Roland Garros 2013: MOTD : Day 4 29/05/2013

Quickly putting the matches for tomorrow. Its past 1:00 AM here.

1. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA)[6] v. Jarkko Nieminen (FIN)

My take: Tsonga

2. Gael Monfils (FRA) v. Ernests Gulbis (LAT)

My take: Gulb

3. Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) v. Jeremy Chardy (FRA)[25]

My take: Agut

4. Julien Benneteau (FRA)[30] v. Tobias Kamke (GER)

My take: Benn

Can't believe its day4 and still some of the first round matches are going on.

My picks are (strangely) the same (as Rotla's):

1. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA)[6]

2. Ernests Gulbis (LAT)

3. Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP)

4. Julien Benneteau (FRA)[30]

Tsonga, Monfils, Chardy, Benneteau

1. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA)[6] v. Jarkko Nieminen (FIN)

My take: Tsonga

2. Gael Monfils (FRA) v. Ernests Gulbis (LAT)

My take: Gulb

3. Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) v. Jeremy Chardy (FRA)[25]

My take: Chardy

4. Julien Benneteau (FRA)[30] v. Tobias Kamke (GER)

My take: Kamke

I find the scheduling on the main 2 courts a bit ridiculous. It's obvious they will not be able to fit all those matches.

It's not easy for them to balance it all: the very top players, home players AND the rain delay without the roof.
They are planning one over Chatrier for 2018.
Having been there yesterday, I think it will ruin the charm of the complex very much and that because they def need to expand the facilities, RG would have been wiser to build a brand new big covered court. Just not sure if that is physically possible in the space they have within the existing grounds, and the locals probably (and rightly so) don't want any more disturbance although it' s only for a few weeks a year.

noleisthebest wrote:It's not easy for them to balance it all: the very top players, home players AND the rain delay without the roof.

Well yes but then they shoudl at least allow for a 10am start...cause they will have the same problem tomorrow as they won't be able to fit the scheduled matches. As I said Serena will certainly not finish her match.

Yes, 10.00 AM start is good idea, no reason not to have it, clay is such a "well behaved" and easy surface compared with grass.
Amazing how such a simple solution is not being used, I bet it's something to do with TV rights, Yanks and £££

I have looked at the order of play again and just realised there are no 2nd round matches yet, 4th day of round 1, ouch!

Well we have to consider it as a 3rd day really....the 4th is just an extra for the crowd. And Federer and many others will be playing their second round today...as expected.

My issue is essentially to pack matches in the top 2 courts knowing it won't work.

Paire playing, time to start watching

Djoko has a copy cat! Maxime Teixera a 24yo is really playing exactly like Djoko and really looks like him from the back. I thought it was Djoko training v Kubot until I realised the guy is actually a french player. Very tight match thus far with Djoko..errh Teixera sorry, versus Kubot...with the Frenchie just losing the TB in the 3rd after having had SPs.

Tenez wrote:Djoko has a copy cat! Maxime Teixera a 24yo is really playing exactly like Djoko and really looks like him from the back. I thought it was Djoko training v Kubot until I realised the guy is actually a french player. Very tight match thus far with Djoko..errh Teixera sorry, versus Kubot...with the Frenchie just losing the TB in the 3rd after having had SPs.

Yes, "Djoko" is getting quite popular in France, you know, people there surely know their tennis

And Paire passes his "seeded" RG debut in style

A-LEEEEEZ!

Lukazs Kubot..had never watched this player but from what I saw today I'd say: ugly style, ugly sleeveless shirt, ugly cap (reversely worn), ugly celebration dance (you have to see it) and classless.

I saw Kubot first time in the first Serbian Open, I think he made it even to the SF, and that was his break-thorugh, I think he plays doubles a lot, yes, a classic example of "learned" tennis.

Watching Raonic Llodra, Llodra yet to win a point on Rao's serve. But for all that serving, he still manages to choke when he really needs it against top players, strange.

Where has Rao's serve gone? He used to have a great serve not so long ago?

Considering that Monfils can outace on clay Pete and Federer serve count on 2001 fast grass....there is no excuse with the surface!

I think Rao's spirit is non-existant.
I noticed a lot of young break-thorugh players struggle the transition as their ego, used to being invincible in junior levels cant take the losses, so they crumble and become mediocre. A good test of character it is to learn to take losses on the chin.

How did I miss llodra Raonic match

raiders_of_the_lost_ark wrote:How did I miss llodra Raonic match

No worries, rotla !
THe tough one was Monfils- Gulbis, can't wait!

I'd be very surprised if Gulbis were to lose that one.

Tenez wrote:I'd be very surprised if Gulbis were to lose that one.

Why?

Benneteau Kamke 8 all in the tie-break

Kamke serves for the 1st set, but Ben roars back with some crazy shots!!!! 9 all.

Bahrani in the crowd watching Llodra Rao, Llodra sets the crowd on fire earning a break point with a super gutsy shot, and Rao, surprise, surpirse, double faults!!!!
Llorda serving for the set.
Benneteau serving for the set, too.

Didn't realise Monfils Gulb is started, and already playing frist set tie-break switching to that one!

Llodra levels against Rao 1 set all. ...Benneteau won his TB.
Monf saved one set point, on serve now to save two more ! and Gulbis wins the TB with 7:5. I hope Monfils has got some energy in his tank left after those 5 sets against Berd the other day. He'll need it.

