Kei Nishikori survived a five setter vs. Italian Alessandro Giannessi 64 67 63 46 64. Former world no. 4 Nishikori is now a stunning 25-7 in five set matches, the best in the ATP.
Next on the best five set match list stands Tommy Robredo, who lost in qualies, at 17-5. Novak Djokovic is 33-10, followed by David Goffin at 13-5 and Feliciano Lopez at 25-11.
Oscar Otte failed to qualify thirteen times for his first Grand Slam but last week he changed his fortunes and finally made good on his fourteenth attempt. Today in the first round Otte rode the momentum to a two set lead vs six seed Alexander Zverev before falling 36 36 62 62 60.
Marcos Giron stunned Grigor Dimitrov from two sets down, as the Bulgarian hurt his back and had to retire at 62 64 57 03.
Chile’s Cristian Garin, ranked 23 and now coached by Franco Davin, defeated Juan Ignacio Londero in four sets. 24 year old Garin, who won French Open juniors in 2013 by beating Coric and Zverev, has won five career ATP singles titles on clay. He will play Mackenzie McDonald next. It will be their first meeting. Davin has previously coached Fabio Fognini, Juan Martin Del Potro and Gaston Gaudio to their best results.
Former two-finalist in Roland Garros Dominic Thiem was upset by Pablo Andujar in five sets. Andujar just beat Roger Federer in Geneva.
Viktoria Kudermetova defeated Amanda Anisimova in the battle of young Russians 76 61, though Anisimova plays for the American flag.
Viktoria Azarenka prevailed vs former Roland Garros winner Svetlana Kuznetsova 64 26 63.
Elena Vesnina made a triumphant return to Grand Slam singles play with a dominat 61 60 victory vs Olga Govortsova. Vesnina did not compete for over a year.
American Danielle Collins returned to action after a minor surgery to beat Xifan Wang 62 46 64. Madison Keys also was victorious among the American contingent, while Lauren Davis and Christina McHale fell to Paula Badosa and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova respectively.
2020 champions Rafael Nadal and Iga Swiatek practiced together today.
(Rafa art by Andres Bella.)
Scoop Malinowski · May 31, 2021 at 10:53 pm
Federer looked pretty sharp today vs the oldest qualifier 35 yr old Istomin. He was doing it all, grinding, winners, fake drop shot and then forehand slice winner, looping forehands to istomin bh and then rifling a forehand winner off the short ball. Fed fans in the stadium loved the vintage performance. I can see him making QF and giving Djokovic a life and death struggle and maybe a no. 1 finger wag upset like 2011.
Tommy Paul won a tough five setter after winning first two sets vs Chris OConnell 10-8 in fifth. Nishioka clobbered Tsonga.
Lloyd Harris sent Sonego home and Musetti dominated Goffin. Kenin took care of Ostapenko in a marathon. Andreescu lost a marathon to Zidansek.
Scoop Malinowski · June 2, 2021 at 8:47 am
La Monf won his second match of the year vs Vinolas Ramos on June 1. Qiang Wang was down 62 20 vs Hsieh but prevailed in a three set marathon, to level her decade long rivalry with Hsieh at 4-4. Kvitova withdrew with an ankle problem. Coco Gauff survived qualifier Krunic and gets Q Wang next, who she just routed in the Parma final. Djokovic looked perfect pounding out Sandgren. American Anne Li won vs Gasparyan and seeks to make at least the third round of her third Grand Slam in a row. Li says she wants to get to the top of tennis and stay there. Rublev was shockingly eliminated by Struff. Kohlschreiber returned from the dead and won and beat Verdasco. The two 37 year olds have a decent rivarly, with the German vet up h2h now 7-4. Kohlo is ranked 132 while the Spanish lefty is at 99. They first played fifteen years ago in Las Vegas in 2006, won by Kohlschreiber. 15 seed Casper Ruud beat Majcherzak in SS to enter 3R with Zverev who beat Safiullin 76 63 76.
Scoop Malinowski · June 2, 2021 at 9:13 pm
Incredible win by Cristian Garin from two sets down to Mackie McDonald 86 in the fifth. But not a bad day for Americans as Opelka, Johnson, Giron all won. Paul lost to Medvedev.
Scoop Malinowski · June 2, 2021 at 10:03 pm
Andujar had beaten Delbonis the first six times they played before, three in Challengers and three in ATP, then Delbonis won for the first time last year in Sardinia 75 67 46. Today they played for the 8th time and Delbonis won again 46 61 36 63 62. They first played in Challengers in 2010 twice and 2009. All eight matches have been on clay.
Scoop Malinowski · June 3, 2021 at 3:12 pm
Venus Williams said an interesting quote this week: “I know every single person asking me a question can’t play as good as me and never will. So no matter what you say or write you’ll never write a candle for me. So that’s how I deal with (media incompetence or poor questions).”