![Benoit_Paire[1]](https://www.tennis-prose.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Benoit_Paire1.jpg)
Mats Wilander summed up this year’s French Open:
“Heading into the French open it’s more exciting. The regular Tour probably benefits from having one superstar that’s cleaning up everything, or maybe a rivalry. But the French Open and the other slams benefit from having no clear cut favorite. That’s the way it used to be and I think it’s better. I don’t think we want to go there and ask ourselves: Is Nadal going to win a ninth time? That doesn’t excite me at all. It’s much more exciting to think Djokovic is the favorite or Federer has a chance,” said Wilander.
So here we go. Serena beats Lim. Isner vs. Herbert. Venus vs. Bencic. Janowicz vs. Estrella. Federer downs Lacko. Nadal vs. Ginepri. Lleyton Hewitt making his final appearance in Paris? Raonic fends off young Kyrgios in straight sets. Can a Frenchman pull a Yannick Noah? Can the Stanimal follow up his Melbourne and Monte Carlo conquests with a halfway-Grand Slam? Are Dimitrov, Theim, Gulbis and Nishikori ready for prime time? Michelle Larcher De Brito qualified.
Gael Monfils is the greatest dancer in the world (I hope you saw that dance-off video on Chatrier stadium court at the ATP site). Let the games and discussions begin…
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1 2 Next »Andrew Miller · May 25, 2014 at 12:09 pm
Isner nowin rd two, querrey up two sets on volandri. So far so good. Hope ginepri gets a set.
Scoop Malinowski · May 25, 2014 at 1:44 pm
Good start for USA. Ginepri might get steamrolled. I remember young Ginepri lost 0606 to Hewitt in Cincy when Hewitt was number one. Janowicz finally wins a match vs. Estrella who I believe was in his very first major main draw at 33. That may be a record of some sort. Federer looks sharp dismantling Lacko. The red shorts are a bit much though, white shorts would be more fitting for such a great champion. Good win for Venus vs. young Bencic with Hingis in her box. Thought Venus would lose this one. Serena and Dreddy Tennis Dustin Brown may have the two most gigantic hair styles in tennis history.
Doogie · May 26, 2014 at 3:11 pm
The “new” Stan showed us how much he improved this year. Losing 10 games on a row is just — awesome. Gratulation to such an inspiring performance Stan!!
Andrew Miller · May 26, 2014 at 4:31 pm
Thiem and vesely through. Stan and nishikori out, guillermo garcia lopez is good and even excellent sometimes. Nice win by dy. Ginepri crushed by nadal with two love sets and a three games won set in the middle – zero three and zero. Looks like a mix of the usual suspects winning plus steady players and a few surprises. So far generation next is having issues.
gustarhymes · May 26, 2014 at 7:15 pm
Nishikori not too surprising, as his ability to play 5 setters and small stature make him unlikely to contend for majors.
Stan as I said before is not a legit GS winner as he had a walkover and an injured Nadal. No, he won’t another Major, and his age makes it unlikely.
Rafa has a dangerous Thiem to face. Thiem is the future #1 I believe. Hopefully, Rafa can still beat him, though I think rafa might drop one set.
Gusta
Dan markowitz · May 26, 2014 at 8:26 pm
Rafa’s never beat an opponent 0, 0, 0 so he came close. Who said Wawrinka was one of top 3 contenders at the French? I didn’t have much confidence in Stan, but I’m shocked Kei lost. Did he look injured still? I guess having Chang with him on his 25th anniversary of his French Open win didn’t help him.
Mitch · May 26, 2014 at 8:32 pm
Kei isn’t too much of a shock given his injury and the fact that Klizan has sneakily been playing very good tennis this season on clay.
What’s more surprising than the fact that Stan loss is the manner; Garcia-Lopez is good, but Stan just played atrociously.
