Roland Garros aka The French Open

[jimlosaltos]

Kudos to Coco ! Recovered from losing a 78-minute first set in a tiebreaker to top Aryna 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-4. That's some determination at 21 yo.

But what happened to Sabalenka's service? Won only 48% of her first serves, and came out on the short end of an old-fashioned WTA breakfast -- 34 break points combined in 31 games or more than one break per game for two hours and a half hours. Aryna, who has served up to 133 MPH, averaged one 105 MPH on her first serve? She normally does better than that on her second?

Last night we had Sinner winning the first set with only 43% in. Something in Paris' macchiatos ?

[stroke]

https://photos.app.goo.gl/yyBMPQnvZbgF4pqY9

Just way way too many errors by Sabalenka.

[stroke]

https://photos.app.goo.gl/PHun4Jmn8YWGVx2u6

Sinner Alcaraz a dead even pick 'em.

[stotty]

Terrible final. Sabalenka is just a one trick pony. She just hits massively in straight lines, no angles, no finesse, just crash, bang, wallop. It was a rhythmless, boring game to say the least. Coco faired better in the debacle. Her backhand was great, and her anticipation and movement is about the best I’ve ever seen in ladies tennis. In the end Sabalenka just made so many errors.

Let’s hope the men’s final lives up to it’s billing. I have a feeling it will.

[stroke]

Terrible final. Sabalenka is just a one trick pony. She just hits massively in straight lines, no angles, no finesse, just crash, bang, wallop. It was a rhythmless, boring game to say the least. Coco faired better in the debacle. Her backhand was great, and her anticipation and movement is about the best I’ve ever seen in ladies tennis. In the end Sabalenka just made so many errors.

Let’s hope the men’s final lives up to it’s billing. I have a feeling it will.

It's almost like she just goes out there and does what she does, the chips fall where they may. She needs to think more in terms of what she needs to do to win. She has absolutely no lock down game. Fed's game, and Musetti now, their game so easy on the eye. Sabalenka"s game the polar opposite, a very difficult watch. 67 unforced errors in 3 sets. Just gross tennis.

[jeffreycounts]

It's almost like she just goes out there and does what she does, the chips fall where they may. She needs to think more in terms of what she needs to do to win. She has absolutely no lock down game. Fed's game, and Musetti now, their game so easy on the eye. Sabalenka"s game the polar opposite, a very difficult watch. 67 unforced errors in 3 sets. Just gross tennis.

In her speech Sabalenka said the conditions were "horrible" which caused her to play a "horrible" final. Was the wind really that bad?

She reminds me a lot of Serena. Hit hard and if that doesn't work, hit harder and yell louder. There is not much "flow" to her game. More like taking a big rock and trying to bash her opponent into submission with it.

So happy Coco won this.

[jeffreycounts]

It's actually way worse than just blaming the conditions. After the match Sabalenka said that if Iga had played Coco in the finals Iga would have won. Then she says Coco just got extraordinarlity lucky with the ball magically landing in the court. And she finished it off by saying the only reason Coco won was because she made so many mistakes. This is actually worse than anything Serena ever said. Here are her comments...

“Like I think Iga - if Iga would [have] won [against me] another day, I think she would go out today and she would get the win. It just hurts. Honestly hurts. I've been playing really well, and then in the last match, go out there and perform like I did, that's hurt.”

To add to an extraordinary press conference, Sabalenka added: “She was hitting the ball from the frame. Somehow magically the ball lands in the court. It felt like a joke, honestly, like somebody from above was there laughing, like, ‘let's see if you can handle this’.”

Sabalenka also said: “I think she won the match not because she played incredible, just because I made all of those mistakes.”

[stroke]

It's actually way worse than just blaming the conditions. After the match Sabalenka said that if Iga had played Coco in the finals Iga would have won. Then she says Coco just got extraordinarlity lucky with the ball magically landing in the court. And she finished it off by saying the only reason Coco won was because she made so many mistakes. This is actually worse than anything Serena ever said. Here are her comments...

“Like I think Iga - if Iga would [have] won [against me] another day, I think she would go out today and she would get the win. It just hurts. Honestly hurts. I've been playing really well, and then in the last match, go out there and perform like I did, that's hurt.”

To add to an extraordinary press conference, Sabalenka added: “She was hitting the ball from the frame. Somehow magically the ball lands in the court. It felt like a joke, honestly, like somebody from above was there laughing, like, ‘let's see if you can handle this’.”

Sabalenka also said: “I think she won the match not because she played incredible, just because I made all of those mistakes.”

Certainly a very bad look for Sabalenka here, in my eyes. Maybe next time they can move her post match whine fest to a prime time slot. She at the very least deserves that. It is impossible to imagine great players like Agassi, Novak, Nadal, who were so tidy with their errors, ever saying anything like this. Sabalenka reminds me of the ultra unaware parent at the tennis club that states their child "has so much power, they just need to learn to control it better". Yes, no kidding, that is kind of the difference between being a good tennis player or not.

[stotty]

Certainly a very bad look for Sabalenka here, in my eyes. Maybe next time they can move her post match whine fest to a prime time slot. She at the very least deserves that. It is impossible to imagine great players like Agassi, Novak, Nadal, who were so tidy with their errors, ever saying anything like this. Sabalenka reminds me of the ultra unaware parent at the tennis club that states their child "has so much power, they just need to learn to control it better". Yes, no kidding, that is kind of the difference between being a good tennis player or not.

True.

Once the match is over it’s over and there is little point taking and gripes into a post match interview. The best example of how to carry oneself once the match is over is Novak, impeccable.

I think we are about to see a different attitude in the men’s match coming up right now. Win or lose, both men will treat those imposters just the same.

[stotty]

3-2 Carlos

Both men come out the block at full throttle. Carlos gets the first break. Some great clean hitting from both players. Just five games have gone by and they’ve already put the ladies final to shame.

[stotty]

Relentless consistency from Sinner nets him the first set.

[stotty]

6-4 3-0 Sinner

Carlos, brilliant though he is at times, just can’t break through Sinner’s consistency. Sinner is playing at an extraordinary high level right now.

[stotty]

It's not unlike Novak and Roger playing. Novak negated Roger by hitting a relentlessly consistent length. Sinner does the same to Carlos but hits the ball even harder. I just can't see Carlos punching his way through this.

[stroke]

It would be very interesting to know how much exact time each player has between strikes of the ball. Sinner looks like he is almost hitting down into the court on both sides, hardly ever lifting the ball. Sinner is really making Alcaraz uncomfortable out there with taking away so much time.

[stotty]

It would be very interesting to know how much exact time each player has between strikes of the ball. Sinner looks like he is almost hitting down into the court on both sides, hardly ever lifting the ball. Sinner is really making Alcaraz uncomfortable out there with taking away so much time.

True. Sinner is hitting bigger and bossing Carlos, no question.