Weeks 39 & 40 - French Open, Roland-Garros, Paris (clay)

indiana · Tennis legend

Weeks 39 & 40 - French Open, Roland-Garros, Paris (clay)

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

I see Hugo Gaston, a 20-year-old, 5'8" wild card (WR 239), has just done for Stan the Man in five (6-0 in the fifth)! That should cheer the French up no end!

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Yes, with Hugo's win and Caroline Garcia's, the French are trying hard to find something to smile about..... but it's hard work and slim pickings.

I've known Gaston since he was a tiddler, his dad was president of a local tennis club, a nice family, and Hugo made his way quite gradually until he finally got selected as one of the top young/junior espoirs who was entitled to the EUR 40k a year (or so) when it was introduced.

Pretty amazing that he's the last Frenchman standing.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

10 of the top 16 left now, 3 in the 17-32 range and 11 unseeded players. Less extreme than the ladies but 11 non seeded players and I hope someone from those can make a semi perhaps, although hard to see who it would be

indiana · Tennis legend

The L16 is certainly quite a mixture. Probably unfair to call it the sublime and the ridiculous but ...

5 of the top 6 seeds : Djokovic WR 1, Nadal WR 2, Thiem WR 3, Tsitsipas WR 6, Zverev WR 7

5 more up to #18 seed : Rublev WR 12, Schwartzman WR 14, Khachanov WR 16, Carreno Busta WR 18, Dimitrov WR 20

3 non seeds in the top 100 : Sonego WR 46, Fucsovics WR 63, Sinner WR 75

3 non seeded qualifiers and WC ranked outside the top 180 : (Q) Altmaier WR 186, (Q) Korda WR 213, (WC) Gaston WR 239.

With the 6 relatively lowly ranked players in 6 different L16 matches, we could be heading for a pretty strong QF line-up. Then again, if some surprises crop up ...

Sinner vs Zverev could be rather interesting.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Seem to be concerns over how the french are protecting the players, or not.

Seems the US Open did a better job, despite Mladenovics complaints.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Thiem, Zverev, Rublev and Djoko have reached last 16 of all 3 slams this season.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

And so Zverev plays today although he's been sick since his previous match, with fever, difficulty breathing etc.

I know he's tested covid negative a few days ago but seriously????

According to Russell Fuller:

The health & safety protocol calls for a sense of duty and responsibility and says that anyone showing symptoms - including fever and breathing difficulties - must adopt a responsible attitude and not attend the stadium.

Yeah, right.....

indiana · Tennis legend

I kind of want to like Sascha and he can come across as very engaging. But certainly not the first trme he has been a covid related prat, even since the general Adria tour nonsense. So irreponsible!!

Elegant Point · Satellite level

2 sets all - Fith and deciding set for Thiem vs Gaston. Like Gastons game and attitude smile

Ace Ventura · Tennis legend

Turning into a right battle now. 3-3 in the decider.

At 2-0 4-4 / 5-5, Thiem was 1/500 and Gaston was 50/1, I was almost tempted to put a £1 on the latter (but didn't), it's now 4/11 vs 11/5 - could have had a nice little cash out / lay even if the young'un didn't end up winning.

Edit, meant 2-0 not 2-1.

-- Edited by Ace Ventura on Sunday 4th of October 2020 06:05:37 PM

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Gaston feels like he has had a breakthrough event, Thiem wins in 5 but would like to see more of Gaston. Presumably he will get at least a wild card into Paris Indoor in a few weeks time, maybe one or two other events. I see Altmaier has a WC into Cologne.

flamingowings · All-time great

Well done to Diego Schwartzman! (Bad news for the RG schedulers...)

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Argentina have certainly had a good day

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Hewett and Reid in singles and doubles draws in wheelchair events, draws on website