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ROLAND GARROS 2015 - DAY 9 IP: 46.255.183.159 Posted on June 1, 2015 at 10:59:47 PM by David Barnes
ROLAND GARROS 2015
MONDAY 1 JUNE - DAY 9
Lucie Safarova pushed the Siberian Shrieker hard in the initial stages of their match on Philippe Chatrier court, an encounter held over from yesterday on account of the rain. In the tie-break that ended the first set Sharapova was largely the author of her own misfortune; a double fault followed by a series of poor shots handed the initiative to her opponent, who took the set in just over an hour.
The two last met on clay at the Stuttgart tournament in 2014, when Sharapova triumphed in three sets over last year's Wimbledon semi-finalist. Today it was the turn of the Czech player to power her way to victory, making good use of a fierce forehand, especially effective when she found the corners of the court, which she should have done more often instead of hitting the ball more or less straight at the Russian - the latter being a tactic which usually brings little success. Safarova won 7-6, 6-4 in an hour and fifty minutes, and will play a quarterfinal here for the first time in her career. "I played aggressive" she said afterwards. The Russian agreed; "She was the much more aggressive player. Took the time away from me, created her angles and I didn't. That was the difference today".
Sharapova's shrieking seemed to echo round the stands this lunchtime in a way that it was hard to remember being the case in previous matches - catching you unpleasantly off guard, just when you thought you'd got over the worst of it; rather like the aftertaste of an especially fiery chilli, or too strong a vodka and tonic. It was not an enjoyable experience; logically, with the Russian suffering from a cough and a cold at this year's tournament, the sound should have been more muted. If only . . .
When the rain came last night Roger Federer and Gael Monfils were a set apiece; today Federer took the initiative early and wrapped up the match 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 in little more than two hours. Monfils is suffering from an as yet undiagnosed viral illness and was on poor form; even so he managed to serve six aces to Federer's two, and had better first serve percentages than his opponent. The Swiss legend sometimes tries to reinvent history in his press conferences; despite what he said afterwards ["I thought I was the better player for the two sets. I felt like I was doing the right things. The plays were the right ones. I was moving well. I was sort of dictating"] he made 35 unforced errors during the match, only two fewer than his opponent, and needs to raise his game. Monfils commented; "Roger played solid. I think not very decent, but just a solid match". Wawrinka in the quarterfinal, or Nishikori or Tsonga in the semi-final if he progresses that far, could yet get the better of Federer - the Frenchman having the better record against him. Talking of his quarterfinal against Stan Wawrinka, he sidestepped the question of their current attitude to one another, saying "We know each other very well. Most of the time it's a physical game, and we know that. It's always a pleasure to play against Stan, although it's not easy. I was solid today and am pumped up to be in the quarters again".
Once English questions were finished, Gael Monfils gave a series of extended answers to questions in French at his press conference, saying; "I would like to know the secret of being able to be a machine. Not to get injured, not to be ill - in this case a small temperature change and I was floored. There are any number of things where I need to make progress to be better. For example, in the evenings when I go out with my team, sometimes I don't wear enough clothes. For example, after practice sessions, I am too nice, I talk a lot, I sign autographs, I get cold. These are the small details of life that one does from time to time in being too nice, without thinking, and at the end of the day you pay a price".
Jeremy Chardy took advantage of a lapse in Andy Murray's performance to take the second set in their fourth round match on Suzanne Lenglen, and broke the Scot in the opening game of the third, but was too inconsistent against the 3rd seed; the latter's superior serving and dogged defensive game won the match for him today, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 in a little under three hours. The huge cheer that the crowd gave the Frenchman as he walked off court afterwards seemed misplaced - on another day he might have beaten the Scot and should have made a better fist of losing this afternoon. Murray said later; "Throughout the match I was creating many more opportunities than him. I wasn't overly concerned".
Is the future of tennis Korean, one wonders? The question arises in the light of two victories in the first round of the Boys Singles here this morning, Chan-Yeong Oh beat Nuno Borges from Portugal 6-3, 6-3 and Yunseong Chung, the eighth seed, enjoyed a 6-2, 6-3 win over Australian Marc Polmans. Mind you, Oh must learn to speak English rather better than he does currently, if a faltering interview I witnessed after his match with a renowned American journalist is anything to go by. I felt that I should have been playing President Truman to the journalist's General MacArthur, and have intervened at some point to prevent further pointless slaughter, after it became clear that the encounter was doomed. Perhaps on an other occasion, if Oh continues his winning ways . . . I went along to help the journalist out in a later interview with Chung, but as a duo we fared little better. The players are here as part of the ITF Grand Slam Development Fund initiative, on a European tour that will include Junior Wimbledon.
Talking of which, the much improved linguist (in both English and French) Rafael Nadal took on the engaging Jack Sock on Lenglen after Murray and Chardy had vacated it. Sock looked tired, as well he might, having played every day since last Tuesday, due to his continuing doubles success with Vasek Pospisil, but after losing the first two sets 6-3, 6-1 he stormed back to take the third 7-5. Rafa got an early break in the fourth set to lead 2-1, saved three break points in the following game, then stamped his authority on the match, winning all but one of the remaining games. Heady stuff. Like the American's, Richard Gasquet's run here also came to a premature end, against Novak Djokovic, who won 6-1, 6-2, 6-3 in exactly two hours of clinical and masterly tennis.
Serena Williams came from a set down (for the third time in this tournament) to struggle through a match of high quality against her compatriot Sloane Stephens, 1-6, 7-5, 6-3. She said afterwards; "I started out slow and I was really warmed and I was really ready. But . . . it's not how you start; I guess it's how you finish. There's always room for improvement. I feel like I'm living on the edge. I've got to get off the edge. I'm definitely trying to figure that out and I'm not really happy about my performance. It's OK to go two tough sets, but to go three sets back to back is on the verge of unprofessionalism for me". Stephens was surprisingly upbeat for someone who had lost to the world number 1 for the fifth time in six meetings; "It was good. You can only go out there and do your absolute best, and that's what I did today. There's something to be said for bouncebackability, and I'm proud of myself for just getting out there every day and just trying to do the best I can. I'm motivated. I'm happy. I'm excited to be playing. I think you guys just see what you want to see. I love tennis, I love my job. The fire is always lit". Given the way she just invented a new word, maybe Stephens should stay around for an extra day or so and start teaching those Korean boys English.
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David Barnes/Topspin, 2015
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