2019 Roland Garros...ATP 2000...Paris, France

[don_budge]

Fed is of course a massive favorite at 1/10. Stefano is a very slight favorite, unusual out there as we all know, at 5/6, Stan is 6/5. Nadal is a beyond massive favorite at 1/100. Fabio/Alex is virtually a pick em, Fabio at 10/11 and Alex at 21/20. If I could only watch one, no doubt to me it would be Stefanos vs Stan. Fed is in a great spot, not spending much energy and probably looking at another 3 sets today. Stan and Alex probably 5 and coming up to Fed not fresh.

Amen to that...he must have performed on another level. Again. Mayer is no slouch on the dirt. Three short sets. No muss...no fuss. He is jockeying for position. Nadal is cruising but the lack of competition might just come back to hurt him in the semis. Interesting how the story line develops.

Wawrinka goes up two sets to one. He looks just as solid as a rock. He would not BUDGE against Dimitrov. Four one handed backhands in this section of the draw. Really cool. Good for tennis.

[don_budge]

Wawrinka goes up two sets to one. He looks just as solid as a rock. He would not BUDGE against Dimitrov. Four one handed backhands in this section of the draw. Really cool. Good for tennis.

Stefanos just broke back to go up 4-2 in the fourth. Does he have the same kind of resolve that Wawrinka is demonstrating? A fifth set would be colossal!!!

[don_budge]

Stefanos just broke back to go up 4-2 in the fourth. Does he have the same kind of resolve that Wawrinka is demonstrating? A fifth set would be colossal!!!

One of the toughest tests in all of sports. The fifth set in tennis. Now Wawrinka is up against an opponent of equal ability and most importantly...young legs. A big moment for Tsitsipas. If he passes this test he is building momentum in the tournament and it will bode well for him when he faces Federer...and Nadal.

[stroke]

I going to go out on a limb, after careful consideration, and pick Fed to win vs the winner of this easy 5 hour 5 setter between Stan and Stefanos.

[don_budge]

I going to go out on a limb, after careful consideration, and pick Fed to win vs the winner of this easy 5 hour 5 setter between Stan and Stefanos.

Just a whale of a tennis match. If Stan should eek it out...advantage Federer. Tsitsipas looks to be as fresh as a daisy. Deep in the fifth. Four to four. They have to be feeling it. Will Wawrinka's legs begin to wobble just a little? He is serving big. Tsitsipas relentless on the attack. Two heavyweights...it's getting late.

[bman]

I think Fed got a break, in that Stan will not be fresh in the next round and Tsitsipas would have been a tougher out. I think Nadal is smiling, though, as Stefanos was probably his biggest threat on this half.

[stotty]

Roger and Rafa must be laughing their heads off. They've had virtually no one of any note to play and are as fresh as can be.

Stan is a beast. With a day's rest he can do it all over again...strong as an ox that boy.

[glacierguy]

So happy that Stan won. But did you see that kicker that Stefanos hit on the ad side (I think in 4th set, all bit of blur now) - it was HUGE. Never seen anything like it. Tremendous.

[don_budge]

https://www.nbcsports.com/video/2019-french-open-stefanos-tsitsipas-exhausted-after-loss-stan-wawrinka

Stupid questions...but it is great to get a look at Stefanos Tsitsipas. He had the break points...who does that remind you of? Roger Federer at the Aussie Open? This kid is just in his neophyte mode. He's learning...absorbing. It's the experience that counts. It's the lesson of "Zorba the Greek". Stefanos...read Nikos Kyzantzakis. Great, great match. There was no loser in this one. Stan Wawrinka? Great sportsman when he shows up to play. Will he show up against Roger? Does he have it in the tank? In the heart? These are the wonderful existential questions that great tennis matches provoke. There is the discussion about technique. There is one about tactics. But the most important is the one about the human spirit. Sometimes tennis brings out the worst in people. But this afternoon these two gentlemen manned up and showed us what the game is all about. The embrace at the end was almost too long...but I couldn't help but wondering what was said. This may have been the match of the tournament. This may have been the match where Stefanos Tsitsipas got his baptism by fire.

[stroke]

What I saw about the hug at the end at the words exchanged was it was mostly Stan. Stefanos was not feeling it, he was not feeling anything other than the brutal disappointment of the loss he just had and that is no problem at all. You are right, he is on the verge of greatness, we all see it. Just not as great as Fed, Nadal, and Novak. Stotty talked about Stan being an ox, the diesel. Of all the match outcome scores, I see 3-0 for Fed vs Stan most likely.

