Archive for June, 2009
Roger Federer receiving his French Open, Coupe de Mousquetaires, at long last!
PARIS – When Roger Federer walked onto the umber-toned earthen tennis court at Roland Garros yesterday, he looked at the man accompanying him to the final and was pleased. The guy was not Rafael Nadal, who had beaten him here the last four years.
Instead he was Roger’s benefactor, the man who had removed Nadal from Federer’s path a week ago: Robin Soderling. This was something neither man had imagined when the French Open got under way. After all Soderling, a lanky, limber Swede with a scruffy mini-beard and a No. 23 ranking, had never progressed beyond the third round of a major. His first round on the outback Court 6 was, Soderling said, attended by two people: “my coach and my girlfriend.” continue reading »
June 07 2009 | French Open | 20 Comments »
PARIS — Dinara Safina wore the face of a woman who had just watched her home burn down. And she had forgotten to insure it. Or maybe she let the kids play with matches. continue reading »
June 06 2009 | French Open | 2 Comments »
PARIS — A shotmaking frenzy! What else could you call the two firefights — aka semifinals — that lit up Roland Garros Saturday, leaving Fernando Gonzalez and Juan Martin Del Potro biting the swirling salmon-toned dust. continue reading »
June 05 2009 | French Open | No Comments »
Statue of Winston Churchill in front of the Petit Palais with the words he uttered 4 June 1940: "We shall never surrender."
PARIS — This is like Ohio State-Michigan, if I may use a fierce American football rivalry and apply it to tennis. What I have in mind is a great long-time Russian rivalry – Moscow and St. Petersburg – and a representative of each bumping heads with the Championship of France at stake. continue reading »
June 04 2009 | French Open | No Comments »
Pont Alexandre lll
PARIS – It was a good day for the heartbreak kids. The year’s first major, the Australian Open was a crusher for both of them: Svetlana Kuznetsova and Roger Federer. He actually wept, on court, after losing the final to Rafa Nadal. I bet she bawled in the dressing room after blowing a true shot at the title by bungling in her semifinal against Serena Williams, who became the champion.
Up against Serena again, in the quarters, Koozy seemed to be staging a mournful reprise. She had served to beat Serena in Melbourne, leading, 7-5, 5-3, I remember unkindly thinking that she wouldn’t make it – and she didn’t, 5-7, 7-5, 6-1.
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June 03 2009 | French Open | 3 Comments »
Pont Alexandre lll has four gorgeous golden winged horses atop high granite columns
Sweden. Remember Sweden? Used to send platoons of tough guys to the French Open, starting with Bjorn Borg, winning the first of his record 6 titles as a teen-ager in 1974.
Then there were Mats Wilander, the champ in 1982, 1985 and 1988, runnerup in 1983 and 1986, and Mikael Pernfors, runnerup in 1986, Stefan Edberg, runnerup in 1989, Magnus Norman runnerup in 2000. Plus difficult characters like Anders Jarryd, North Pole Nystrom, Jonas Bjorkman, Magnus Larsson.
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June 02 2009 | French Open | 5 Comments »
Louvre fountain
For weeks people kept asking me, “What does Roger have to do to beat Rafa and win the French Open?” That was the question perplexing journalists and fans.
Schemes and theories were set forth with a lot of advice and hope. The Federerians outnumber all other player-followers, and they were suffering.
So what is the answer to the question? Nothing. Nothing, as it turns out, courtesy of the hardly known Swede, Robin Soderling, Roger doesn’t have to beat Nadal – but this is no time for the relieved Federerians to relax. Roger still has to beat three other guys, and that may not be within his reach. continue reading »
June 01 2009 | French Open | 6 Comments »
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