At least Delpo still seems to be winning, despite having only one working leg.

Roz I just found one:

http://ro.lshunter.tv/index.php?option=com_lsh&view=lsh&event_id=97715&tv_id=382&tid=29263&channel=0&tmpl=component&layout=popup&Itemid=207

5-5 deuce? COME THE FUCK ON SLOANE. PLEASE.

thankin' you!

uh oh she's tightening up

oh dear.

fuck

i have so much hatred for this robot

someone take her out please. azarenka come back to us :(

and pony seems to be unraveling too. :( WHY CAN'T YOU PEOPLE SERVE?

Nightmare vision of Stosur getting to play her bitch Li in the final

I've been watching the Tsonga/Manislas match because UK TV refuses to move away from it and man JWT can be a moron sometimes

poor Delpo. Just can't serve on that knee at all anymore.

xp lex please don't even. i just refuse

didn't Wawrinka also come back from two sets down v Tsonga last year? Fuck this.

break back point! come on, Sloane!

lol Stosur

Care Bear is our only hope in the top half :/

sigh :(

Pony takes the third set...is his knee better?

Manislas/JWT is equal parts amazing and awful, they're both such incredible shotmakers and such massive dummies.

Tsonga's dropshots in this match, I just can't

Pony takes the third set...is his knee better?

taking pace off his serve helped, as did focusing more on his returns. I think he had break points in every game that set.

hahaha are they stopping the match now?

Yeah, commentators seemed surprised they hadn't done it earlier

Yeah, should've stopped at the end of the 4th.

Obviously JWT had to give that break back before finally closing Manislas out. He really should have a great shot at Hobak next, who is just...not playing well, at all. But he's such a dummy, I don't know if he can take advantage. That said, he can be a moron but he's a FIGHTER!!!!1111 as well.

Zakopalova is a moron, but what's new?

Del Pony!

This match is atrocious and I am bored and want to watch Li Na now.

It's the wind.

Yeah, it's hard to imagine worse conditions for these two than this.

<3 Shvedova's eyewear/headwear combo.

argh I'm going to be stuck on the night shift all this week when the office has apparently blocked all streaming sites, the bastards.

How did pony do? can't believe he won that match, with Berdych playing so well too. Not sure I can take another loss to Fed next though.

I only saw the last two games, and the stream wasn't very good (yes, I'm streaming one game on each monitor, and the less interesting game goes in the same monitor as browser, email). He looked very focused. Feel like it's time for Del Pony to beat Fed!

I've never seen Zakopalova so much as crack a smile or look remotely happy to be on court ever but she's put together a respectable, solid pro career over the past decade so I guess she loves tennis more than she lets on?

God I wish it was Kanepi playing Sharapova today in these conditions, her heavy strokes would wreak serious damage. Of course she'd probably just choke anyway.

Li would be doing well, she's serving superbly, getting 80% of her first serves in!

Li was doing superbly in Rome until she choked ;_;

But this is a really high quality match, so if Shvedova wants to take it to three, I'm all for it.

Cow on ice.

Oh this is going to be ugly.

Umpire correctly enforcing the challenge rule.. wait... what?

I have no idea what happened there! Ump thought Sharapova stopped play?

Sharapova looked like she stopped play to me. Thing is, the ball looked really, really out.

Yeah, replay showed that she did stop play. Ball initially looked out to me too but ump ruled it in.

Nice to see that not even Maria Sharapova gets two chances of winning a point.

At least in Paris.

Hahahahaa I love it when Sharapova gears up for a massive return and the ball goes straight into the bottom of the net

Set points to Zakopalova!

6-0 in the third to Ma$ha. That is if she doesn't take the breaker 8-6.

looooooool, what a way to lose a set Ma$habot

Why have I arranged to leave the house now? Aargh @ my planning

Shvedova will beat Kvitova playing like this (though Li could well still go into God mode).

4-0. Li Na is not playing that badly. She is hitting some astounding shots still. Shvedova is just... well she's hitting some errors, but (injuries aside) it's hard to believe she's never been top 20.

