French Open

[stotty]

Novak goes a set and a break up. I have only seen bits and bobs but it looked a pretty good level. Fucsovics served a double fault at 30-30 in the opening game of the second set and then, naturally, goes on to lose the game. The last thing you want to do is serve a double fault at 30-30 against Novak. It's as good as curtains.

[stroke]

https://open.substack.com/pub/hughclarke/p/balls-of-shit?r=1t7zzc&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email

Interesting article on the FO balls being used.

[stroke]

Big win by Kokkanakis today over Stan. Musetti and Fognini looking very good.

[jimlosaltos]

Watched archive stream of Medvedev's 5 set loss last night. To me, this seemed very much like Medvedev's loss to Alcaraz I saw live at Indian Wells.
In both matches, the wind bothered Medvedev a lot. Yes, both times the opponent played under the same circumstances, so it's not an excuse, but it can be a cause.
Medy has trouble with his forehand and his kick serve in the wind. With all the gyrations and variations in his forehand that is, perhaps, not surprising. But his service motion is so straight-forward that does surprise (me at least). Maybe it's the atmospherics at his altitude, downside of being 6 ft 6 in ? <g>.

[jimlosaltos]

Wawrinka loses in 5 sets to TK4 and leaves Paris looking very happy.
Again, former 'Slam champion loves the game so much playing two, back-to-back 5 set matches in the first rounds is, to him, a happy event to celebrate.
Awesome attitude. Hope it is contagious.

[jimlosaltos]

Stanimal still has the passion: Survives five sets vs Ramos-Vinolas just to win round 1 and he's fired up.
Big celebration with fans.

Speaking of old vets, Elena Svitolina aka Mrs. Monfils, fresh off winning a title in Strasbourg in his first matches back from have a child wins her first round was Trevisan 26th seed.

Djokovic has an easy first round match but perhaps more importantly, no sign of the elbow sleeve. Much ado about nothing?

Diego Schwartzman is going the long route, comes from 2 sets down to win over 32 seed Miralles.

[jimlosaltos]

Seb is the true dark horse at RG to me.

A big showing here would be an awesome return to the tour. Kid's certainly got the tools & the pedigree.

[stroke]

Paire up 2 sets to 1 over Norrie, with a Davis Cup type crowd. Paire has not won an ATP level match this year.

[stroke]

A lot of good matches today. The crowd is fully engaged early with Benoit Paire vs Norrie. 2 matches of particular note, FAA vs Fognini, and Arthur Fils vs Davidovich Fokina.

[stroke]

Hurckaz vs Goffin lived up to its billing, 5 set first rounder, the Pole in 5

More surprising, Khachanov come from 2 sets down to win in 5 vs. ranked 70 Constant Lestienne, a local.

How many times does a lower-ranked player have to beat another player before it is no longer an "upset": Muchova takes out Sakkari at RG for the second straight year. Muchova is tiny bit Kyrgosian -- only plays well against the best with .... I can't remember, something like 18-19 record vs top 10 or 20?

Nice to see Seb Korda through in straight sets. Looked not so good losing quickly in (rome?). I was worried he would become yet another ATP player that never got their career back on track after an injury, here yet another wrist at the Aussie Open.

Seb is the true dark horse at RG to me.

[jimlosaltos]

Hurckaz vs Goffin lived up to its billing, 5 set first rounder, the Pole in 5

More surprising, Khachanov come from 2 sets down to win in 5 vs. ranked 70 Constant Lestienne, a local.

How many times does a lower-ranked player have to beat another player before it is no longer an "upset": Muchova takes out Sakkari at RG for the second straight year. Muchova is tiny bit Kyrgosian -- only plays well against the best with .... I can't remember, something like 18-19 record vs top 10 or 20?

Nice to see Seb Korda through in straight sets. Looked not so good losing quickly in (rome?). I was worried he would become yet another ATP player that never got their career back on track after an injury, here yet another wrist at the Aussie Open.

[jimlosaltos]

John Isner lost in 5 sets to Borges in a -- wait for it -- a 5th set tiebreak: Borges 6-4, 5-7, 7-6(3) 6-4,, 7-6(9).

At the risk of sounding snarky, Isner long ago got the distinction of losing a 5 set match in every one of the 'Slams. Has he now lapped himself?

Isner lost both tiebreaks. Eventually, the cliche' that big servers have a big advantage in tiebreaks is going to lose its luster.

[stroke]

Dan Evans in vintage prickly pugnacious form in very tough 1st rounder vs Kokkanakis. A lot of very tough 1st round matchups.

[jeffreycounts]

Today in Strasbourg, Elena Svitolina (married to La Monf) made her first final since returning from maternity leave. "Svitolina, a champion in Strasbourg three years ago, rallied from 6-4, 4-1 down to beat France's Clara Burel 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 in 2 hours and 20 minutes to set up a meeting Saturday with Anna Blinkova."

At Roland Garros, Elena is drawn to meet last year's semifinalist Martina Trevisan in the first round. Sounds pretty good as far as first round matches go.

That's awesome - thanks for the heads up. I didn't even know she was back on tour. I'll be watching that match for sure tomorrow. She might be inspired by Kalinina's run in Rome.

[jimlosaltos]

ATP: Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev, Novak Djokovic and Stefanos Tsitsipas enter Roland Garros with a chance to leave the clay-court major as the No. 1 player

FIrst 3 control their own destiny, others need help. Scenarios here:

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/roland-garros-2023-battle-for-no-1-rankings-projection-preview