[stroke]

Zverev gets past Fognini in 4. I really did not think Alex played that well, it was more Fabio just not being able to maintain his level throughout the entire match. Certainly this match was no where near the level of tennis in the Stan/Stefanos match.

[stotty]

don_budge calls the preliminary rounds foreplay while stroke uses them to study form. I would rather get straight down to business. The business end for me is the last 8 and beyond. It's not there aren't good game to watch in the earlier rounds (Stephanos v Stan should have been a last 8 match), it's more we have all gotten used to the bar being so high by Novak, Roger and Rafa.

I would love to have seen Fognini get through today but it wasn't to be. Zverev has nothing to lose against Novak and has the guns to try and red line it. The trouble will be keeping up the high level it would take to defeat Novak over 5 sets.

Stan can be like a old locomotive once he gets his massive groundies going. He could beat anyone, except perhaps Roger, who is adept at not allowing Stand to get his legs under him to hit those haymakers. Still, on clay you never know.

In theory Rafa has the easier ride, though Roger can't complain. Neither player has played anyone highly ranked to get where they are.

Khachanov leads Del Potro 2 sets to love as I write. I find Del Potro frightfully dull and am praying for him to be dispatched.

[stroke]

Khachanov looked dangerous in winning on 4. His forehand is a real weapon, a difference maker kind of weapon that to me Alex does not have. Alex is similar to Novak in that he is so good off both sides, particularly the bh, but as we all know, he will never be able to move like Novak, and his fh is prone to break down at times.

[stotty]

I missed Khachanov but have seen him play twice before. He has an unusual forehand but it's a bazooka of a shot. Zverev has an unreliable forehand and it's the core reason why he hasn't done a s well as we thought he might. You simply must have an excellent forehand if you are going to win slams. That's been the same throughout history and not just in today's tennis. The forehand is the shot players play the most. You can run round backhands to hit forehands, but it doesn't work anywhere near as well running round forehands to hit backhands...almost unheard of.

Khachanov is potentially a dangerous player for Novak should they meet. From here on in it won't be easy for Novak whoever he plays.

I am looking forward to what's lying ahead. History will be made one way or the other if one of the Big 3 goes on to lift the trophy. Rafa's achievements at Roland Garros have been mind-boggling. He owns a record I feel may never be beaten. Roland Garros is the toughest tournament to in. There are no cheap points on clay; everything has to be worked for. It's amazing he could be winning the event for the twelfth time.

[don_budge]

What I saw about the hug at the end at the words exchanged was it was mostly Stan. Stefanos was not feeling it, he was not feeling anything other than the brutal disappointment of the loss he just had and that is no problem at all. You are right, he is on the verge of greatness, we all see it. Just not as great as Fed, Nadal, and Novak. Stotty talked about Stan being an ox, the diesel. Of all the match outcome scores, I see 3-0 for Fed vs Stan most likely.

Very perceptive stroke. Stefanos does not appear to be a hugger after matches. The perfunctory handshake will suffice thank you. I think that he has a killer instinct and he is going to be up there. Lots of work to do. He is a work in progress. The service motion needs to be ironed out...there is a wrinkle in it induced by the tossing technique. But he is done for now. We turn to Stan Wawrinka and Roger Federer.

I have my first golf competition today after ten years. No big deal unless I allow my mind to magnify the importance of an impossibly minute event. It's psychological. What will be going on with Stan and Roger today will be largely psychological too. Luckily for Roger. I think the match with Tsitsipas may have erased some of the physical advantage that Stan might have had...but I am not too certain on that either.

Sorry to miss the match between the two Swiss greats. Another one hand backhand slugfest. Notice how the interest level just falls off the charts when it is the top half. Juan Martin Del Potro could barely induce himself to get interested either. It was embarrassing to watch him. Dominic Thiem hit a highlight reel shot against Gael Monfils but that also was pure boredom. Fognini and Zverev? Snooze alert. Djokovic? Where's the coffee? Make mine a double.

But the Federer, Tsitsipas, Wawrinka bracket carried the tournament so far. It will for at least one more round. Should Federer prevail it will carry it another round. Keep me posted. Federer in three? That would be a godsend. Wawrinka has been playing back the entire tournament. Way back. He played a whale of a match against Tsitsipas and the match against Dimitrov was really good as well. Might his level drop off just a tad giving Federer the knockout he is looking for? An early round knockout (straight sets)? I think four sets will do. I would love to see a really healthy Federer up against that...you fill in the blanks.

Nobody is capable of carrying this tournament like Roger...unless it is Stefanos. He's young and coming on like gangbusters.