Okay you can all stop worrying about Stosur winning now, she won't be getting Li in the final.

whoa

Horrifying stuff, but you live to die another day.

Not Li, though, wtf happened there.

So Nadal is very likely to win his seventh this year, huh

I am not that surprised by anything I've come home to.

- Lee Na is good and all but she just wasn't going to defend so this was going to happen at some point, may as well benefit a good player who could use the ranking boost
- I predicted Gasquet to beat Murray based on form coming in, thought about putting money on it, and then...I remembered Murray's injury and KNEW Wuss would find a way to fuck it up
- 2, 0 and 0 is just what Rafa does to the Principality/Almagro/Ferrer types who play a B version of his game, the scoreline is totally expected because what exactly can Principality do to him? Outlast him? LOL
- Varvara fought her way to her Olympic dream, no way would she have anything left to trouble Petra. I knew that this tournament we all seem to be superstitiously avoiding the subject of KvittyGOAT but...We Need To Talk About Petra now. She's basically kinda good, you guys.

why are the QFs scheduled concurrently

i HATE Slam scheduling

She is by some margin the best thing about women's tennis, except when she plays retardedly like at the fucking Australian fucking Open fuck fuck fuck how could she.

I still love her.

This Cibulkova/Stosur match will bring me nothing but pain.

The point Cibulkova just played to win that game was great tho

It was!

The pain comes with the hope that such points give me.

Cibulkova has no chance here. She looks worried already. Stosur is playing fairly intelligently and her backhand is, if not a world-beating shot, solid enough today.

Oh except for that one.

Awesome return from Stosur! She has played some good stuff: opposition is feeble at best tho'.

Other than Errani, I would be happy to see any of the other three left in the top half lose to Kvitova in the final. Please, Petra.

Unforced Errani is actually on fire. Winners everywhere :o

Hah, nice collapse here from Stosur. Hey Sam, you know when you're brought into the net by a drop shot, you can go cross-court.

Hahahahahahaha moonball-dropshot combo from Errani!

She recovered composure to see her through...hardly a collapse.

Errani is going to make Kerber cry out here. Her little legs working and her brain in overdrive and her BH x-court slamming winners!

Inside-out FH winner! BH return winner! Errani!

Wow, this is a really good match. Glad I switched.

Nice break-back by Err

what a fkn point to break!!

Why did my laptop randomly switch itself off halfway through that game. I CAN'T DEAL WITH TECHNOLOGY

The madness continues with a break back

Kerber's second serve just lets Errani take control of the point...she breaks as Kerber tried to serve out the set. Great volley to set up BP

ton of unforced errors from err (good short hand it seems). 3-break points

Another amazing point and Care Bear breaks again!

Kerber will have one more chance to serve for a decider - great blood from a stone type stuff there! xp

oh no stream is gone!

Just gonna say - great FH from Kerber looks good - stream goes - now 15-40

set point!!

ok ITV 4 are now showing it

Laptop keeps shutting down. Seriously, can streaming stuff overheat the stupid thing? WHY IS IT DOING THIS TO ME.

Hahahaha Care Bear tries moonballing set point up and Errani just smacks it away.

Awesome inside-out FH!

Errani not letting go and getting stronger - break back

smashes for tie break!!

TB!

Kerber's moonball/drop-shot combo is not quite a fully formed tactic, eh.

Errani ftw now, playing w/her on that drop shot

Kerber looks like she's just run out of gas

a bag of match points

needed one!

Errani! She's so happy.

Unfortunately this just means another midget for fucking Stosur to bounce topspin over :(

ITV4 are showing djoko-tsonga instead of potro-fed. bah!

I'd rather see this to start with - Pony has had so few answers to Fed in their recent matches and is in a bad way physically on top of that. Tsonga really really has a chance at the upset given how poor Djokovic has been but there is the matter of his big stupid head in the way.

I'd say no way that Tsonga would win given the home (dis)advantage..

Tsonga feeds off the RG crowd though, he's not a Mauresmo or Wussquet who flops.

But there we go, that service game was pure Big Stupid Head.