Scoop Malinowski · May 26, 2014 at 9:42 pm
Stan was a zombie today, like the old Stan of a few years ago, no passion fire emotion. Stan clearly does not like being a favorite for a slam, he’d rather sneak in under the radar. GGL is a solid player though, we saw how he had Djokovic on the ropes in Monte Carlo. Weird result for Kei. Slam pressure is a different ballgame. When some of these guys start getting labeled as favorites, funny things happen. Rios had his best result in a slam when he slipped in under the radar. When he became a favorite with a bullseye on his back, he looked like Stan and Kei today.
Andrew Miller · May 26, 2014 at 11:38 pm
Fed embraces the pressure so stan and kei have to step it up because everyone is out to get them
bjk · May 27, 2014 at 12:05 am
Nadal is good at is getting himself pumped up even when he’s down. Sure, he just lost ten points in row and is down a set and a break, but he’ll fist pump that one point like he’s about to win the match. The Bryan Bros do the same thing, because the tide can turn very quickly. For instance, Ginepri goes from defaulting out of the qualifiers of a challenger to getting three sets on NBC against Nadal. So you never know what could happen.
Gaurang · May 27, 2014 at 12:19 am
Wow, two of the billed contenders for the Slam out!! Wow, Stan and Kei couldn’t handle the pressure!!??
And what happened to Donald Young? Was Sela injured? Really pleasant result from him.
Andrew Miller · May 27, 2014 at 12:53 am
Stanikori double faulted.
Andrew Miller · May 27, 2014 at 12:54 am
Or keirinka messed up.
Hans Landa · May 27, 2014 at 9:35 am
dr. ivo demolishes dimi, aka primetime haha
Scoop Malinowski · May 27, 2014 at 9:46 am
Dimitrov said he’s been bothered by some personal problems but wouldn’t divulge details. Hewitt battled the noisy Argentine Berlocq who makes such a wide range of sounds and some sound like a man with a bad case of food poisoning. Hewitt used to grind out these types of four set wars. Sloane looked super today in subduing the tough Peng, who is top ranked in dubs and was once top fifteen in singles. Good win for struggling Sloane. Haas pulls out with bad shoulder. Anderson wins, Klahn loses in five to Michon. Gasquet dominates Tomic. Boy, Tomic has nosedived from future star to wasted talent pretty fast hasn’t he. Even Bartoli was mocking Tomic for hitting slice forehands from the middle of the court, “fans pay money for these tickets,” commented the reigning Wimbledon champ turned TV commentator.
Hans Landa · May 27, 2014 at 10:58 am
haha – hewitt and his archrival, the argentinians ! didnt chela spit near him once ? and didnt hewitt have a swat team guarding him and the aussies in argentina during a davis cup tie ?
Hans Landa · May 27, 2014 at 10:59 am
agree, hewitt would have out grinded this guy in his earlier years. no doubt. berlocq is good too, esp. the one hander. and yes, does sound like he’s with a dentist. haha
Scoop Malinowski · May 27, 2014 at 11:15 am
I was hitting at the Sony Open one night on a P court around 7 and Berlocq walked on our court looking for his coach’s credential by the bench in the corner, guess he hit on the court that afternoon. Then Berlocq lost his first round match to Young easily. Berlocq has looked good on clay this year though. he’s had some big wins in Davis Cup too. Made cover of Grip magazine in Argentina ripping his shirt off. Hewitt may not be adored by most Argies but Del Potro and Hewitt are good friends, Hewitt is Delpo’s number one tennis hero.
Hans Landa · May 27, 2014 at 11:25 am
interesting point on delpo / hewitt
Scoop Malinowski · May 27, 2014 at 11:55 am
It is Hans. First interviewed Delpo about six years ago at US Open. I asked him his tennis heroes, and he said simply, “Lleyton Hewitt.” You watch all their matches and Delpo, though he has beaten him, but he plays him with a respectful deference. Got some great quotes too from Delpo about playing Hewitt for my next book “Facing Hewitt.” Another player who really loves Hewitt who you might not expect is Monfils. Le Monf LOVES Hewitt, says his greatest memory is playing Hewitt in Bercy. Hewitt is really really respected.
