Roland Garros aka The French Open

[jimlosaltos]

I think, not that it matters, one needs to look at the rpm's in conjunction with the mph's to begin to get a look at the whole shot quality picture. I personally think the rpm's is more telling of the 2.

Agreed. And averages can deceive. You can have two players one of which has a higher maximum speed, but plays within him/herself and another that redlines. Madi hits pretty flat and constantly hard. But it's still impressive.

[stroke]

From Randy Walker: Madison Keys has an average forehand speed of 82 mph, the same as Jannik Sinner and just three mph less than the fastest average men's forehand speed from Arthur Fils, as shown just now on @truTV

I think, not that it matters, one needs to look at the rpm's in conjunction with the mph's to begin to get a look at the whole shot quality picture. I personally think the rpm's is more telling of the 2.

[jimlosaltos]

From Randy Walker: Madison Keys has an average forehand speed of 82 mph, the same as Jannik Sinner and just three mph less than the fastest average men's forehand speed from Arthur Fils, as shown just now on @truTV

[stroke]

If there is one thing I will be pleased to see the back of (probably the only thing) it's this fawning mutual appreciation society the Big 4 have developed. It’s massively overdone. To be fair to Murray, he is the least guilty. Novak, on the hand, is the most guilty.

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1QJRSqMeD9/

Stotty, one more for the road.

[jimlosaltos]

Happy Memorial Tennis Day, TPNers !

{ If you're outside the US - have a great day, anyway }

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[jimlosaltos]

All right. I'll be brave.
Here's my attempt at projecting the results in singles.

Men's Quarters

Sinner defeats Draper
Cerundolo def. Djokovic ( Upset alerts plural Cerundolo H2H Zverev 3-0 + Zverev ailing?)
Musetti def. Altmaier ( Duel of the singletons )
Alcaraz def. Ruud

Final weekend men’s French Open

Semi – Sinner beats Cerdundolo
Semi – Alcaraz beats Musetti
Final – Alcaraz beats Sinner

Women's Quarters

Sabalenka defeats Zheng
Swiatek def Paolini
Andreeva def Pegula
Gauff def Navarro

Final weekend women’s French Open

Semi – Swiatek beats Sabalenka
Semi – Gauff beats Andreeva
Final – Swiatek beats Coco Gauff

[jimlosaltos]

No "stunners" .... so far.

Is this a portent of things to come? On the court where Iga delivered so many baked goods, Aryna Sabalenka baked a bagel and a breadstick? Just sayin !

Gio won from love-5 in a tiebreak, hitting 132 MPH second serves. Takes ice water in your veins.

Ben made the hard way, 5 sets in first round vs Lorenzo Senego, a good doubles player who butchered three volleys in the fifth to get broken. Nerves.

18 yo Victoria Mboko of Canada won in women's qualies and then in her first round. She's on quite a winning streak. Heard so much, looking forward to seeing her.

Lorenzo Musetti looking good with a bagel in the third over Hanfmann. Pulling for the "other Italian"

Raducanu won a match ! Yeah. Attributes this to "dry needles" for her back. At least it wasn't a witches spell.

Badosa tops Osaka in match of two, good servers. Naomi hit 36 winners but, alas, 54 UFEs.

[stroke]

Number 4 seeded Fritz out in 4 sets to Altmaier, who played superbly. Altmaier hits heavy spin off both sides, his wonderful one handed backhand on full display vs Fritz. Hugh mentioned Altmaier's great one hander in his article on the Tsitsipas backhand woes. This certainly looked like an upset alert match going in, but Altmaier really won it convincingly.

[stotty]

Here's a 4 minute video on YouTube from Rafa's ceremony today.

If there is one thing I will be pleased to see the back of (probably the only thing) it's this fawning mutual appreciation society the Big 4 have developed. It’s massively overdone. To be fair to Murray, he is the least guilty. Novak, on the hand, is the most guilty.

[jimlosaltos]

Here's a 4 minute video on YouTube from Rafa's ceremony today.

[jimlosaltos]

Here's a link to photos of Rafa Ceremony on Court Phillippe-Chatrier

[jimlosaltos]

More from Bill Simons, " We’ll Always Have Paris: French Open Moments and Memories"

Two items/ excerpts:


THE LOOK OF LOVE: After Gustavo Kuerten scored a miraculous comeback win over Michael Russell in 2001, the beloved Brazilian drew a heart in Roland Garros’ precious clay, and then, in relief and ecstasy, collapsed in the middle of it. No wonder Yannick Noah said, “Guga has this look in his eyes. There’s love there. It’s almost religious. He’s not like, ‘I win, I’m the best.’ It’s not an ego trip. It’s, ‘Oh, my God, I won. I’m so happy for my people.’”

ROGER’S REDEMPTION: Literary students know that Captain Ahab obsessively pursued Moby Dick. And your local tennis nerd can tell you that for 11 baffling seasons, Roger Federer sought to gain the French Open title. Then, at last, in 2009, the man from the high mountains finally dropped low to his knees. As he beat Robin Soderling to win his first and only Roland Garros trophy, his face was flushed with astonishment and relief – tears flowed.

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[jimlosaltos]

Bill Simons of Inside Tennis has a great piece of Roland Garros and the fans good-bye to Rafael Nadal.

Excerpt: "No other athlete has done in one venue what Nadal has done at Roland Garros. And, we believe, no other farewell, not Andre Agassi’s touching farewell address, not Serena Williams’ boisterous New York goodbye, not Andy Murray’s poignant departure last summer at Wimbledon, not even Roger Federer’s lofty, teary exit at the 2023 Laver Cup can really match today’s heartrending farewell to a man who inspired so many for so long.

Photo: Getty

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[stroke]

Early results of some interest: Gio wins from down 0-5 in a tiebreak.

Favorite Sabalenka rolls, so perhaps has form back after brief dip.

Hard to overlook Zheng who won Olympic gold on these courts. Beat 2021 finalist Pavy in straights out of the gate.

Is Tommy Paul an upset threat here. I don't think about him on clay but his game seems to have come together.

Tommy Paul has the game and the disposition to to go deep it seems to me. I would say among the Americans, Fritz, Tiafoe, Sheldon, Korda, Tien, all very good players, he has the best chance.

[jimlosaltos]

Early results of some interest: Gio wins from down 0-5 in a tiebreak.

Favorite Sabalenka rolls, so perhaps has form back after brief dip.

Hard to overlook Zheng who won Olympic gold on these courts. Beat 2021 finalist Pavy in straights out of the gate.

Is Tommy Paul an upset threat here. I don't think about him on clay but his game seems to have come together.