The crazy thing of this prediction game which I am beginning not to like, I am finding myself cheer against the guy I normally never would (Gulbis)

noleisthebest wrote:The crazy thing of this prediction game which I am beginning not to like, I am finding myself cheer against the guy I normally never would (Gulbis)

So that's why he is losing now ... But you know, it should be the contrary, still cheer up on your favorite player and if he loses, you know you at least got the prediction right to compensate for such loss

Here are some of my photos and memories from yesterday, it already all feels like a dream

https://s1118.photobucket.com/user/noleisthebest/library/?sort=2&page=1

Gulbis is such a good player. He just needs to stop some of those lose points he gives away, he is a champion material. Monf was done in that 3rd set, net cord saved him.

A painful 3rd set for Gulbis. He was really unfortunate having to lose it. Come one now, take the 4th and 5th.



Meanwhile Fed is having some more practice against devvarman.

raiders_of_the_lost_ark wrote:A painful 3rd set for Gulbis. He was really unfortunate having to lose it. Come one now, take the 4th and 5th.



Meanwhile Fed is having some more practice against devvarman.

Gulbis's problem is not his tennis, it's what he (doesn't) have between the ears. At least that's how Niki Pilic who coached both Novak and Gulbis in his academy when they were children assessed him

And on the same topic, here's my traditional early Christmas present for Tenez

http://www.tennisworldusa.org/Tennis---Ernests-Gulbis-says-Novak-Djokovic-is-not-the-biggest-talent-articolo10233.html

noleisthebest wrote:

raiders_of_the_lost_ark wrote:A painful 3rd set for Gulbis. He was really unfortunate having to lose it. Come one now, take the 4th and 5th.



Meanwhile Fed is having some more practice against devvarman.

Gulbis's problem is not his tennis, it's what he (doesn't) have between the ears. At least that's how Niki Pilic who coached both Novak and Gulbis in his academy when they were children assessed him

And on the same topic, here's my traditional early Christmas present for Tenez

[url=http://www.tennisworldusa.org/Tennis---Ernests-Gulbis-says-Novak-Djokovic-is-not-the-biggest-talent-articolo10233.html

http://www.tennisworldusa.org/Tennis---Ernests-Gulbis-says-Novak-Djokovic-is-not-the-biggest-talent-articolo10233.html[/quote[/url]]

Nothing new here from Gulbis.



I must say I am very surprised by how well Monfils plays. His retrieving has reached new levels and his game is also more aggressive. Having said all that Gulbis was very unlucky with that 3rd set. He fought very hard to break back...and then gets a horrible net call on BP fo 6/5 serving for 3rd set. Very very unlucky.

noleisthebest wrote:Here are some of my photos and memories from yesterday, it already all feels like a dream

https://s1118.photobucket.com/user/noleisthebest/library/?sort=2&page=1

I'd like to be able to say "great pictures" but sorry I can't! ...nice sky ...I'll give you that.

The loud fan clip was funny too.

I don;t Gulbis has a problem between the ears. He simply faced someone who returned everything and can run for ever. Gulbis loked tored at times and his game really needs to be very sharp.

Well done on Monfils. I am not unhappy he won...especially playing that well. It was not just pure retireving like in the past. It was gutsy play too.

I think this Monfils woudl have been tough to handle for Nadal. Lat time they met Monfils won if I remember and I don;t think he played as well as today...(he played well then too though).

Tenez wrote:I don;t Gulbis has a problem between the ears. He simply faced someone who returned everything and can run for ever. Gulbis loked tored at times and his game really needs to be very sharp.

Well done on Monfils. I am not unhappy he won...especially playing that well. It was not just pure retireving like in the past. It was gutsy play too.

I think he does, there is no other way to explain some of his ridiculous shot selection that cost him that second set last time he played Nadal.
It had nothing to do aspxyitation in those particular points. I suppose he is quite instinctive as a player, so he has to take bad with the good.

noleisthebest wrote:Tsonga, Monfils, Chardy, Benneteau

4/4!

Funny - WIth his new cut and game(flatter BH) Fed reminds me of McEnroe a bit.

BHDTL to end the match.....

noleisthebest wrote:

Tenez wrote:I don;t Gulbis has a problem between the ears. He simply faced someone who returned everything and can run for ever. Gulbis loked tored at times and his game really needs to be very sharp.

Well done on Monfils. I am not unhappy he won...especially playing that well. It was not just pure retireving like in the past. It was gutsy play too.

I think he does, there is no other way to explain some of his ridiculous shot selection that cost him that second set last time he played Nadal.
It had nothing to do aspxyitation in those particular points. I suppose he is quite instinctive as a player, so he has to take bad with the good.

We have discussed that before. It's the rush of adrenaline when getting close to putting a guy like Nadal away. They all make the same mistakes and Nole used to do exactly the same ones before he was able to really take his time and rally with Nadal.

Same story. Nole in Hamburg 08 and Madrid 09 made exactly the same mistakes and also on other encounters. Even in MC he started to misfire in that 2nd set trying to attack...but Djoko was lucky to get the option to rally which helped him recover the break...an option Gulbis hasn't and no other player has bar Djoko.

Order of play out for tomorrow:

http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/scores/schedule/schedule10.html

Weather forecast not looking good though. Rain all day tomorrow & Friday.

I hope manage to squeeze a few matches in like yesterday.

noleisthebest wrote:Order of play out for tomorrow:

http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/scores/schedule/schedule10.html

Weather forecast not looking good though. Rain all day tomorrow & Friday.

I hope manage to squeeze a few matches in like yesterday.

Rotla, can we please have Day 5 for predictions? Thanks!