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.

CaledonianCraig wrote:This is my point on Nadal's 'easy route'.

Pre-match you'd find everyone saying that Thiem had a straight-forward match against Gaston. And look how it is turning out. Thiem now has problems as we go into a fourth set yet he was seen as one of the favourites for the title. Nadal has had similar type opponents yet brushed them aside with mimimum fuss because that is his clay court supremacy and he's on a different level even to the likes of Thiem.

You need to factor in all the physical and mental energy Thiem used up in New York Craig. Getting the major monkey off his back. Eventually that was always going to catch up with him

Gaston breaks in the fourth set to lead 3-1. Thiem spraying errors and going too big too early in rallies - that smacks of fatigue to me.

Thiem looks exhausted as Gaston breaks to lead 3-1 in the fourth.

Jeff Navarro wrote:

CaledonianCraig wrote:This is my point on Nadal's 'easy route'.

Pre-match you'd find everyone saying that Thiem had a straight-forward match against Gaston. And look how it is turning out. Thiem now has problems as we go into a fourth set yet he was seen as one of the favourites for the title. Nadal has had similar type opponents yet brushed them aside with mimimum fuss because that is his clay court supremacy and he's on a different level even to the likes of Thiem.

You need to factor in all the physical and mental energy Thiem used up in New York Craig. Getting the major monkey off his back. Eventually that was always going to catch up with him

That could be a factor but put Rafa against Gaston and would he be making such a fuss of this match from being two sets up? On clay Nadal is ruthless.

Not only are the drop shots working but Thiem looks absolutely hopeless around the net. Constantly out-volleyed and out-manouevred.

Twice he should have taken BP and didn't and now trails 4-1 in the fourth.

You reckon that Gaston could well win from here, although still some way to go.

Gaston goes 5-2 up and Thiem continues to offer up unforced errors. He really does look physically/mentally shot out there.

It is incredible as Gaston has played the match on his terms and Thiem has not come up with an answer. He's over-pressing trying to finish rallies too early and over-hitting shots. This is going to five sets.

And Gaston seals the fourth set 6-3 and we go into a decider after 2 hours 51 minutes. What a turnaround.

Wow 2 sets all! I left the match at 2 sets to love and thought Thiem looked superb. Presumably Gaston has really come to the party! He looks a talented player. The depth in men’s tennis clear to see again and it proves once again how ridiculously good the top 3 are

I do feel for Thiem. You can see his head is all over the place. Doubts are stacking up and he is as tense as hell. He looks to be suffering physically and mental tiredness too. A lot to contend with suddenly after things were going so well.

Gaston having the week of his life. The joys of five-set tennis.

And he still looks perfectly relaxed at the start of the fifth and final set.

Schwartzman through in straight sets.

Schwartzman a very tough opponent for whoever wins this match, he is a great competitor rather like David Ferrer, gives you nothing. Then the small matter of Nadal most likely in SF, I am exhausted just thinking of those two opponents back to back

Thiem just seems to have steadied the rocking ship at present.

Expect Thiem to put the squeeze on this Gaston service game

And Thiem breaks to lead 5-3 and is to serve for the match.

Gaston's magical drop shot letting him down more and more. Thiem two points away from the win.

And Thiem gets it done. Boy will he be relieved as he was in a very dark place midway through that match.

Credit to Gaston, that was some effort. Thiem may regret that one with the physical battles ahead

Well done to Thiem for pulling through. Well done to Gaston for a huge fightback in sets 3 and 4.

But neither Thiem nor Schwartzmann will have enough left in the tank after their, probable, gruelling QF to trouble Nadal in the semi-finals.

Thiem had to dig deep there. Gaston played a great match.

It doesn't get any easier for Thiem. Schwartzman is a great scrambler and Dom, particularly after his New York efforts, must be feeling it.

Everything is working out well for Rafa and Djoko. They are hardly being tested and the one man who could trouble them is having a huge workload.

sirfredperry wrote:Thiem had to dig deep there. Gaston played a great match.

It doesn't get any easier for Thiem. Schwartzman is a great scrambler and Dom, particularly after his New York efforts, must be feeling it.

Everything is working out well for Rafa and Djoko. They are hardly being tested and the one man who could trouble them is having a huge workload.