(I'd say the surface is more of a disadvantage to Tsonga)

Pony yay, Tsonga boo. (I need to be home RIGHT NOW. still half an hour to go. :/ )

Hobak may well have finished it off in that time. He breadsticked Tsonga in 20 minutes then won the first nine points of the second set :/

Hey, isn't it really weird that Errani has suddenly become good?

Some amazing shots in this JWT/Nole game...

What a point to win it on!

Hey, isn't it really weird that Errani has suddenly become good?

not especially - a) Italians tend to be late developers, Pennetta was a MM queen befor emorphing into a legit top 20 player, Schiavone is an obvious example and so was Farina Elia; b) she's been top 40-level consistent for a while now; c) this was a relatively soft draw so it's not like she's suddenly a top 5 player, she's just taken the step up to the top 20.

Wow, Djokovic smashes it back to Tsonga twice and pays the price...

WOW. Incredible stuff from Tsonga. From 1-6, 0-2 hopelessness to winning the set!

Ludicrous point there. After saving BPs in the previous game, Hobak has BPs of his own...

coming home to find both Jo-W and Pony have won a set = LIFE!

Come on Jo-W. Please oust this guy!

DELPOOOOOOOOO <3 <3

I love Roger too but... lol:

Beyond The Baseline ‏@SI_BTBaseline

"Shut up!" Roger yells (in English) at the pro-him crowd. They keep audibly admiring his shots mid-rally. That's actually ur fault, Fed.

LOL @ Fed.

Why are these on at the same time ffs.

i'm watching two streams at once. Whichever's not buffering. :/

I can't keep posting every time there's a breathtaking point in Hobak/JWT, the quality is amazing.

Incredible get from JWT to take the third set and Chatrier ERUPTS

omfg @ that point!!

OMG

It's such a huge turnaround. At 1-6, 0-2 down, JWT had literally only won about 5 points.

But that's just Jo isn't it? He just catches fire and his opponent suddenly can't do anything.

JWT has come up with so many genius shots...he's scrambling so well AND going for the lines AND keeping the stupidity to a minimum right now.

Djokovic has been a bit disappointing tho', has blinked a couple of times when the game tightened up.

ugh is Delpo tiring? Come on, dude, you're so close - you can't lose 2 sets to 1 up against Fed here, AGAIN.

stupid knee

Djokovic has been a bit disappointing tho', has blinked a couple of times when the game tightened up.

yeah he's been a touch careless - in keeping with his level this year which has been somewhat under last year - but not as awful/passive today as he was vs Seppi

ahaha this twitter https://twitter.com/#!/TennisGods

Great point by D at the net to win: 1-1

MTO, the most NID thing of all

i've missed so much tennis ffs

what kind of fucking world do i live in where it's considered acceptable to have QFs on at the same time. i mean jesus christ

djokovic sigh. may as well lose. it's becoming increasingly obvious that 4 in a row (both in terms of slams and beating nadal in the finals) is probably not happening

del potro!!!!!!!!!! but now lost the 3rd and down 3-0. shiiiit :( :(

errani/stosur sf somebody fucking kill me

that bottom half tho!! :D :D so so so happy for yari. + maria, kaia and petra!!

fuck. Someone give that pony a new leg thanks.

Ruh-roh Jo...

...big serving erases the BPs.

poor Del Potro, this has turned so routine for Federer it hardly even seems like a five setter.

Huge game for JWT to come through. A game away now.

5th set plz

Oh my god huge miss! Zéro-trente...

OH MY GOD

what even is this utter bullshit

whatevz

tsonga plz beat nadal in the final lol

ayayayayayayaaaaa what a way to save MP

reminding me of the volley serena hit down MP in 2003 vs Clijsters... as she was gunning for 4 in a row

Clutch fucking serving. 5-5

If I had a strong rooting interest in this match I'd be gibbering on the floor right now (I'm going for JWT but wouldn't mind another set please).

Possibly ill-advised net foray...another MP

i would kill my mother for a tiebreak

awwwww he had that FH!

YEEEEES come on

please crush the dreams of this crowd

4th MP...

are you fucking kidding me

\adbhsdfbsdghbj

THIS FUCKING MAN!

