Roland Garros 2013: Day 7 01/06/2013

The schedule of play is out and it looks like a very promising day of tennis. Unless rain spoils it.

1. Rafael Nadal (ESP) [3]
vs.
Fabio Fognini (ITA) [27]

My pick: Fognini. { Not my pick, its my wish actually }

2. Novak Djokovic (SRB) [1]
vs.
Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) [26]

My pick: Djokoivic.

3. Benoit Paire (FRA) [24]
vs.
Kei Nishikori (JPN) [13]

My pick: Nishikori. Paire has had too many tough matches already.

4. Nikolay Davydenko (RUS)
vs.
Richard Gasquet (FRA) [7]

My pick: Davydenko today.

5. Tommy Haas (GER) [12]
vs.
John Isner (USA) [19]

My pick: Haas

6. Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) [9]
vs.
Jerzy Janowicz (POL) [21]

My pick: Stan in 5 . Match of the day for me.

Lastly

7. Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) [29]
vs.
Janko Tipsarevic (SRB) [8]

My pick: Youzhny

1. Rafael Nadal (ESP) [3]
2. gor Dimitrov (BUL) [26]
3. Benoit Paire (FRA) [24]
4. Richard Gasquet (FRA) [7]
5. Tommy Haas (GER) [12]
6. Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) [9]
7. Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) [29]

Nadal, Djokovic, Paire, Gasquet, Haas, Janowicz, Tipsarevic

Just found out, Nole will be playing for his 500th career win today, go Nole!!!

that is a lot!!! for such a young career where do the others stand? I know Fed is at around 800 but he has had a longer domination.....so I am surprised about this 500.

I think Murray is about 300, but thought Fed was closer to 900, I remember he had some landmark figure recently, worth checking out.

Pretty good line-up today. I am looking forward to Grisha vs Nole. I know I should root for Nole because I will need him later but I also know I will be unable to do it - go Dimi!

Realistically, I doubt Dimi has much of a chance but still, I hope he at least puts up a good fight.

In other matches, good luck to Stan, Tommy, Kei. I doubt Fognini will do much but a set at least would be nice. I am a bit torn between Kolya and Gasquet but I expect I will find myself rooting for Davydenko.

The remaining two matches do not excite me, but I will still hope that Kohli and Youzhny go through.

murray (1987) and berdych (1985) celebrated their 400th wins recently in rome and madrid respectively.

My picks for today...

1. Fabio Fognini (ITA) [27]
2. Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) [26]
3. Benoit Paire (FRA) [24]
4. Nikolay Davydenko (RUS)
5. Tommy Haas (GER) [12]
6. Jerzy Janowicz (POL) [21]
7. Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) [29]

Say what?

Really my toughest choice was 5.
Isner could really win it and it would make me unhappy as he is seed 19 > 12 (Haas).
So Allez Haas!

luvsports! wrote:murray (1987) and berdych (1985) celebrated their 400th wins recently in rome and madrid respectively.

I thought it was at the same (level) match in the same tournament (Madrid) and I was a bit surprised by it as Murray has had much more success. I could even recall their numbers of losses were similar too and that was what really surprised me. I might be wrong though.

I thought they squared off for that 400th win (for which berdych did in straight sets) but you may be right.

Paire lost

did he? against Nishi? that's bad.

He did. I didn't watch it, looks like it was close for 3 sets and then he just let it go in the 4th.

Youzhny playing very well, looks like the revival of SBHs, plenty left in the draw.

Fognini doing a Djoko. Not afraid to rally. Nadal clearly today looks under par. Already looking to extend the time between point...and got a warning straight away.

Hopefully one day he will get a point penality. I think the organisers were not happy about his criticising the schedule and want to make him pay!

I'd better start watching, then!
Have been daydreaming over some old film clips on youtube....

Just dug out a stream on ITV4, no silly adds and cockroaches running across the screen FORZA FOGNA!!!!!!!!

http://www.itv.com/frenchopen/watchlive/

They have someone French commentating in English as a pundit alongside the ITV commentator, can't work out who it is, just explaining why Nadal is returning from so far behind the line...

I am amazed Fognini is just pushing back those short balls from Nadal back down the middle into Nadal's striking zone, Nole would have eaten them alive!
Deserved to be broken back

Watching Nadal's junk tennis, I again find myself not being able to comprehend how on Earth he won 7 RGs & 2 Wimbledons

Nadal struggling physically, heavy legs today.

Fognini serving for the set.
Come ooooooooooooooooooooooooon!

noleisthebest wrote:Nadal struggling physically, heavy legs today.

Correct. But Fog is really playing some nice shots. If he had thrown away 4 games in a row from 4/2 up he could have been a set and a break up.

Italians are emotional .....shame cause he had teh game to beat Nadal...at least win the first set but twice he failed to serve it out.

That was a joke game from Fognini, so safe in the first few points and then stupid and reckless to stuff it up completely.
He needs rhythm but can't afford to give it to Nadal either, so struggling to attack with measure.

Just like with this inside out forehand, did he really need to try and paint the line with it!!!!!
Nadal was miles on the other side of the court, pure gift to him from Fognini.

