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ROLAND GARROS 2015 - DAY 8 IP: 46.255.183.159 Posted on May 31, 2015 at 10:31:59 PM by David Barnes
ROLAND GARROS 2015
SUNDAY 31 MAY - DAY 8
Alize Cornet would have been glad of the rain delay that interrupted her match today on Philippe Chatrier, where she made a disastrous start against the Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, falling 0-3 behind after a mere 20 minutes, with the loss of both her service games. Appearance on one of your home tournament's show courts can affect you adversely even as an experienced nationally ranked no.1 player; ask Andy Murray's coach, Amelie Mauresmo. She often discovered this to her cost here, an event which logic, rankings, and physical prowess all suggested that she would one day win, but where a lack of mental resilience always prevented her progressing past the quarterfinals. At 29, Cornet may not have many more years' worth of tennis in her, and needs to control her nerves better so as make the most of such opportunities when they hove into view. She certainly tried hard in the second set, which went to a tie-break where she saved five match points, the first with a backhand cross-court shot of extraordinary bravery, but on the sixth she put a backhand long and the match was the Ukrainian's in just under two hours, 6-2, 7-6(9). So near, but yet so far, from a third set, and from Mauresmo-matching glory.
Rain delays such as today's also show up the current shortcomings of Roland Garros as a world class venue, with most of the spectators on Chatrier and on the adjoining Court 7, spilling out into a narrow covered corridor between the two during spells of inclement weather. Given that Chatrier holds around 15,000, and Court 7 another 1,500 or so, this poses huge problems of circulation in what is an extremely small and narrow space. The FFT's plans for the modernisation of Roland Garros, which include a roof for Philippe Chatrier, will largely address this issue, but they have still to pass a final political/administrative hurdle. The Mayor's office is in favour, but - no doubt with a view to forthcoming municipal elections - the decision has yet to be approved by the Paris Municipal Council (Le Conseil de Paris) despite meetings held last week where a decision was due. Building work will start after this year's tournament, if and when planning permission is officially - and finally - granted.
In addition to covering Philippe Chatrier, the new plan envisages a completely new sunken court, surrounded by new but 'historically authentic' greenhouses showcasing flora from four different continents, over in the Botanical Gardens near the current site; it is this part of the expansion plan, much resisted by the 'green lobby' but now finalised, that was responsible for the initial delay, after the plans were first unveiled almost five years ago. This new court will replace, and hold nearly 30% more spectators than, the current Court 1 - the 'Bullring' - to the chagrin of many. The intention of the FFT is to proceed first with the building of this new court and to have it ready by 2017, and the new roof over Chatrier by 2019; the problem with this is that it is precisely the new court which has proved so contentious and where groups opposed to its construction (principally ecologists and local residents) hope still to stymie the FFT's ambitions. The FFT should really be doing things the other way round, and getting the new roof on as quickly as possible. In the meantime, the prolonged planning delay manages to make the Heathrow third runway saga look as if it is being quite expeditiously handled.
It is unfashionable to write about much other than the singles competition at Grand Slams nowadays, but there was an entertaining men's doubles match on Court 1 today between the French pair of Herbert/Mahut and Pospisil/Sock, the last-named getting some match practice before meeting Rafa in the fourth round singles tomorrow. Pospisil and Sock, the second seeds here, beat the Bryan brothers in last year's Wimbledon final, the pairing's first tournament together, and have climbed to number 5 in the Tour rankings,. They are on a roll, and won their match today 7-6, 7-6; another final with the Bryans, no. 1 seeds, is therefore still on the cards.
Like his compatriot Cornet, Tsonga fell victim to 'show court nerves' against Tomas Berdych in the fourth round today, in his case when serving for the match at 5-4 in the third set, losing the game to love with a series of unforced errors. This allowed the Czech, who until then had looked down and out, with as much enthusiasm for the fight as a resident of Prague would have had back in August 1968 faced with the Russian tanks, to come back into the match and win the set on the tie-break. At this point, Dani Vallverdu, Berdych's recently appointed coach, who had remained impassive throughout the unfolding drama, leant forwards, tapped his forehead, and applauded. It was a significant moment, but the improvement was not sustained and Berdych lost his serve to go 3-5 down in the fourth set, from where the Frenchman, having learnt from his third set meltdown, served a perfect game (an ace on the first and third point underlining his resolve) and took the match in a couple of minutes under three hours, becoming only the third Frenchman to reach the quarterfinals here in the Open era.
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David Barnes/Topspin, 2015
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