God you have to fucking love how Nole plays under pressure though

ALLEZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

TIEBREAK. BEAST.

Who the fuck am I rooting for, I don't even know

man I can't wait to watch this tonight

hahahahaha JWT wins his first point of the TB when he breaks a string and rushes the net

THAT RALLY

come on Jo. I've already lost one of my favourite players tonight.

How can you construct a point so well at this stage Nole!

OH GOD JWT THAT BH WHAT

holy shit

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS SILENCE THAT CROWD

FUCKING BEAST

unbelievable

Wow. So clutch.

Nole is so terrifying when he's focused like this

That manic look in his eyes when he gets clutch

I'm spent. I actually have a stress headache after those MPs went begging. Bloody hell.

why is john inverdale allowed to exist

btw, Fed/JMDP started after this, and they've played FIVE SETS and have FINISHED

http://www.rolandgarros.com/images/players/atpd643.jpghttp://www.rolandgarros.com/images/players/atpt786.jpg

these are their pics on the RG.com scoretracker, btw

I'm spent. I actually have a stress headache after those MPs went begging. Bloody hell.

got a message from a Kanepi fan after the Woz match saying he was considering suing her and Woz and the WTA and RG for PTSD

I think I might go to bed now. Can't take this. I'll be happier for Nole in the morning, because right now I just want to smash his face in. And Jo's too.

Tsonga serving under 100mph now SMH. That game was beyond bad even taking the now-foregone-conclusion of this match into account

rip j-w

heh JWT doesn't want a hug

wow the French crowd actually not being assholes to Tsonga

he looks completely heartbroken

:D

Djokovic had better get that NOLESLAM now

A word about the scheduling - maybe this was covered upthread, I dunno, I was folding laundry and entertaining a 5yo during sets three and four...

If memory serves, 2nd Tuesday at RG was usually: two men's QF on PC, all four women's QF on SL, possibly starting at 11am or noon. So, you couldn't watch everything but there'd be no clashes within the same event. This year, they've decided to emulate Melbourne/New York (maintaining the draw split in the women's) but without the benefit of a night session, so they had to split across courts. Incl warm-up, gaps, etc, today's schedule ran to about 11hr so playing it all on PC was never on, even with an earlier start.

Doesn't bother me, but I grew up channel-hopping between BBC1 and BBC2 during Wimbledon (which splits across courts up to/incl 2nd Wednesday) and just accepting that once the news was on BBC1 at 6pm, that we were down to a single channel for the rest of the evening (classic QFs I never saw as a result: Edberg-Ivanisevic '92, Wilander-Cash '87, Connors-Tanner '80, etc; some semis too, due to the weather). You've never had it so good, blah blah blah.

Was never sure what to make of all the women's quarters getting dumped on Langlen; kind of the grand finale for that court (only juniors/doubles on it from 2nd Wed onwards) but also reinforced second-class status of WTA at RG.

The man is made of iron, really incredible - hope he wins RG now. Really don't want Nadal to win 7th. Murray isn't going to do it (hahahahaha he'll lose tomrrow) and Fed is useless so its on Djoko not to fuck this up please.

Amazing how he wussed out a lot of the time.

So pissed at Del Potro's knee. I'm assuming that's what it was.

I'm not anti-Rafa but I really want to see History Being Made etc etc

sadly I think I have to stick to my original prediction I made at the AO - Rafa halts the NOLESLAM in the final. Djokovic is ironman and mental GOAT but he is just not playing well enough.

Same here. Not anti-Rafa, ton of respect for the guy and what he did to make it interesting when Fed was god for those 3-4 years.

But also love to see Djoko win the French Open, never mind the slam - you'd think he'd eventually do it but injuries and the like are always around the corner...can't say it will happen next year.

Reckon he has a good shot, not playing as well but he's the only guy who has ever worried Rafa. That's got to count for something.

Thinking of writing a letter of thanks to our Madge -- wouldn't have been able to watch if it wasn't for this Jub nonsense.

Yeah, "useless Fed" into his 31st Slam semi. I would LOVE IT if he won this again.

Sorry Michael, that was poor from me. You know I love him and his sole French Open victory is one of my top tennis watching moments ever.

