Roland Garros Update

[jimlosaltos]

Am I missing it, or is there no thread for the French Open? If this is redundant, my apologies.

But I had to post this somewhere! "Iga Swiatek has broken in her first return game in 12 of her last 13 matches."

[stotty]

stroke and myself have acquired the tournament thread duty since don_budge's recent (hopefully temporary) departure from the forum. Sorry to say we have let folk down in this regard and hope to do better going forward...

Iga Swiatek seems in unstoppable form of late. I don't watch the WTA much and need to get more up to speed.

The mens' draw is a terrible letdown due to the top half of the draw being so lopsided. More balance would have been appropriate. Nadal and Novak seem to have settled into their usual grand slam rhythm...swatting other ATP players away like pesky flies disturbing their sleep. Alcaraz had a wobble. He'a allowed one wobble, but two is usually fatal even for a young, super fit dude like him.

Medvedev seems to doing quite well but may face a stiffer challenge in Kecmanovic.

Looking at the draw, Alacaraz has some stern challenges. No easy matches ahead for him in my book.

[jimlosaltos]

stroke and myself have acquired the tournament thread duty since don_budge's recent (hopefully temporary) departure from the forum. Sorry to say we have let folk down in this regard and hope to do better going forward...

Iga Swiatek seems in unstoppable form of late. I don't watch the WTA much and need to get more up to speed.

The mens' draw is a terrible letdown due to the top half of the draw being so lopsided. More balance would have been appropriate. Nadal and Novak seem to have settled into their usual grand slam rhythm...swatting other ATP players away like pesky flies disturbing their sleep. Alcaraz had a wobble. He'a allowed one wobble, but two is usually fatal even for a young, super fit dude like him.

Medvedev seems to doing quite well but may face a stiffer challenge in Kecmanovic.

Looking at the draw, Alacaraz has some stern challenges. No easy matches ahead for him in my book.

I didn't know. Never meant to step on any toes!

Feel free to delete this thread and start an official sanctioned one ! <g>.

Meanwhile, an unofficial tabulation by Bill Gross summarizes the French so far:

• Nadal: 4 hrs 11 min
• Djokovic: 4 hrs 14 min
• Alcaraz: 6 hrs 24 min T
• Tsitsipas: 7 hrs 40 min

I'd add:

Swiatek 9 minutes.

Her play might be better measured in breadsticks, bagels and half-pretzels (at least I'm told 6-2 is a half-pretzel. There must be a better name).
Short version: Total calories she's handed out <g>.

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[johnyandell]

I think the expections for Charley are too high. He will probably win it eventually but just because he has done so well doesn't mean he will now.

[jimlosaltos]

I think the expections for Charley are too high. He will probably win it eventually but just because he has done so well doesn't mean he will now.

Agreed. It's possible this time but long odds.

Meanwhile, Dominic Thiem, long in line to be "the next French Open winner", hasn't won a single match this year. So much can happen.


I have not seen more than highlights of Thiem's matches, but he seems healthy again. Andy Murray said after they played that after his wrist injury (people forget that he missing, I think it was nearly a year, with his own wrist) that it took him a long time to get his confidence back, particularly on his forehand. Amazing the thin differences between players that seek markedly superior and the field.

[jimlosaltos]

Matches of note today:

Leylah Fernandez beat Bencic and next meets Amanda Anisimova. A slight back pat for myself, I believe I posted here that Leylah was likely to be more successful than Emma on tour, at least in the near-medium term. Just a better all around game = at this stage. Meanwhile, after her father's death and injuries is Amanda righting her ship? She's only 20 years old, though it seems like she's been on tour forever.

FAA just beat Krjainovic in 3 straight 7s. Next up Felix with Uncle Toni in his box, meets Rafa. Wonder what tips Uncle Toni has on playing his nephew? <g>

Surprise! (Not) Isner is in a fifth set after a tiebreak

Zverev? The good news he is, .... hmm, searching I get all sorts of results. One article has him 9-1 in five setters, the ATP site has him 16-10. The bad news is he always seems to go to five sets in early rounds against people he should be cruising against.