I can't beleve that point at 4 all. Fognini had him on the ropes, all he needed was a simple volley or any net putaway, and he managed to blow it spectacularly by pushing it meekly to Nadal to lob him with ease.

What is going through his head - fog?!!!!!

Nadal probably can't believe his luck he managed to win this set.

Dr Misha thorugh in straights

noleisthebest wrote:Just dug out a stream on ITV4, no silly adds and cockroaches running across the screen FORZA FOGNA!!!!!!!!

http://www.itv.com/frenchopen/watchlive/

They have someone French commentating in English as a pundit alongside the ITV commentator, can't work out who it is, just explaining why Nadal is returning from so far behind the line...

Why it is the magician, fabrice santoro!
Nick Mullins makes castle look like the goat of commentators.

I am watching about 20 minutes now and like i expected Fog has the better shots. It's the mental battle what's wearing the stylists down against Nadal.

Fog is one of my favourite non-winning players. I like his posture, even though a tiny bit arrogant. Nadal gets the win but Fog makes the show.

luvsports! wrote:
Why it is the magician, fabrice santoro!
Nick Mullins makes castle look like the goat of commentators.

Thanks!
That Mullins mullet.... DI-SAS-TER!!!!

Tenez wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:Nadal struggling physically, heavy legs today.

Correct. But Fog is really playing some nice shots. If he had thrown away 4 games in a row from 4/2 up he could have been a set and a break up.

Yes, he strikes the ball beautifully, and should be moving a bit forward like Berankis does, but obviously more comfortable on the BL, shame.

He is not able to dictate from BL when he plays his best tennis, so is caught between the rock and the hard place with Nadal able to run around his forehand plus, Fog choking & having some silly shot selections on key points.

Really, really frustrating.


Great hold for 2:1. He really could win this match easily. Nadal looking quite beatable. Just needs to be patient and focused 100% all the time. Not sure he is capable of the latter.

For me one of the best ball strikers and he is only 5'10! (pretty small for mens tennis).

Hitting winners and errors for fun. Seems like a real character does fabio!

Forza Fabio! Andiami Fognini!

noleisthebest wrote:

Nadal probably can't believe his luck he managed to win this set.

No way, In Nadal's mind this was not luck, but "trying his best, no?"

Nadal could win this tournament while being outplayed for the best part of his matches..

gallery play wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:

Nadal probably can't believe his luck he managed to win this set.

No way, In Nadal's mind this was not luck, but "trying his best, no?"

Nadal could win this tournament while being outplayed for the best part of his matches..

That went through my mind as well freezing it with horror...surely not again

Santoro actually rooting for Nadal, I can't believe it!

I wonder if those pundits get told the DOs and DONTs of what they can and cannot say while commentating.

noleisthebest wrote:

gallery play wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:

Nadal probably can't believe his luck he managed to win this set.

No way, In Nadal's mind this was not luck, but "trying his best, no?"

Nadal could win this tournament while being outplayed for the best part of his matches..

That went through my mind as well freezing it with horror...surely not again

It's simple, your man MUST beat Nadal. what's the point of watching RG otherwise..


...and the break. GSM Nadal

I'll eat my racquet if Nole loses to Nadal here.
On second thoughts, no, I'll just eat the dampener, the racquet cost me a bomb !

The commentator reaching the new low describing a point as:

'It's poetry written on dirt!"

gallery play wrote:I am watching about 20 minutes now and like i expected Fog has the better shots. It's the mental battle what's wearing the stylists down against Nadal.

Fog is one of my favourite non-winning players. I like his posture, even though a tiny bit arrogant. Nadal gets the win but Fog makes the show.

Yes I like Fognini too...but in the first set he had all the reasons to win the mental battle ....but completely threw it away.

Now he is playing better again cause he has nothing to lose.

Back just in time to see a fabulous point from Fognini and the break!
maybe all is not lost ...yet

Foginin is so much better than nadal shot wise...so i'll repeat again...one more time.

Nadal the greatest clay courter of all time has one of the worse clay game.

Disappointing match from Fognini. Threw it away with both hands. Nice shots, nice points - simply not enough for someone of that talent.

I hope he is upset with himself right now and learns from this experience.

Gasquet through in straights, Stan and JJ a set apiece (Stan had the break in the 2nd), Haas and Isner slogging it out in the 4th, Isner serving to stay in the match and play 4th set TB

Isner saving 6 MP...to stay in the match.....and force a TB.....not there yet.

saving 8MP? poor Haas!

saving 9MP.....TB now.

...and haas throws an 11th MP with a DF!!!!

And after messing up 12 MPs!!!! we have a 5th between Isner and Haas.

Isner is the king of 5 setters and gruelling matches. I really don;t know how he does it being that tall.

Nole serving for the 1st set.
Pom-pom-pom-pom-pom-poooooom: ALLEEZ!!!!

Why does he always have to turn off concentration when he is leading comfortably!!!some things never change I suppose....that's where Nadal is just superb: his focus is second to none.