Nadal and Federer Show They Are Human
Roland Garros
May 31, 2019
Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer marched on at Roland Garros but certainly didn’t have it all their own way. Eleven-time champion Nadal dropped a set against David Goffin and Roger Federer was a point from doing the same against Casper Ruud. So we were reminded that Nadal isn’t superhuman after all, and he hasn’t won […]
Osaka and Serena Through, Injured Edmund Aims For Wimbledon
Roland Garros
May 30, 2019
Naomi Osaka doesn’t fear the clay any more. And that should send a warning to all the French Open favourites. The power and fizz Osaka generated in the final set against Victoria Azarenka sent shockwaves through Roland Garros. The low trajectory of her missiles made them unplayable. This was Osaka at her best, the player […]
How Good Does Federer Look On Clay?
Roland Garros
May 29, 2019
Roger Federer eased past Oscar Otte of Germany without too much trouble. In fact his backhand volley to close out the match was ridiculously nonchalant, even for a man of his talent. But what did the great man’s performance really tell us about his title chances? It’s difficult to say, because Otte crumbled under pressure […]
Tennis in a greenhouse: all change at the French Open
Roland Garros
Wimbledon offers tennis in an English garden and now the French Open: Roland-Garros has a tennis court set in a greenhouse. The brand new Simonne-Mathieu court is the undisputed star of a series of refurbishments at this year’s Roland-Garros. The season’s second Grand Slam tournament, held in the leafy surroundings of the 16th arrondissement in […]
Zverev And Osaka Find Ways To Win Ugly
Roland Garros
May 28, 2019
Alexander Zverev and Naomi Osaka showed what anguish top tennis players sometimes go through. Although both eventually found a way to progress at Roland Garros, the psychological torment was there for all to see. Both are young, highly successful, infinitely marketable, almost perfect. Yet they are mere mortals with flaws and they feel the pain […]
Rafa, Novak or Simona? The top five French Open storylines
Roland Garros
With the French Open having just started, who will be dominating the tennis headlines on the clay courts of Roland-Garros in Paris? Who can stop Rafael Nadal from winning title No. 12? Having failed to reach the finals of Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Madrid, Rafael Nadal’s season finally clicked into gear last week in Rome, […]
Serena Flirts With Danger, Konta Wins At Last
Roland Garros
May 27, 2019
Serena Williams is just like Roger Federer. She gets nervous at the start of a tournament. Yes, it happens to the greatest of all time too. They are human just like us. Remember Federer telling us his heart had been beating like crazy before he settled down to win his first-round match? Well, Serena’s nerves […]
French Open: Kerber and Venus Are First-Day Casualties
Roland Garros
May 26, 2019
Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber and the legendary Venus Williams were first-day casualties at Roland Garros. As big names go, they don’t come much bigger than Kerber and Venus. One defeat was pretty much expected, the other wasn’t. After all, Venus was playing the highly fancied Elina Svitolina and was always going to have her work […]
Will Naomi Osaka Make It Three On The Bounce?
Roland Garros
May 24, 2019
Naomi Osaka is the new superstar of women’s tennis, she has won the last two Grand Slam titles, and she is top seed for Roland Garros. But guess what? Almost no one fancies her to win the French Open. It’s a strange situation, isn’t it? And if Osaka does step it up yet again when […]
Roland Garros: Which Superstar Will Test Nadal?
Roland Garros
May 23, 2019
Roland Garros starts on Sunday and already some are calling it a straight fight between Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. But is it that simple? Roger Federer will have no pressure on him whatsoever. Could he fly in under the radar? Then there is Dominic Thiem, capable of beating anyone on his day, especially on […]