Scoop Malinowski · May 27, 2014 at 11:56 am
Jack Sock beats rival Almagro on a retirement in first set but Sock was winning. These two have had some heated battles in the past. Huge win for Sock.
Andrew Miller · May 27, 2014 at 12:13 pm
Yanks doing good. Klahn is 0-4 in atp matches since breaking top 100. Thiem approach no pun intended appears to be the way to a breakthrough.
Andrew Miller · May 27, 2014 at 12:36 pm
Ivanovic! Would like her to double slam. Dimitrov bites dust too. Klahn was up two sets to one, took pedal off gas i guess. johnson down a set. Haas out.
Yeah wow. The favorites are moving on and the party crashers are going home with a few surprises.
Andrew Miller · May 27, 2014 at 12:37 pm
Need luck to win. Maybe yanks can make round three.
loreley · May 27, 2014 at 12:55 pm
@Scoop
How can it be a huge win when Almagro had to retire in first set? It was more or less a walkover for him.
Karlovic & Garcia Lopez scored huge wins. Their opponents were healthy & higher ranked. Even kind of darkhorses.
It’s also not that surprising that Nishikori couldn’t get fit. After the Miami injury he managed to get fit though. But this time it were only two weeks. He said he couldn’t practise & knew that it was going to happen. He played only because it’s Slam.
Mitch · May 27, 2014 at 1:42 pm
Isner will have a very good chance of at least making the 3rd round. One of Jack Sock, Johnson/Lokoli, Zopp, and Lajovic will make the 4th round: Zopp has no chance, he was never that good to begin and is coming in after a long injury timeoff (no matchplay and got through 1st round with Haas retirement). Johnson is down 2 sets and a break to Lokoli, who is an inexperienced French teen and a big question mark. I’m betting on Lajovic.
Doogie · May 27, 2014 at 1:47 pm
@loreley
Every win for US Boys at one grand slam is huge nowadays 🙂
But 4 yanks in 2nd round – i did not expect that tbh
Ok Sela, Volandri, Herbert and a bye are not strong opponents.
Hans Landa · May 27, 2014 at 1:56 pm
how about stepanek and youhzny both coming back from 2 sets down and now will face each other in RD 2 !….cant believe these old farts are still around ! haha
Andrew Miller · May 27, 2014 at 2:00 pm
Steve johnson down 4-1 in third. Already two sets down. He needsa rain delay and postponement!
Andrew Miller · May 27, 2014 at 2:00 pm
Doogie getting rd 3 will be miracle!
Scoop Malinowski · May 27, 2014 at 2:06 pm
Loreley, any win by an American in Paris is a huge win at this point, especially one who has a clay win this year over Nadal, regardless of how unfit or unhealthy Almagro may be right now. Big win for Sock, he has played Almagro tough in the past. Though I didn’t see this match at all, and can’t gauge how off Almagro was, this is big for Sock. Maybe his big forehand broke Almagro’s body down.
Doogie · May 27, 2014 at 2:07 pm
@mitch
If it gets hot and conditions are getting faster and surface harder, Sock can be a dangerous guy.
Roland Garros the last 2 days were slow but if it gets hot, conditions can change totally!
Weather forecast is showing no hot days this weeks – not that good for Sock. Lokoli will not be easy, esp as nobody knows what Sock is coming on court.
Anyway if fancy Sock over Lajovic (imo Lokoli is tougher for him with crowd behind him)
Scoop Malinowski · May 27, 2014 at 2:08 pm
Amazing work by Step and Youzhny. Disappointed by Johnson crumbling to the dancing man Lokoli. Dr. Ivo is the eighth wonder of the ATP world.
Doogie · May 27, 2014 at 2:10 pm
Sock vs Lokoli
Young vs F.Lo
Q vs Turs
Isner vs Kuku
@andrew:
Lot is possible for US Boys.