Schwartzman is great on clay. Don't write him off. He has form at ruffling Rafa's feathers (if he is the one to face Nadal). He's had a comfortable route through to this stage without dropping a set.

I've already mentioned this earlier. But I can't help thinking that the very short time between the two Slams this year has contributed to the extraordinary results we're seeing at RG.

Some players have had only a little time on clay. Others have had no time at all. Fitness levels may be a bit lower than usual, too.

This should not detract from the remarkably high standard of play from some of the lower-ranked players.

Dimi v Tsitsipas looks to be the outstanding match today. Wonder whether Khachanov can do much against Djoko.

Can the K's - Kvitova and Kenin - avoid the shocks that have hit others, or will one or both be KO'd?

sirfredperry wrote:I've already mentioned this earlier. But I can't help thinking that the very short time between the two Slams this year has contributed to the extraordinary results we're seeing at RG.

Some players have had only a little time on clay. Others have had no time at all. Fitness levels may be a bit lower than usual, too.

This should not detract from the remarkably high standard of play from some of the lower-ranked players.  

Definitely.

Normally, going into RG there is a number of clay court tournaments leading up to it as part of the section known as the clay court season. There has been none of that - just a couple of clay court tournaments. The US Open and French Open have been pushed together because of COVID-19 - all very unusual circumstances hence the unusual results. Also different weather conditions and Wilson balls being used is another thing to throw into the mix.

I do have to question the choices of matches ITV4 choose. This Kvitova-Zhang match is only going one way. Elsewhere we have a cracking men's match between Rublev and Fucsovics now into a tie-break after 53 minutes. That is where they should be.

And Fucsovics takes the first set 7-6 after 1 hour 2 minutes. Rublev will have to come from behind again.

Fucsovics breaks in the second set to lead Rublev 7-6 3-1.

CaledonianCraig wrote:I do have to question the choices of matches ITV4 choose. This Kvitova-Zhang match is only going one way. Elsewhere we have a cracking men's match between Rublev and Fucsovics now into a tie-break after 53 minutes. That is where they should be.

May be something to do with better camera angles. Sometimes on some of the other courts it's really difficult to see the ball (for viewers, that is: hopefully not for players)

Kvitova is rather mucking up her match. Failed to serve it out at 5-2. had a MP at 5-3 and now having another go to serve it out.

Later: Kvitova had no trouble with her second effort and wins 2 and 4. Do we have a new favourite for the title?

Kvitova wins 6-2 6-4.

On a side note another great step taken (aside from the roof on Phillipe Chatrier) is the floodlights added to courts enabling atmospheric late night finishes and helps keep the schedule on course.

Dmitrov V Tsitsipas about to get under way. Yesterday's tomorrow man against today's tomorrow man. Tsisipas to win in three or four for me.

Meanwhile, Fucsovics now in command leading Rublev 7-6 5-2 after 1 hour 45 minutes.

While watching the Dimi match I've just checked the other scores to see that Rublev must have come storming back and has taken that second set 7-5. Match on.

Rublev went on to win in four and, after a tight second set tiebreak, Tsitsipas won in straight sets against Dimi.

Djoko got pegged back serving for the first set only for Khachanov to drop serve in the very next game to hand the set to Djoko 6-4. Straight sets, now?

Djoko now two sets up and it's on serve in the third. Djoko's been broken twice in the match and at least Kh has spun it out for more than two hours.

Pretty average performance by Djokovic, Khachanov isn’t remotely a top player on clay. Never understand why Djokovic feints illness whenever he’s struggling.

Djokovic below his best, but still had enough to comfortably see off his Russian opponent. Khachanov played well in stages, though he ultimately lacked the consistency required.

If Djoko doesn't do better than that in the subsequent rounds, Carreno-Busta/Tsitsipas could push him close.

Overall, Nadal's got this tournament completely sewn up. Starting to wonder if he'll do it without dropping a set.

Djoko wins 4, 3 and 3 in two hours 23 minutes.

Still two singles to be played today. I guess if it keeps raining they could play them one after another on Chartrier.

Jeff Navarro wrote:Pretty average performance by Djokovic, Khachanov isn’t remotely a top player on clay. Never understand why Djokovic feints illness whenever he’s struggling.

