2017 French Open

[Shadowlight]

A few notes before we head into the teeth of the tennis season. Cute and gritty Simona Halep just won the Madrid clay court tournament. Halep has a wild temper that she needs to control but when she is on she can be a real firecracker. Maria Sharapova has not been allowed to enter the French Open. She is I think able to enter the qualifying rounds for Wimbledon, one of my favorite all time sporting events and my favorite tennis tournament. US Open is second. Roger Federer will not be playing at the French this year as he prepares for Wimbledon and his favorite surface grass. Probably a smart move by ole Rog.
Sharapova has received little support from her cohorts although Djokovic is one of the rare players that has not piled on and offered her some encouraging words. Tennis in my mind has the most stringent and toughest drug policy of any sport you care to name. The drug Maria was taking was legal up until 2015. But rules are rules and I am all for zero tolerance but what other sport do you get nearly two full years as a first time offender? If the NFL had a policy as tough as tennis probably a quarter of the players would be suspended. You think tampered urine samples that those two players offered up at the NFL combine would fly in tennis? Hell no.

 

[Matra2]

Djokovic was defeated in the Rome final in straight sets by youngster Alexander Zverev, an ethnic Russian from Germany, who jumps from 17 to 10 in the ATP rankings. He and Austrian Dominic hiem, who was incredible defeating Nadal in Rome and made it to the finals in Madrid (defeated by Rafa there) the previous week, are clearly the favourites to win a slam of the new kids coming through. They are also the only two players under 25 in the top 10, with only another three others between 11 and 20 in the rankings in that age category.

Meanwhile, Djokovic has hired Andre Agassi as the latest "super coach". It worked out well for the Serb with Becker so I guess he's decided to try it again. Agassi doesn't seem to have paid much attention to the sport since leaving. What can he add to make give Novak a winner again? Confidence? I don't know.

On the women's side Maria Sharapova has been denied a wild card due to her drug suspension. Simona Halep is looking to be in the best form on the women's side.

 

[La France Blanche]

Good on Djokovic for not joining in the anti-Sharapova dogpile. Expressing an opinion that is unpopular with powerful people is what takes real moral courage, not the publicity stunts from Michael Sam, Colin Krappernick, "Caitlyn" Jenner, etc.

 

[DixieDestroyer]

Afro-muzzie mud banned from French Open for trying to force himself on White reporter.

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2017/05/tennis-french-open-maxime-hamou-reporter-kiss-ban

 

[Don Wassall]

No American men or women made it to the quarterfinals. Venus Williams was the last to fall, losing to Timea Bacsinszky of Switzerland in three sets. She was also the last female in the tournament who has won a Grand Slam title, another sad commentary on the state of women's tennis with Brutus still the only dominant player.

 

[Quiet Speed]

Stan Wawrinka into the final after downing Andy Murray in five sets. Great play by both but Stan, the shot maker extraordinaire, really caught fire in the tail end of the match. He takes on the winner of the Nadal - Thiem match.

 

[Shadowlight]

Disappointing French Open ending for me. I am not a fan of Nadal and one reason is I am a HUGE fan of Federer and Nadal is his historic rival but he deserves all the praise by winning his 15th major and passing the great Pete Sampras in the process. And he is the greatest clay court tennis player of all time. The women's final bummed me out too. Cat quick and cute Simona Halep lost her nerves and got beat by a much more powerful 20 year old Latvian Jelena Ostapenko. Halep lost to Maria in the French finals in 2014 and at 25 most felt her experience would pull her through here but she blew a large lead, lacks variety and just faded away as the youngster drilled countless winners. Not sure if she has what it takes to win a major.
Always on the lookout for the next great tennis beauty. Perhaps lanky French 20 year old Oceane Dodin fits the bill.
The big one Wimbledon in a few weeks and ole Roger will be there.

 

[La France Blanche]

I liked it, I thought it was a good mix of the old and the new. Classic battle between Nadal and Wawrinka (though I wish it hadn't been so one-sided) combined with the young Latvian Ostapenko winning her first Grand Slam (and first career title). And no "mixing" where it shouldn't be. All White.

 

[Quiet Speed]

Stan is capable of playing a lot better. I don't know if it would have mattered yesterday, Nadal was in the zone. Nadal's inside-out forehand (I've mentioned this before) is the most dangerous shot in tennis. Wimbledon is going to be good. Federer was best player on the planet the first 3 or 4 months of the year. Nadal is rejuvenated also. Andy Murray and Djokovic might have something say about the situation. Don't count out the "Stanimal".

 

[Don Wassall]

To win a major ten times is one of the great achievements of all time in sports.

I always liked Nadal; in his early years he was like a feral animal on the court, now he's a seasoned champion and still dominant when healthy.

It's been a blessing to watch men's tennis over the past decade, this will likely go down in history as the sport's greatest era with Nadal, Federer and Djokovic dominating for a prolonged period of time, and Murray and Wawrinka just a notch below them.