Roland Garros aka The French Open

[jeffreycounts]

Certainly the best match of Bublik's career. Oddsmakers had him at about 11% implied probability of winning vs Draper.

Bublik was talking like he didn't have much of a chance. He was saying how Draper was like a UFC fighter. Guess that didn't matter.

[stroke]

Certainly the best match of Bublik's career. Oddsmakers had him at about 11% implied probability of winning vs Draper.

[jeffreycounts]

Musetti looking very comfortable on cruise control, so smooth. Up 2 sets to one. If I did bet, and had bet on the underdog Rune, I would be very uneasy.

Fun to see a young guy with a one handed backhaned. Hope it holds up more like Wawrinka than Tsitsipas.

[stroke]

https://photos.app.goo.gl/NLvXaJMWJjv6wqLZ7

The other half round of 16 tomorrow. All 4 matches have strong favorites. Griekspoor vs Zverev, it appears to me most likely for an underdog coming through, if I had to bet on an underdog.

[stroke]

Musetti looking very comfortable on cruise control, so smooth. Up 2 sets to one. If I did bet, and had bet on the underdog Rune, I would be very uneasy.

[stotty]

A good second set from Rune. More aggressive and taking it to Musetti, which he needs to. Musetti can stroke the ball around all day long if he’s allowed to.

[stroke]

Musetti takes a tight 1st set vs Rune. Musetti looks just so comfortable out there as a match goes on. It is like he is in the left lane on cruise control. His game so easy on the eye.

[jimlosaltos]

On the other hand, If you're a "Glass is Half Full" type, Ben Shelton finally broke through.

Coming in, Ben was 0 for 10 on set points he held at Grand Slams against Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner, and Carlos Alcaraz. Four of the ten were on his own serve.

2023 US Open - 0/1 vs Djokovic
2024 Wimbledon - 0/4 vs Sinner
2025 Australian Open - 0/2 vs Sinner
2025 Roland-Garros - 0/3 vs Alcaraz

[jimlosaltos]

No doubt, both playing great.

Only 9 points separated Ben and Carlitos, with Alcaraz having a fourteen (14) point advantage across the net and drop shots.

filedata/fetch?id=107389&d=1748806532&type=thumb

[stroke]

Shelton is making a decent account of himself, playing super aggressive and really taking to Alcaraz. He was unlucky not to win the first set but wasn’t disheartened and has started strongly in the second set.

Alcaraz plays that drop shot of his with devastating effect…stone dead. He can turn a set or even a match with it. Never seen a player do that quite like Alcaraz.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Zs53awZmr1UHDjGVA

No doubt, both playing great.

[stotty]

Shelton is making a decent account of himself, playing super aggressive and really taking to Alcaraz. He was unlucky not to win the first set but wasn’t disheartened and has started strongly in the second set.

Alcaraz plays that drop shot of his with devastating effect…stone dead. He can turn a set or even a match with it. Never seen a player do that quite like Alcaraz.

[stroke]

https://youtu.be/8r09TliP-Ak?si=mJMYjD7vY1FcHTVh

This is a piece(Fault Tolerant Tennis) that the author talks about why he is picking Draper to win the FO. He really likes the risk/reward element of Draper's shots, particularly his forehand, which he says is reminiscent of Nadal in its effectiveness.

[jimlosaltos]

On Fils injury in match where he was hurt in 3rd and 4th sets but won in five:

"Arthur Fils says he has a stress fracture in his back (L5 vertebrae), which left him with no choice but to withdraw from Roland Garros.
Fils says he will be out for 4 to 6 weeks and Wimbledon is uncertain."

[stroke]

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ssLYS5ZgfSa9jXWu6

No real surprises here betting odds. Musetti Rune maybe the most interesting. Ben Shelton vs Carlos, well Ben has a chance to make a huge statement I suppose.

[jeffreycounts]

I'm about to sign up to watch the second week of Roland Garros, but it feels like the whole world expects sport for free these days: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp3n7dx2174o

This irony here is John Yandell, one of the best tennis technique analysts out there, wasn’t even allowed to film players at tour events — or at least not live in matches. Bonkers.

And John wasn't even filming matches or points, just 2 second clips of strokes. I'm definitely paying for live sports, that's an eye opening article to me.