He's an idiot who needs to use such tricks to his advantage.

Actually, there are THREE singles still to be played. Somebody is probably going to have to play tomorrow.

How was that an average performance?? He is playing a guy ranked 15 in the world. He hit 44 winners in 3 sets which is crazy good.

Now into his 14th French open quarter final. The begrudges will never stop but Novak just keeps winning :-)

quote="Soul Requiem"]

Jeff Navarro wrote:Pretty average performance by Djokovic, Khachanov isn’t remotely a top player on clay. Never understand why Djokovic feints illness whenever he’s struggling.

He's an idiot who needs to use such tricks to his advantage. [/quote]

Another surprise on the cards as Frenchwoman Ferro takes the first set 6-2 against reigning (raining?) AO champ Kenin.

slashermcguirk wrote:How was that an average performance?? He is playing a guy ranked 15 in the world. He hit 44 winners in 3 sets which is crazy good.

Now into his 14th French open quarter final. The begrudges will never stop but Novak just keeps winning :-)

quote="Soul Requiem"]

Jeff Navarro wrote:Pretty average performance by Djokovic, Khachanov isn’t remotely a top player on clay. Never understand why Djokovic feints illness whenever he’s struggling.

He's an idiot who needs to use such tricks to his advantage.

[/quote]
44 winners against KK whom is a very average clay court player.

Very average on clay, so that’s how he found himself in the last 16 at the French open.......interesting! Reached QF last year and last 16 the two previous years before that, you are right though he must be really average on clay!!???? Do people think before they post on here?

Kenin won the last two sets easily. Just seen a bit of the Altmaier match. The German served to level it at one set all but played a poor game and lost the second set 7-5.
Altmaier has some spectacular shots but CB is steady and consistent.

Beating a seed in three sets is not 'an average performance'. I didn't see it that way. What do I know? Okay if you wish to disagree but tennis experts and ex-pros on commentary all thought Djokovic was excellent.

Anyway onto the quarters.

Today I see Rafa beating Sinner in three or maybe four sets. I will go for a shock in Schwartzman to beat Thiem. Tomorrow I see Djokovic beating Carreno Busta in four sets and the Rublev/Tsitsipas match is really tough to call but will just go for Tsitsipas in five sets.

Has anybody been impressed with 19 year old Italian Jannick Sinner?  He only turned 19 less than two months ago.  He is the first male born in 2001 or later to reach a singles grand slam QF.  He dispatched Zverev in four sets in the previous round in a focused manner.   Is this someone we and Italians should be looking towards to achieve big things in the near to mid future? Very likely Rafael Nadal will have far too much experience to be seriously troubled by Sinner, but it should be interesting to see how well Sinner keeps his composure and determination throughout the match.

I think the surprise may come not in the Thiem match but in the Swiatek match.

The Pole would have been on an emotional high after a near-perfect performance against Halep. She would have had to have done a lot of media.

Now she is favourite and some are even predicting she'll win the whole thing. Bit of a banana-skin match for her today, IMHO.

Thiem's not having it easy in this tourney. Schwartzman will run all day. Just think the Austrian will come through. But, certainly, a good case can be made for the Argentinian.

Sinner will do well to get a set off Rafa. Of the four semis the Rublev/Tsitsipas one is the hardest to forecast.

I think Djokovic will be given a big test by Carreno Busta. He is in great form and is coming off a semi final run at the US open too. That match could go the distance.

I also think the Thiem and Tsitsipas matches are very tough to call. I wouldn’t be hugely shocked if either lost. Schwartzman is in great form and is such a tough competitor, if that match goes long and Thiem isn’t up to it physically he could be in trouble. He can overpower Schwartzman but that won’t be easy.

Rublev vs Tsitsipas is a flip of the coin to be honest, no real favourite there.

I think Nadal will win handy enough but the first set might be competitive if Sinner isn’t overwhelmed by the occasion and the legend in front of him

Collins thru against Jabeur after a topsy-turvy affair. Kenin should be too much for Collins in next round.

Murray/Skupski are out - beaten in straight sets.

Svitolina up against it against qualifier Podoroska as she trails 4-1.