The French Open witnessed its first major upset on the men’s side when Dominic Thiem toppled Novak Djokovic in Friday. Even with that result, though, the drama was lacking.
Djokovic, after all, did not take a single game in the third set and won a mere four points in the last five games of the match. A competitive opening set deteriorated into a stunningly one-sided affair, with Thiem ultimately coasting 7-6(5), 6-3, 6-0.
Thus continued a relatively drama-free men’s singles tournament–perhaps Pablo Carreno Busta vs. Milos Raonic being the especially notable exception. In fact, for the first time in Open Era history at any Grand Slam, three men’s semifinalists have eased through the draw without surrendering a single set. Thiem is perfect through five outings and so, too, are Stan Wawrinka and Rafael Nadal. Andy Murray has been extended to four three times, but even he has not been pushed to five.
Murray has mostly had things in cruise control en route to the final four despite heading to Paris without much confidence. And he has needed only one truly impressive performance, against Juan Martin Del Potro in a third-round battle that resulted in a 7-6(8), 7-5, 6-0 victory.
“I came in playing garbage,” Murray said with a smile. “I’m the odd one out in the semis, but hopefully hopefully I can keep it up…. [The other three] are all obviously playing extremely well. Rafa’s had a great clay court season, as has Thiem. Stan this tournament has played great.”
Nadal has dropped a mere 22 games through five matches and benefited from a retirement against Pablo Carreno Busta in the quarterfinals. There were two recent retirements in Wawrinka’s quarter of the bracket; Richard Gasquet against Gael Monfils in round three and Kevin Anderson against Marin Cilic in the last 16. Thiem has been extended to just two tiebreakers in his 15 sets.
In other words, this fortnight’s proverbial “Big Four” have reduced the French Open into tennis’ version of the NBA playoffs–utterly dominated the entire way by the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers. Check the tennis odds for the French Open matches.
Not surprisingly, the women’s event has been entirely different
With Serena Williams (pregnant) and Victoria Azarenka (recently gave birth) out, Maria Sharapova deprived of a wild card, and Petra Kvitova just now returning from her hand injury, this tournament was always expected to be wide open. And that’s exactly what it was, is, and will continue to be.
With twelve women still remaining, zero…zero…had ever won a Grand Slam title.
Now it’s down to four: Simona Halep, Karolina Pliskova, Jelena Ostapenko, and Time Bacsinszky. Halep mounted a miracle charge from 6-3, 5-1 down to stun Elena Svitolina 3-6, 7-6(6), 6-0 on Wednesday. Pliskova has scraped through a pair of three-set contests. Ostapenko has bounced back from set deficits in each of her last two matches, against Sam Stosur and Caroline Wozniacki. Bacsinszky extinguished French hope Kiki Mladenovic’s emotional, headline-stealing run through the draw that featured a trio of final-set triumphs and two that went past 6-6 in the third.
“It’s just one point that changed everything or maybe couple of points,” Svitolina said after being unable to lunge across the finish line against Halep. “It’s tennis.”
If that’s tennis, we’re still waiting for it to begin in the men’s draw 13 days into the event. With blockbuster semifinal matchups of Nadal vs. Thiem and Murray vs. Wawrinka, it should finally deliver on Friday.
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Murray-Wka could be fantastic!!…I think it’ll be Murray in 5;….and Rafa in 3.
Isn’t it strange that when Federer was dominating every tournament they nick-named him TMF and pronounced him the GOAT. When other players dominate just one tournament, they say it’s taking the drama out of the tournament.
Lol
Not true.
Most were then quite bored during the Weak Era and women’s tennis had higher ratings.
yep
If you didn’t watch the women’s SF’s today…you missed some terrific tennis.
It was exciting and dramatic — all the way from the beginning (picking the bracket) right down to wondering who will win their first GS title – I absolutely love it. Men’s tennis is far more predictable. Predictable doesn’t mean boring and zero drama if the tennis is still good.
As to the ATP: 1 of the 4 names would be named by someone on the street in my town. 2 or maybe even 3 of the four would be able to named by the tennis pro’s at the clubs here.
Rafa vs Thiem
Andy vs Stan
There’s no one, not even at any local Tennis Club in Boise, Idaho, who would know what I’m even talking about if I talk WTA. It’s a SHAME, too!
Ostapenko (who?) vs Bacsinszky (who?)
Pliskova (who?) vs Halep (who?)
Doesn’t say much for your tennis “pros” rc that they couldn’t name at least three and even four.
They play lots of tennis but following FO is rare. Wimbledon and US Open…much better audience.
Most people have no idea what a Roland Garros is. I went to an appointment today and someone asked me what I was so excited about. I said the French Open Semi’s! hahahaha — Maybe up in in the posh resort, Sun Valley – a couple hours drive from here, I could have a conversation with someone, like If I bumped into Mats Wilander at Atkinson’s (which has happened before)
I would just say tennis to most people.
But any club pro should know better and should at least know the name Wawrinka, even if he is whiny.
Basically I never stop fishing for people to talk tennis here in Boise. Conversations are short. In Sun Valley I would say, even on the street I could talk ATP and FO. Still, it would be surprising if they knew details of the WTA at FO.
Nadal in 4, Wawrinka in 3
Nadal in 5 tough ones Wawrinka in 4 and the rest can be read here on Thiem, Rafa, Novak and Roger ………… http://www.138mph.com/thiem-is-in-djokovic-is-done-nadals-resurgence-is-a-dead-cats-bounce-and-roger-can-still-do-damage/