Archive for: french open
Svetlana Kuznetsova is planning on giving away most of the prizemoney from her French Open title to her church!
“I am planning to buy an accommodation in Moscow, I am still renting an apartment. Also, I have promised to myself to buy a good expensive watch. The majority of the money I am going to donate to my church. There the director of orthodox temple is my spiritual father. I try to to be there as often as possible, to think about something personal, something eternal. But I have a very busy schedule. Occasionally, the father himself visits me. … No matter how strange it sounds, I am a very religious person and try to attend church even in other countries.”
Is it just me or does this simply sound crazy. Maybe it is time I started the next religion and then got people to give their money to me.
Mens Singles: Roger Federer (2) def. Robin Soderling (23) = 6-1 7-6 6-4
Womens Singles: Svetlana Kuznetsova (7) def. Dinara Safina (1) = 6-4 6-2
Mens Doubles: Lukas Dlouhy / Leander Paes (3) def. Weslie Moodie / Dick Norman = 3-6 6-3 6-2
Womens Doubles: A Medina Garrigues / Virgina Ruano Pascual (3) def. Victoria Azarenka / Elena Vesnina (12) = 6-1 6-1
Mixed Doubles: Liezel Huber / Bob Bryan (1) def. Vania King / Marcelo Melo = 5-7 7-6 1-0 (10-7)
Three time Roland Garros finalist Roger Federer has captured his first French Open title. Roger defeated Robin Soderling 6-1 7-6 6-4 in todays final. Federer has now equaled Pete Sampras with the most Grand Slam titles. Federer has won his 14th Grand Slam title in his 40th career Slam tournament. Pete Sampras, at 31, captured his record 14th Slam title in his 52nd career tournament.
Federer has become the sixth man to win all four Grand Slam titles in his career, the first since Andre Agassi in 1999. Here are the members of the Grand Slam Club (with year of tournament) — Fred Perry (1935 Roland Garros), Don Budge (1938 Roland Garros), Rod Laver (1962 US Open), Roy Emerson (1964 Wimbledon) and Agassi (1999 Roland Garros). Budge won a calendar Grand Slam in 1938 and Laver in 1962 and ‘69.
Toni Nadal who is the coach of the 4 time French Open champion Rafael Nadal said some quite rude remarks about the French crowd on Spanish radion Station Cadena Ser.
Toni was none too pleased to hear how little the Parisian crowd was supporting the 4-time defending champion:
In an interview with the Spanish radio station Cadena Ser, Toni Nadal said there was some truth to the phrase: “There is only one set of supporters that is worse than the French and that is the Parisians.”
“They say it themselves and it’s true, the Parisian crowd is pretty stupid. I think the French don’t like it when a Spaniard wins,” he added. “Wanting someone to lose is a slightly conceited way of amusing yourself. They show the stupidity of people who think themselves superior.R”
Rafael had made mention of the crowd’s waning support in his post-match presser after the loss saying,
Maybe at one stage they supported Soderling more than me, and that was a bit sad. But I wish when I’m back they can support me a bit more in key moments.
I know it is great to see the underdog do well, but we are still talking about 4-time defending champion who was little put back by the lack of support. Although I can see why the French crowd might have supported Soderling, because it was a turn point in French Open history and its great to see something like this happen.
Well a few days ago we previewed the quarterfinals and then tipped a player in each match. I thought I would just quickly run through and see how we went.
Robin Soderling (23) vs Nikolay Davydenko (10) = We tipped Davydenko to come back from two sets to love down to win. Well we were right about one thing, Davydenko would lose the first two sets, but he never recovered. Wrong
Andy Murray (3) vs Fernando Gonzalez (12) = I thought an upset would happen here and I was right. Gonzalez pushed aside Murray in four sets. Right
Juan Martin Del Potro (5) vs Tommy Robredo (16) = I thought Robredo would really put all of his experience into this match, but he never got into the match at all, Del Potro winner. Wrong
Gael Monfils (11) vs Roger Federer (2) = Roger was always the favourite for this match and he didn’t disappoint. It was a great performance by Roger and its good to see him in the semi’s again. Right
Dinara Safina (1) vs Victoria Azarenka (9) = Safina is in great form at the moment and we tipped he to win this match as well, and she didnt disappoint. Safina wins in three sets, but after losing the first in which we knew Azarenka had to win to even be in the match. Right
Dominika Cibulkova (20) vs Maria Sharapova = I really thought Maria had a shot of winning this match in three sets on paper, but in real life tennis matches are a lot different. Maria got punished and tought how to play clay court tennis from Dominika. Wrong
Sorana Cirstea vs Samantha Stosur (30) = I thought that Stosur had a game that was too strong for Cirstea and I was right, plus I knew she would win in straight sets. Right
Svetlana Kuznetsova (7) vs Serena Williams (2) = Serena played some of the worst tennis I have seen her play in a very long time. It was like she had a brain cramp today on court. Kuznetsova played a very solid match but didn’t really control the match at all. Wrong
Well after all that we only got 50% right. The French Open is the main tournament all year in which upsets happen, and it is great to see that this year has live up to that expectation.
Who will be in the final for both singles? Well I think the Men’s final will be between Roger Federer and Robin Soderling. Women’s final will be between Dinara Safina and Samantha Stosur.