But I doubt he could beat Nadal. Some of those finals were some of my worst tennis watching experiences.

i love all four of these women :( which is kind of dull :( definitely rooting for maria. and probz rooting for shvedova i guess! sharapova/kvitova matches suck

(not that maria needs my support - the likelihood of kanepi managing to beat her is approx 0%)

Shvedova leads 3-0 oh god oh god oh god cancel this tournament immediately

Azarenka/Sharapova then Stosur/Sharapova. This year literally could not have given me less palatable Slam finals. CANCEL THE WTA PLEASE

wow maria just hit a good volley

Maria broken on a DF. A dribble of hope.

both of these matches are so rubbish

Maria is careless, Kaia is a wimp and Petra is in love with the back fence.

This Ladbrokes advert is going to drive me to homicide

how do you turn up to a grand slam QF match with this little enthusiasm or passion or interest

totally pathetic from Kanepi

seriously

just wtf was that

not surprising but i mean jesus

from the limp and uninspiring to the energetic and passionate <3 shvedova <3 davaiiii

Kvitova can be so gooooood and then so baaaaad

Somebody tell me what's going on - I'm out of the office and can't seem to access RG's livescore site.

Petra alternating randomly between stupidity and greatness basically. in the third set she went 2-0 up, then 2-4 down, and has pulled it back to 5-4 up (Shvedova to serve).

First real signs of tightness from Yari...

Two more points. Just hold off the Shitova alter ego for two more points.

Oh god no

God. Finally. Do better next time for fuck's sake.

so it's a Masha/Petra semi then? I fear for Petra... anything but a Maria/Stosur final plz.

Like Nole vs Rafa I just don't think Petra is playing well enough to beat Maria...obviously she CAN but she's not showing any sign of getting her game under control enough.

I miss Tati ;_; http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/06/sports/tennis/retired-at-24-tatiana-golovin-has-press-box-view-of-french-open.html

it's international women's day today so this is what Court 1 looks like

https://p.twimg.com/AuxxLU3CMAAJGrP.jpg

sigh

Court 1 where the women's SFs are not taking place, btw

Yahoo has a good video piece about how Errani can beat Stosur (pls ignore the shit Stone Roses cover backing music)

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/video/06062012/58/hawkeye-errani-stop-stosur.html

Oh god the weather today.

I wouldn't worry, damp conditions are as bad for Kvitova as Ma$habot.

Bless that Eurosport video but Errani has not faced a kick serve like Stosur's yet and everything will just bounce over her head, while her own lack of serve means even a bad returner like Stosur can just swing away without pressure.

Yeah but the match(es) will probably be messy affairs.

play starting soon...

Sam Smith talking about how the conditions are bad for Stosur...yes but NOT BAD ENOUGH :(

Stosur will have to choke like she's never choked before to lose this, and 1) she's not actually a choker, really, apart from at home, and her rep is unwarranted; 2) in any case this is not a particularly pressure-filled match

LOL. In her first service game, Errani wins 100% of her first serve points, 0% of her second serve ones, all of which Stosur just runs around and crushes a FH return. This is a sad match-up.

Well, really good tennis to break back. Once they're in the rally it's obvious who's better, it's just that rallies will comprise about 10% of the points. I HATE big servers.

breaks back immediately to love though! xpost

seriously, how did Errani suddenly get so good this year? so sharp!

Stosur's BH remains a crime against tennis.

YES! Errani breaks, will serve for the set. Playing SUCH a smart match.

SET POINTS c'mon c'mon c'mon

Takes it with a serve-FH combo! FORZA SARITA~~~~~~~

You can feel her little mind whirring on every point. The one where she hit a second serve to Stosur's FH after serving to her BH all match - Stosur was already trying to run around her BH and couldn't crush it like normal. The high balls to Stosur's BH designed to bring out prime Shanksur. Hitting the ball straight at Stosur at net. Those amazingly disguised dropshots <3

Also attacking Stosur's serve like a beast. Standing way inside the baseline... the kick can't climb high enough before she's on it.

2nd serve points won - 11%. And WINNING!