The French Open [Update 2]
The outcome of this year’s French Opens will hopefully be known on the 9th of June. For now, the quarterfinals are in progress. Veterans Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have reached the semi-finals.
They will be playing with each other. It is a bittersweet outcome because one of them will not reach the finals of 2019’s French grand slam tournament. Both have rather endearing qualities and loads of fan following.
Federer’s journey in this year’s French Open began on 26th May at Center court. He defeated unseeded Italian Lorenzo Sonego in straight sets 6-2, 6-4, and 6-4. On 29th May, he vanquished unseeded German Oscar Otte, 6-4, 6-3, and 6-4. In the third round, he defeated youngster Casper Rudd from Norway, 6-3, 6-1, and 7-6.
Unlike Wimbledon and many other matches, there is no tie break in French opens. Therefore, the players have to continue playing a deciding game in each set to reach a difference of two, which Federer did with 10-8.
The fourth round opponent was Argentina’s, Leonardo Mayer. Here too Federer defeated in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3, and 6-3 to sail into quarterfinals.
In quarterfinals, he defeated Stan Wawrinka. Wawrinka has proved to be a formidable opponent. The 24th seed was vanquished 7-6, 4-6, 7-6, and 6-4.![The French Open [Update 2]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51FhVhGCJwL._SX373_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg)
Nadal’s journey began on 27th May 2019. He defeated Germany’s Yannick Hanfmann, 6-2, 6-1, 6-3. On 29th May Nadal defeated Yannick Maden, again from Germany, 6-1, 6-2, and 6-4. On 31st of May, 2019, Nadal defeated 27th seed, David Goffin, who is from Belgium, with scores of 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, and 6-3. In pre-quarters Nadal defeated Juan Ignacio Londero from Argentina with scores of 6-2, 6-3 and 6-3.
The French Open 2019 Quarter Finals
In quarterfinals, held on 4th June, Nadal defeated Japan’s Kei Nishikori who is the 7th seed at this tournament in straight sets, 6-1, 6-1, and 6-3.
Among women players, Johanna Konta of Great Britain who is the 26th seed, defeated America’s Sloane Stephens in quarterfinals, with scores of 6-1 and 6-4. Stephens was seeded 7th for this tournament. Therefore, it was unexpected.
In the 3rd round, Konta defeated Slovakia’s Victoria Kuzmova with scores of 6-2 and 6-1. In the fourth round, Konta defeated Croatian contender, Donna Vekic, who was this year’s 23rd seed.
Konta will now play Marketa Vondrousova, in Semifinals. Vondruousova is not a seeded player. She defeated Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro 6-4, 6-4 in the 3rd round. Navvaro was the 28th seed. In the fourth round, Vondrousova defeated Latvia’s Anastasija Sevastova, 6-2, and 6-0. In quarterfinals, she defeated Croatia’s Petra Martic.
This semi-final is interestingly poised as both players did not drop a single set so far.
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Other Men’s and Women’s semi-finals have been deferred.
Rolland Garros also has mixed doubles, doubles, and games for legends. Mats Wilander is one legend who played this year. In men’s doubles, Jeremy Chardy and Fabrice Martin sailed over Rajeev Ram, and Joe Salisbury. 6-4, and 7-6 in one of the Men’s doubles quarterfinals.
In Women’s doubles quarterfinals, Timea Babos, and Kristina Mladenovic defeated Samantha Stosur and Zhang Shuai 3-6, 6-1, 7-6. Kirsten Flipkens and Johanna Larsen defeated Nicole Melichar and Kveta Peschke 3-6, 7-6, and 6-1
There are many more matches to look forward to, more so because rain does delay them.
Update Of The French Open(Today)
Both ladies half finals are over as I write this, Ashley Barty of Australia will play Marketa Vondrousova in this year`s French Open finals.
On the men`s side, it looks like Rafa is heading to the finals, it`s 5 to 1 for Nadal in the third set against Federer with Nadal leading two sets.
