The French Open 2020

First topic message reminder :

With the draw about to be made for RG, I thought I would get this topic going.

For me - and I say this every year - Rafa is clear favourite, although the strange nature of all sport this Covid-19 year might mean someone else (Thiem? Djoko?) might have a chance.

Halep stands out as the women's favourite, particularly as some of the top women are not appearing. More on this after the draw.

Moutet serves for the match at 14-13 after 5 hours 31 minutes but Giustino breaks to level at 14-14.

Gerasimov, although two sets down, is giving Rafa a good work out and has just broken to go 2-0 up in the third.

Meanwhile, the Marathon Match goes on as Moutet fails, again, to serve it out and we go on ....14-14.

PS - Sorry if this repeats above tweet (Rafa, BTW, has, inevitably, broken straight back in the 3rd set)

Moutet again serving for the match at 15-14 now.

But Giustino breaks back again to make it 15-15 with 5 hours 45 minutes played.

Norrie off to a flyer leading Daniel Gahan 4-0.

CaledonianCraig wrote:Moutet again serving for the match at 15-14 now.

But again he doesn't get it - 15-15. (that's not a game score. That's a set score)

Nadalyou feel about to complete the coup de gras on Gerasimov. He leads 6-4 6-4 3-2 having just broken serve and Gerasimov struggling with an ankle injury.

Giustino leads 17-16 in the deciding set as the match moves into its seventh hour.

Nadal wins 6-4 6-4 6-2 against the game Gerasimov.

And Giustino finally seals the match breaking serve to win 18-16 in the fifth set after 6 hours 5 minutes.

Perhaps another marathon brewing on No 4 court. Three hours on the clock and still in the third set with Guido Pella level with Salvatore Garuso at one set all and five-all.

Cameron Norrie wins the first set 6-4 against Daniel Galan.

Another seed crashes out. Home favourite Monfils loses in four sets to Alex Bublik.

Norrie now in a scrap as Galan wins the second set 6-3.

Norrie takes the third set and leads 6-4 3-6 7-5.

Seeing Murray struggle really shows what a big hole is being left behind in British tennis. He really has carried British tennis, there really is so little behind him. 2nd or 3rd round probably as good as it will get at most slams for the foreseeable future unless Murray comes back

One of the greatest racket smashes I have seen from Medvedev a few moments ago. Impressive technique

Norrie loses another slam match from a winning position. Disappointing.

Out goes Medvedev. Fucsovic played very well, he is a good solid player.

Bit surprised about Medvedev until I saw he'd never won a match at RG in four attempts.

Perhaps it was more of a shock Monfils losing. Who knows what Moutet must be thinking after serving for the match three times in that marathon final set.

sirfredperry wrote:Bit surprised about Medvedev until I saw he'd never won a match at RG in four attempts.

Perhaps it was more of a shock Monfils losing. Who knows what Moutet must be thinking after serving for the match three times in that marathon final set.

Medvedev is a hard court specialist though whereas his opponent's favoured surface is clay. Yes definitely one that got away for Moutet on home soil but again his opponent was on his strongest surface.

Djokovic begins his campaign later today and I'd be surprised if it is anything other than a straight sets win as he takes on Swede Ymer. Heather Watson also in First Round action. Always weird with French Open having the First Round stretched over three days unlike the other slams but they do have fewer courts to play on.

Berrettini handing out a bit of a thrashing at the moment to Vasek Pospisil - he leads 6-3 4-0.

Pliskova loses wins first set after squandering EIGHT set points

Extraordinary first set in the Pliskova match with the second seed wasting three set points in the main part of the set and then five more in the tiebreak in which she led 6-3.

Her opponent, an Egyptian qualifier, is running everything down and often looping the ball (a la Sanchez-Vicario) on to the baseline which is putting Pliskova off.

The winner of this match will play former champ Ostapenko who had a crushing win today.

Plishkova found a bit more fluency in the second set to take it 6-2 and we are on serve in the third and deciding set.

And rain starts falling so matches may get affected.

Berrettini through in straight sets against Pospisil. The No 7 seed looked in good nick in what could have been a tricky match.

Plishkova gets the job done winning 6-7 6-2 6-4. She wasn't at her best but also give credit to Sherif on her slam debut who rose to the occasion and gave it a real good go. Plishkova will feel better for that match as it was a good test.

Controversy in the only match being played at the moment on Philipe Chatrier. Siegemund saved set point returning a ball that had clearly bounced twice but wasn't called. She went on to save and then win the set 7-5 against Mladenovic the French player.

Heather Watson about to start her First Round match against Ferro of France.

An early break for Watson to lead 3-1.

Ferro breaks back to level at 3-3 with drizzle falling.

Djokovic steamrollering Ymer leading 6-0 2-1. Watson level at 5-5 with Ferro.

Watson saves three set points to force a first set tie-break - 6-6.

Ferro comes through the first set tie-break to take it 7-3. By no means has Watson played badly. She just lost too many of the key points.

Meanwhile, Djokovic leads Ymer 6-0 6-2. A shock brewing perhaps with Sam Querrey leading the seeded Rublev 7-6 5-3.

Watson breaks early in the second set. She trails 6-7 2-0.

However, Ferro breaks right back to love and she leads Heather Watson 7-6 1-2.

Djokovic through in straights sets and Watson out in straight sets (6-7 4-6).

Rublev seems to have come from the dead against Querrey who at one point served for the match and a straight sets victory. Rublev now a break up in the fifth set so the No 13 seed looks set fair for a fine comeback win.

Tsitsipas (No 5 seed) is in deep trouble against the Spaniard Mumar. He trails by two sets to love.

Tsitsipas playing like a great big kid against Munar. It's no good blazing off shots. Show a little court craft.

The Greek is a break up now in the third set. Can he build on that? Rublev came through in five sets.

Well Tsitsipas has at least taken it to a fourth set.

Shapovalov, who was trailing in the second set v Simon, has taken the set to go two sets to love up.

sirfredperry wrote:Well Tsitsipas has at least taken it to a fourth set.

Shapovalov, who was trailing in the second set v Simon, has taken the set to go two sets to love up.

Make that taken it to five sets. A bit of needle between the two also. Tasty.

Tsitsipas serving for the match at 5-4 in the fifth.

And the No 5 seed comes through in five sets. Tough match that for Tsitsipas.

Wow Rublev and Tsitsipas taken to the brink, they may regret these early long battles at a later stage. Impressive performance from Djokovic.

Bautista Agut could be the big threat in that side of the draw, very solid player.

Meanwhile not one British player makes 2nd round in men’s or women’s. Really grim era for British tennis ahead when Murray leaves the scene

Watched only the early part of the Tsitsipas match. He did well to survive.

At the start of a GS you may want to preserve energy but you may also want to be tested, too.

I reckon the ideal thing would be to have, say, a not-too-long four-setter in one of the early rounds.

You always wonder how a player who has waltzed through the opening matches of a GS will fare when they find themselves up against it later on.

Be interesting to see how Sock gets on against Thiem today. The American was in the top 10 not so long ago.

Serena Williams has pulled out of her Second Round match against Pironkova.

Wawrinka on his way through to the Third Round. He leads Koepfer 6-2 6-2 1-2.