Tennis Prose




May/22

23

Parry Raducanus Krejcikova at Roland Garros

By Scoop Malinowski

Here we go again, another unknown teenager shocks the world at a Grand Slam. This time it was Diane Parry of France, ranked 97 in the world, who upset defending Roland Garros champion Barbora Krejcikova 16 62 63.

Today was the first time Parry ever faced a WTA top ten player and she performed the stunning victory with the poise, power and savvy of a future champion.

The 19 year old from Nice, who only has a 7-12 match record this year, could only win three points on serve in the 33-minute first set. Krejcikova made 18 unforced errors in the second set and lost 19 of the last 24 points to set up a third set.

Krejcikova attempted a bathroom break after the second set and the delay irritated the stadium crowd which greeted the Czech woman’s return to the court with a smattering of boos.

Krejcikova broke Parry and then held in a five deuce game for a 2-0 lead in the final set however Parry and her one handed backhand won six of the final seven games to snatch the shocking first round upset knockout of the 2021 Wonder Girl.

Parry’s win surely was inspired in some way by Emma Radacanu’s miracle US Open ten match and 20 set unbeaten streak shock victory last September, as a barely known, low ranked, qualifier. Raducanu proved any longshot underdog can shock the world and win a Grand Slam. And now Parry has taken a major step to possibly duplicate the feat.

Earlier this year, Parry lost in the first round at Australian Open 16 67 to 66th ranked Marta Kostyuk.

Player reactions:

Diane Parry: “It’s a dream for me. I always wanted to be able to play on this court. Furthermore, it was nearly full with the French public fully behind me and supporting.

“I am overjoyed today. It’s clear that it’s never easy to start a match on this court, especially against the defending champ. I told myself to be aggressive, to play my game and I’m happy for that.

“You have to try to stay focused until the end, to play point by point.”

Barbora Krejcikova: “I expected it’s going to be difficult, and it was. I think overall the tennis-wise it wasn’t that bad. I think physically was a little worse.

“But I think I have to start somewhere, so it’s a pity that it had to be here and I didn’t have any other matches, but I think it’s good way to move forward.

“I just think I just collapsed physically, and, I mean, it was tough because I didn’t play the matches. Usually the matches are different than the practices, and I tried to prepare the best way I could.

“But, yeah, I collapsed.”

(1984 Roland Garros poster art by Gilles Aillaud.)

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