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ROLAND GARROS 2014 - THURSDAY 29 MAY IP: 46.255.183.159 Posted on May 29, 2014 at 11:46:55 PM by David Barnes
ROLAND GARROS 2014
THURSDAY 29 MAY (DAY 5)
Those lucky enough to have tickets for no. 1 court, aka The Bullring, whose claustrophobic atmospherics can be exhilarating, saw some of today’s more intriguing tennis, with four matches featuring players of outstanding potential, some of it yet unrealized. Sloane Stephens opened proceedings against the Slovenian Polona Hercog, and made short work of her opponent, trouncing her 6-1, 6-3 in less than an hour and a quarter. Strong off both sides, Stephens’ forehand did most of the damage today, and it remains a mystery why her good showing at the Grand Slams (beating Serena Williams in the 3rd round of the 2013 Australian Open, for example, and having a 29-11 record at the Slams compared to a 154-109 record overall) has yet to be replicated in the lesser Tour events.
Coached now by Paul Annacone, and aged only (just) 21, Stephens should go far, and could excel here in Paris, which she describes, in the WTA annual guide, as her “favourite city for the architecture and history’. At last, a really charming and talented girl on the WTA Tour who has, it seems, surmounted a troublesome period in her tennis life, and doesn’t think Paris is all about shopping. Today she ignored the potential distraction of the Slovenian’s many tattoos (the one on her inner arm being unpleasantly prominent when serving), and, as she said afterwards about her current form; “I feel good. I’m really comfortable here [in Paris]. It’s always good for me”. As for why she does better at Slams, she had no insights; “If I had the answer for you I would tell you”.
Stephens gave her press conference after her doubles match (partnering the Croatian Mirjana Lucic-Baroni – they lost, 7-5, 6-4). That’s another good thing about the young American – she plays a spot of doubles when she gets the chance. Just like the Williams sisters used to . . . In Stephens’ case Lucic-Baroni used Facebook to message her; “And I said, ‘Sure, why not’? It was weird and whatever . . . we had fun”.
The second match on Court 1 coincided with lunch, provoking, as seasoned Parisian-watchers will anticipate, a mass exodus from the stands, even though the ‘local’ boy, Adrian Mannarino, was playing Guillermo Garcia-Lopez from Spain. Neither player would necessarily register high on a ‘must watch’ list of tennis greats, but the soon-to-be 31 year-old Garcia-Lopez knocked out Stan Wawrinka in the 1st round here, so has curiosity value if nothing more. Today the Spaniard beat the Frenchman with the Spanish-sounding name, 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 6-0, much to the chagrin of those local spectators who had selflessly skipped a meal to watch.
Murray did not find himself remotely troubled by the extravagantly celebratory (based on his 1st round win over Dustin Brown) Australian Marinko Matosevic, ranked over fifty places lower, but given that the Aussie was looking for his second ever Grand Slam in 14 attempts, there had been a frisson of anticipation that this match might prove taxing for the Scot, who often struggles with both the damp clay and his own soggy mental attitude here at Roland Garros. In the event the worst he had to face from the across the other side of the net were the Australian’s frequent expletives and dodgy dress sense (the black socks were just horrible, given the rest of the outfit) and he trounced him 6-3, 6-1, 6-3.
This was something of a of a master-class from the Scot, whose defensive game again excelled, and whose serve was on top form, giving him numerous ‘free’ points, and getting him out of trouble when, as for example when leading 4-3 in the first set, he was 0-40 down). He moved in on Matosevic’s second serve with ruthless efficiency. Murray has almost total recall of his matches in press conferences, which is impressive enough, but so is his ability to analyse his and the opponent’s performance, and talk generally about subjects that are raised again and again by impudent hacks hoping that something revelatory will slip out. Today it was coaches, perhaps unsurprisingly, and whether he’d like to see players with microphones so that what they say can be broadcast, but Murray parried the probing attacks with exemplary patience and skill.
He will need both qualities for his next match, against the German Philip Kohlschreiber. “I played him once before on clay and I think I got three games or something. It will be very tough. He obviously won the tournament last week. He's not dropped a set here, I don't think. So, yeah, he will be very tough, a very good player”. Having also dispatched his opponent, Denis Istomin today in straight sets, 6-3, 7-6, 6-2, Kohlschreiber, seeded 28, said of Murray: “ He's fit and mentally strong, he's unbelievable tough to play. He's a very solid player. He's a big fighter. You're going to work very hard for the points. Last year he had a much tougher year with the injury, but I think he's coming back stronger and stronger. He is going to be the favourite in the match, but I have nothing to lose and I'm looking forward for it. I'm going to try everything and fight from the first to last point. I'm going to enjoy this match”.
Perhaps the only disappointment, at least from a British perspective, was Heather Watson’s rather tame dismissal at the hands of the number 4 seed, Simona Halep, who just outplayed her in pretty much every department, overpowering the Guernsey girl 6-2, 6-4. What impressed, nevertheless, about Watson, was the fact that she played some of her best tennis in the closing stages, saving a match point, even if in a losing cause. There was even something engaging about the way she smashed her racket into the ground after she had lost the match. She has fire and passion, which is all to the good. It just needs to be better channelled, that’s all, but she made it clear that her ‘new’ attacking style of play will continue. She said afterwards; “Today was tough. I don’t think I was on my best game. I didn’t feel she was a total different level. She took advantage of a blip I had in the first set. I expected more from myself . . . really disappointed I didn’t do better”.
Thankfully the grass season is just around the corner, although Watson will probably not play in Nottingham, to allow a sprained ankle to heal fully. But Birmingham, Eastbourne and Wimbledon all beckon . . .
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David Barnes/Topspin, 2014
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