I see 2 in 3rd round at least
Bryan · May 27, 2014 at 2:30 pm
First round was all good with my faves Isner, Gulbis and Jerzy advancing. For Jerzy he finally broke out of an 0-9 slump since Rotterdam. He’s got a rough draw but IMO that doesn’t matter. If he has his A game he can beat anyone, if he has his B or C game he’ll lose to a qualifier.
Only bad one was Tommy retiring while up 5-2 in the first. I believe Scoop said he might have “dead arm” weeks ago and was coming back to test whether he could continue. With Rome and RG busts I suspect retirement might be next. Too bad.
Bryan · May 27, 2014 at 2:35 pm
“Stan was a zombie today, like the old Stan of a few years ago, no passion fire emotion. Stan clearly does not like being a favorite for a slam, he’d rather sneak in under the radar.”
Cosign Scoop. Watching the crash and burn, I was thinking this is the Stan of three years ago: Aggressive robot who cannot improvise or adapt to court conditions.
Andrew Miller · May 27, 2014 at 2:41 pm
For stan the game is different when you have a bullseye on your back . Klizan is plenty good but stan shouldve won habdily!
Scoop Malinowski · May 27, 2014 at 3:00 pm
Haas has some kind of serious arm/shoulder problem. I have two sources connected to his camp and they both said in April it looked like he was finished. He tried some shots which worked in Munich. But I guess the shots were not the long term solution. A one armed player like Haas, with all that wear and tear on the right shoulder from hitting and serving and match play, is not going to last as long as a two handed backhand player. It’s a miracle he’s made it this far Bryan.
Scoop Malinowski · May 27, 2014 at 3:03 pm
Stanlaurel (we can’t call him Stanimal this week) lost to Gabriel Garcia Leon (I can’t ever remember this name).
loreley · May 27, 2014 at 3:42 pm
@Bryan
Did you notice that Ernests Gulbis won Nice last Saturday? His first title on clay. He is 6-0 in finals now 😉
Doogie · May 27, 2014 at 3:47 pm
@scoop
I wrote it when Haas lost vs SJ at Delray that he will have tough time this year. You said u will ask Sharko about his shoulder issues. You did not mention anything so I hoped it is not as serious as I thought :((
He is soo fun to watch – imo he will retire soon
Andrew Miller · May 27, 2014 at 4:54 pm
Steve johnson up 3-1 in fifth haha. Nice wakeup call. Querrey and isner both have winnable matches. vesely has a tough one vs. Raonic.
Andrew Miller · May 27, 2014 at 4:57 pm
Halep winning big. Maybe she can.
Scoop Malinowski · May 27, 2014 at 6:05 pm
Doogie, Haas shoulder was so bad a month ago, a friend of the family told me he’s finished, he can’t even lift his arm up. How he played and won matches in Munich was a mini miracle.
Scoop Malinowski · May 27, 2014 at 6:07 pm
Loreley, 6-0 in his first six finals…I don’t think even Federer Sampras Nadal Agassi or Hewitt matched that. It’s an amazing achievement by Gulbis. Hopefully not the signature achievement of his career tho )
Andrew Miller · May 28, 2014 at 7:34 am
Gulbis winsin 3. Johnson wins in five! On to rd 2
Doogie · May 28, 2014 at 8:17 am
Also the “new” Dolgopolov falling apart – 15:2 game run for Granollers at end!!
Young generation get shown that talent is not all!! Fighters coming thru – nice tournament so far.
Doogie · May 28, 2014 at 8:18 am
Over 45(!!!) unforced errors in set 4 and 5
Scoop Malinowski · May 28, 2014 at 9:06 am
Serena’s movement is the liability. Young legs combined with steady accurate firepower are her kryptonite.
Andrew Miller · May 28, 2014 at 10:15 am
Upset city today. Muguruza played smart ball. Querrey out in a hurry – even a good draw is a bad one! Gulbis rolls. Vesely is almost out via raonic. Bouchard through. Djoko showing no mercy.
Looks like the old school will be in the finals for the men – djokovic and nadal showing no mercy at all. and the new school will be there for the women – seeds are falling left and right. Will a u.s. mens player make rd three?