A few days ago we wrote about Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez who was court on camera cheating in her match with Serena Williams. Unfortunately now that video has been taken off YouTube by the French Tennis Federation. I find this an interesting move from the French Tennis Federation and I wonder if the player in question had any influence in this matter. It would be great if someone from the French Tennis Federation could explain their actions, but we tried to contact them and received obviously no response!
Robin Soderling (23) vs Nikolay Davydenko (10) = This is going to be a great match. Robin Soderling beat four time reigning champion Rafael Nadal in four sets in the previous round and Davydenko defeated Fernando Verdasco in straight sets. I think Robin will be still on a high from his last victory, so it will be interesting to see if he can keep it going. This could be a five set match with Soderling taking the first few sets then Davydenko coming back.
Andy Murray (3) vs Fernando Gonzalez (12) = Andy and Fernando have been in great for in this tournament so far and they both didnt lose a set in their fourth round matches. Murray has had quite an easy draw so far and I think Gonzalez might actually cause a big upset in this match.
Juan Martin Del Potro (5) vs Tommy Robredo (16) = Juan Martin Del Potro has been playing some great tennis and beating good opponents so far in the tournament. However, in this match he will coming up against Tommy Robredo who has a huge amount of experience on the clay courts of Roland Garros. I can see Robredo winning this match in a long five set match.
Gael Monfils (11) vs Roger Federer (2) = This is another exciting match with Roger on the back of coming from two sets to love down to win in five, while Monfils played one of his greatest matches at the French Open defeating Andy Roddick in straight sets. I think this will be Rogers match to lose.
Dinara Safina (1) vs Victoria Azarenka (9) = Azarenka had a great previous match disposing of the defending champion Ana Ivanovic in straight sets. While Safina hasn’t put a foot wrong and has been demolishing her opponents. I think the first set is going to be very tight and Azarenka really needs to win it, cause I cant see her coming back in three sets.
Dominika Cibulkova (20) vs Maria Sharapova = This is going to be a very interesting match, Maria hasnt been in the greatest of form but she has been grinding out wins. Cibulkova has been playing some good tennis, but hasnt really played a major name at this years French Open. I can see Maria winning in another three set match.
Sorana Cirstea vs Samantha Stosur (30) = Cirstea has had a great tournament so far, especially with her win in the last match at 9-7 in the third set over Jelena Jankovic. Stosur has been going through the draw very quietly. Clay is not Stosurs best surface but she has a great kick serve for a female player and I can see her demolishing Cirstea in straight sets.
Svetlana Kuznetsova (7) vs Serena Williams (2) = The girls have a great rivalry and have played some great matches over the years. I think Serena is in great form and the quick clay surface this year is suiting her game and I cant really see Kuznetsova getting into the match from the beginning.
Although nearly everyone would put their house on Nadal to win his 5th straight French Open title, Robin Soderling is one of the dark horses that he should be wary of.
Nadal beat him so convincingly a few weeks ago in Rome 6-1, 6-0 and is 3 and 0 in head to head results against Soderling but there has been some fierce rivalry between these two which started at this very tournament in the first round of 2006 in which Nadal clinically won in straight sets.
The tension between these two esculated at Wimbledon 2007 in a match that was played out over 3 days due to the weather. There was alot of niggling going on from Soderling in response to the time Nadal took between points and also some of his mannerisms. There was no love lost here between the two and Nadal went on to win 6-4 6-4 6-7(7) 4-6 7-5. This to me proved there was enough fire inside the belly of Soderling to take revenge and upset the world number one on what could be described as his very own court having never lost a match on it and over the course of the last four years only losing 7 sets from 31 matches.
The key to this victory could be put down to many things like Nadal not at his best or Nadal had peaked too soon this year winning so many titles already on the red surface, but the two things that really stood out for me in this match was (1) Soderling believed in himself and his game plan and (2) he went out there to make Nadal work and put him more on the defensive by hitting more to the strength of Nadal (forehand) and then exposing more of his weaker side in the backhand.
After yesterday when I mentioned that there was a big upset at the French Open and it was the loss of Novak Djokovic, well today has got even better. Today both defending champions have been beaten, Rafael Nadal and Ana Ivanovic.
Rafael Nadal lost in four sets to Robin Soderling of Sweden 6-2 6-7 6-4 7-6. Nadal’s hopes of becoming the first player, man or woman, to win the French Open five times in a row are gone, dashed as the scintillating Swede played the game of his life.
After 31 consecutive match wins dating back to 2005, the King of Clay lost his first-ever match at the French Open and can have no complaints after playing on the back foot virtually throughout, while the inspired No23 seed blitzed him from every corner of the court.
Ana Ivanovic had a really tough day on court today after getting a little bit of a lesson from Victoria Azarenka of Belarus. The defending womens champion was never really in the match beaten 6-2 6-3. Azarenka will now face Dinara Safina who seems to be in amazing form. Safina defeated Aravane Rezai 6-0 6-1 in less than an hour.
As we mentioned in the French Open preview here on The Tennis Times there is always a big upset at Roland Garros. This year at the French Open was no different with Philipp Kohlschreiber the number 29 seed defeating World No. 4 Novak Djokovic 6-4, 6-4, 6-4, to reach the fourth round at Roland Garros on Saturday.
“I think I played really one of the best matches ever in a big tournament,” said Kohlschreiber. “In the past I’ve played well in small tournaments, but this one was for sure, every set really on the biggest high level from my side. Maybe Novak didn’t play his best today but from my point of view, I played a good match. I was controlling or dictating many, many points. I did a really good job today.”