Now to me, I expected a more from Roger but it seems once again, Nadal is demonstrating who is the King of Roland Garros., the game just ended minutes ago and as expected, Rafa came out the better player.
French Open never fails to impress for its style, partly because Paris is synonymous with style. This year rains and light forced the organizing authorities to defer some of the matches. Kei Nishikori of Japan vs. Benoit Paire of France was one such match that had to be suspended halfway due to poor light on the 2nd June. The match was concluded on the following day, with Nishikori winning it.
Maybe Nishikori and rain gods had a pact this year because the rains again intervened the quarterfinals played between him and Rafael Nadal. It sure did not go down too well with Nadal though, in the end, it was Nadal who vanquished Nishikori in straight sets 6-1, 6-1, 6-3, to reach the semi-finals. Roger Federer had defeated Stan Wawrinka on 4th June, to reach the semi-finals.
On June 7th, Nadal ended Roger Federer’s quest for Rolland Garros trophy for 2019. The fluid and graceful movements of Federer’s backhand were still there, but accuracy was missing. Nadal’s forehand reigned. Strong wind and small clay storms disturbed both players. Nevertheless, the match reached its conclusion. Federer went down in straight sets 6-3, 6-4, 6-2, which was rather unexpected.
Nadal is now in men’s finals, which will be held on 9th June.
On June 6th, Novak Djokovic had comfortably packed Alexander Zverev home in the quarter-final to reach the semi-final. Djokovic’s game separated men from boys for sure. It was straight sets victory 7-5, 6-2, and 6-2.
On the same day Austrian Dominic Thiem, who is the 4th seed defeated Karen Kachanov, who was the 10th seed for this tournament. Thiem had no difficulty in sending the Russian home scoring 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 to reach the semi-finals. However, he met his nemesis in Djokovic, the top seed on the 7th of June.
The game again had to be suspended and ended in wee hours of 8th to be precise. The outcome of this game is that Djokovic is now in finals and will be playing the defending Champion, Rafael Nadal. Effectively, the ranking and seeding are proved right in the case of these two players as well as Federer and Thiem.
The story among women players played out differently. The only thing that could be expected there was the unexpected. There has been one surprise too many in this for sure.
The players who made it to quarterfinals were Simona Halep (seed 3), Johanna Konta (seed 26), Amanda Anisimova (unseeded), Ashleigh Barty (seeded 8), Madison Keys (seed 14), Sloane Stephens (seed 7), Marketa Vondrousova (unseeded), and Petra Martic (seed 31).
Unseeded American Anisimova defeated Halep 6-2, 6-4 to reach semi-finals. Konta defeated Stephens 6-1, 6-4. Czeh Vondrousova defeated Croatian Martic, 7-6 and 7-5. Finally, Australian Ashleigh Barty defeated Keys. Therefore, Anisimova, Konta, Vondrousova, and Barty reached semi-finals, which were played on 7th June.
Semifinals threw the final surprise. Australian Barty won over the American Anisimova 6-7, 6-3, 6-3. But Czech Vandrousova defeated British Konta 7-5, 7-6 to reach the finals.
Rolland Garros Women’s final this year will, therefore, be between the 8th seeded Barty vs. unseeded Vandrousova. Anisimova is perhaps the youngest contestant for now.
She is just 17 and has impressive tricks up her sleeves, even though she lost to Barty. Vandrousova is 19. These teenagers are the future of women’s tennis.
The mixed doubles finals were played on the 7th of June, and the winners were unseeded Lasitha Chan and Ivan Dodig. Chan is Taiwanese, and Dodig is Croatian. They defeated second seed Canadian Gabriella Dabrowski and Croatian Mate Pavic 6-1, 7-6.
Chan and Dodig had also defeated the 1st seed Nicole Melichar and Bruno Soares in semi-finals played on the 6th of June.
One of the Women’s doubles semi-finals was played on the 7th between second seed Timea Babos and Kristina Mladenovic vs. Elise Mertens and Aryna Sabalenka. Hungarian Babos and French Mladenovic easily defeated Mertens and Sabalenka 6-2, 6-1, to reach the finals.