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ROLAND GARROS 2014 - SUNDAY 1 JUNE IP: 46.255.183.159 Posted on June 1, 2014 at 10:55:40 PM by David Barnes
ROLAND GARROS 2014
SUNDAY 1 JUNE - DAY 8
Andy Murray needed eight games to edge past Philipp Kohlschreiber in their resumed match on Suzanne Lenglen court this afternoon, in what proved to be a recapitulation of much of yesterday’s extended contest; spirited, aggressive, erratic and suave by turns. The Scot made early unforced errors but turned things around with some attritional stroke-play that induced more serious errors from his opponent, notably two overheads and a wayward drop shot. The German said afterwards; “It was a great feeling out there to play in such great crowd. It was a very high intense level. Really great points. He’s a huge fighter. He never gives up”. As the score, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 12-10 testified.
Murray was also pleased; “Today was a pretty high standard, probably the best standard of the match I think from both of us. When you know you have to come back and it's 7-all the next day and every single point counts, basically you need to get off to a big start. You're obviously going to be a bit anxious. You know, he came up with some great shots when he was behind in games today. I thought both of us served a little bit better. It was a good finish to the match”.
The Scot will play Fernando Verdasco, the 24th seed (who put out Richard Gasquet in straight sets, in a disappointing match - but the Frenchman has a back problem - that also finished today), and will need to be more consistent and fitter than he was yesterday. Verdasco said of the encounter tomorrow; “He has wonderful tennis, and he won Grand Slams already, so I think he deserves all my respect. It’s not going to be an easy match. It’s a totally different match [from when they met at Wimbledon last year, Murray coming from two sets down to triumph 7-5 in the fifth]. Murray was equally ambivalent; “I feel like I can play good clay court tennis. To win this event, you need to play great court tennis. That’s something I haven’t done yet”.
Federer did not find the going easy on Philippe Chatrier court today either, against Ernests Gulbis, ranked 13 spots below him; a set apiece, each on the tie-break, he lost the third to the Latvian, came back in the fourth 6-4, but lost his first service game in the fifth and quickly found himself 0-3 down with a succession of unforced errors. He never recovered. 6-7, 7-6, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 to Gulbis after almost three and three quarter hours. Today’s ATP briefing notes had presaged the Swiss legend’s demise when they chose to comment that “Federer has lost to a player as low as or lower than today’s opponent at a Grand Slam on eleven occasions”. Ion Tiriac, an almost permanent fixture in his box in front of the players’ area, clearly knew that a twelfth such occasion was unavoidable, it seems, when he slipped away midway through the final set.
Although the realisation came some years ago that even the Swiss maestro is fallible, there is nevertheless a sense of almost tangible sadness when he exits a tournament, in both the stands and the Press Room. He has now done this before the quarterfinal stage three times in the last two years – here today, and at last year’s Wimbledon and US Open.
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David Barnes/Tospin, 2014
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