[jimlosaltos]

Here's a little tennis prodigy trivia for you.

The Spanish player that took Carlos Alcaraz to 5, tough, sets and held match point in the second, Albert Ramos-Vinolas, was the first pro that Alcaraz played on tour, back in 2020 in Rio, when Carlos was 16 yo, I believe. Carlos beat Ramos-Vinolas that day 76² 46 76²
https://www.atptour.com/en/players/c...vity?year=2020

Carlos is 3-0 against Ramos-Vinolas, but their three matches have all included tiebreaks -- 5 in total.

[stroke]

I have been out of town and and not connected. Novak is now the favorite, followed by Nadal and Alcaraz. No one else is close.

[stotty]

Zverev? The good news he is, .... hmm, searching I get all sorts of results. One article has him 9-1 in five setters, the ATP site has him 16-10. The bad news is he always seems to go to five sets in early rounds against people he should be cruising against.

Winning slams is all about being efficient. The only guys who have been, in my memory, very extended and yet been fit enough to win a slam are Borg and Rafa. For most players it's just too costly to get extended too many times in the course of a slam.

So far Rafa and Novak have been very efficient and taxed themselves very little. They know how important it is to do that.

[jimlosaltos]

Winning slams is all about being efficient. The only guys who have been, in my memory, very extended and yet been fit enough to win a slam are Borg and Rafa. For most players it's just too costly to get extended too many times in the course of a slam.

So far Rafa and Novak have been very efficient and taxed themselves very little. They know how important it is to do that.

I agree with your point stotty, but as a Fedfan I MUST note how Fed won the 2017 Australian Open --

• Five sets in the final over Rafa in 3 hours 38 min
• Five sets in the semi over Stan
• Five sets in the fourth round over Kei

Did I mention it was his first tour event coming off knee surgery? That he was, what 34 yo? <g>.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017_Australian_Open_–_Men%27s_singles

[jimlosaltos]

It's a major upset in women's tennis! Iga had her serve broken.

Still won in straight sets over Danka Kovinic 6-3, 7-5.

Someone posted a couple of days ago that Iga has broken in her first game returning in 12 of her last 13 matches. I have no easy way of confirming that, but I'll note that she broke in her first return game again today.

That's astonishing. Can you imagine what it's like to start almost every match ahead 2-0? I think even I could play loose

[jimlosaltos]

Can an Octopus slide on clay? Must be hard with the tentacles.

Don't tell anyone but on the "other side of the draw" Daniil Medvedev is quietly winning in straight sets, getting presumably every more comfortable.

Kecmanovic was supposed to be a test. Guess Medy passed 2,4,2.

https://www.rolandgarros.com/en-us/matches/2022/SM031

[jimlosaltos]

When Roland Garros started there were twelve WTA players (Kontaveit, Badosa, Sakkari, Sabalenka, Pliskova, Collins, Raducanu, Pegula, Krejcikova, Bencic, Ostapenko, Kerber) who had a chance at ending the tournament with the #2 ranking. They are all gone except billion-heiress Jessie Pegula, as of Sat, May 28, I believe.

Badosa retired today with an injury

UPDATE/ Possible correction. I am told that Kontaveit will be number 2 in the world after RG despite losing in the first round IF Pegula does not win the women's title. I'm too lazy to double check the ranking points.

[stotty]

Agreed. It's possible this time but long odds.

Meanwhile, Dominic Thiem, long in line to be "the next French Open winner", hasn't won a single match this year. So much can happen.

Not sure it counts as much with someone so economical like Roger. But fair point. Seems Roger really does have everything.

[stotty]

Can an Octopus slide on clay? Must be hard with the tentacles.

Don't tell anyone but on the "other side of the draw" Daniil Medvedev is quietly winning in straight sets, getting presumably every more comfortable.

Kecmanovic was supposed to be a test. Guess Medy passed 2,4,2.

https://www.rolandgarros.com/en-us/matches/2022/SM031

Yes, I thought Kecmanovic would be much more of a test. Meddy is performing well. He will never have a better chance to progress than the draw he has this year.