Boys and Girls: Roland Garros, France, Clay, Grade A, (Week 22)

Spectator · All-time great

Boys and Girls: Roland Garros, France, Clay, Grade A, (Week 22)

wimdledont · Challenger level

They made a load of Juniors play on through the worst of the conditions a couple of days ago - when even the professionals were called off. Better, in my view, to play the Junior finals next Wednesday.

DavidC · Tennis legend

Spectator wrote:
Glad for them - but sorry for the other team. Am guessing that it was Nicola Kuhn who pulled out, as he was in the same situation as Tsitsipas. Indeed, Anisimova (2nd seed girls, 14 yo) played two singles (one two sets, one three sets) and a doubles that ended 11-9 in the tie breaker, all in one day. Potapova is having to do roughly the same. Kuhn, Tsitsipas, Anisimova and Potapova are four of the best players there; it's really not fair to them and their doubles partners to make them play like that.

-- Edited by Spectator on Thursday 2nd of June 2016 04:41:38 PM

It is difficult for the organisers when there is a lot of bad weather around. I have come across juniors being asked to play 3 matches in a day a few times before. Two singles today followed by 1 single and 2 doubles tomorrow would have been fairer, but with frequent problems with the weather it is understandable that they tried to take advantage of a decent day. Delaying the finals beyond the weekend would cause a lot of problems I imagine.

QF

(4) Clarke/Tsitsipas (GBR/GRE) v Oliel/Rikl (ISR/CZE)

Spectator · All-time great

I do understand the difficulties, but I still think it's the wrong way to handle the situation. No one can be expected sensibly to play two singles and a doubles in a day ... let alone then potentially to come back and play more matches the next day as well.

paulisi · Tennis legend

Not a problem on grass or on hardcourts as long as it is not too warm, but clay is energy sapping and I suspect the players will not be at all happy...

indiana · Tennis legend

Argggh, so close

QF: (4) Clarke/Tsitsipas (GBR/GRE) lost to Oliel/Rikl (ISR/CZE) 7-6(8) 2-6 [10-8]

Tsitsipas, the #1 singles seed and JWR 1, had earlier lost his singles QF in straight sets.

-- Edited by indiana on Friday 3rd of June 2016 05:24:53 PM

Spectator · All-time great

In fairness, Tsitsipas lost to Shapovalov, who shows clear signs of being a breakthrough talent, so that's no great shock. But Oliel and Rikl will have had a considerable advantage in terms of freshness, given that both of them went out of the singles on Wednesday and played only one match yesterday.

DavidC · Tennis legend

Strong line-up in the boys semis with two major Canadian talents Shapovalov and Auger-Aliassime (who became the youngest ever player to win Challenger matches last year, when 14), plus Nicola Kuhn, who has been talked about quite a lot in this section. The surprise is French lad Geoffrey Blancaneaux, ranked around 800 ATP, though he did beat a Challenger level player in mens qualifying here. Three of the 4 top seeds are through to the girls semis (Pervushina, Potapova, Anisimova) plus Masarova. Olesya Pervushina (the player Freya double bagelled at Roehampton, before losing the return at Wimbledon) has won her last 3 tournaments (2 x $10K plus the Trofeo Bonfiglio GA)

Spectator · All-time great

And Blancaneaux beats Shapovalov - quite a feat! - to play FAA in the final. Took a quick look at Blancaneaux's ITF record, and he seems (a) to have played very little on the junior circuit and (b) to have a strong preference for clay - good results from the most recent Latin American and European clay swings. FAA is still 15 - must be one of the youngest GS boys finalists in years.

On the girl's side, 14 yo Anisimova (finalist v Masarova) looks like one to watch.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Blancaneaux was the lad who beat Ryan on the way to taking the title at the grade 1 in France in April.

Good luck to him - must be great to play before a home crowd.

And to Felix too, of course.

DavidC · Tennis legend

And somewhat surprisingly (to me) Blancaneaux (8-6 in the third) and Masarova claim the titles. Blancaneaux is the first home winner in the boys' event since 2004 and, with the last 5 being Monfils, Gasquet, Mathieu, Santoro and Leconte, he has a lot to live up to!