2019 ROLAND GARROS

3 BPs saved with two aces

To serve for a 12th French Open

The scheduling plays a part, no doubt:

If Thiem had played a Tuesday QF, got 2 days off, won his SF in straights, and Rafa had to play 4 straight days, let us not pretend sets 3 and 4 would have gone as they have.

If you dispute that, you're not being intellectually serious.

— Matt Zemek (@mzemek) June 9, 2019

The scheduling plays a part, but the "if he'd won his semifinal in straight sets" is a big if that doesn't have to do with the schedule. Likewise Rafa arriving having played almost all straight-set matches was not some fluke.

Agreed on that bit however it would've been good to see a Monday final ideally, which of course wouldn't work for TV.

I was out of town this weekend so not able to watch much of this. I do wonder what would have happened with better weather Fri/Sat. Thiem was in the zone from R4 onwards and the rain delays only served to halt his momentum vs Djokovic. That semi played in a single session may well have been a straight sets win.

Shortly after the second set someone tweeted "Thiem now the only man currently under 30 to have won a set in a GS final". I'd like to say that's changing in the next few weeks, but who amongst the NextGen looks comfortable on grass? Maybe Sascha is coming out of his slump. Tsitsipas for the US Open.

xp

Watched that semi and it would've been more like four sets but with the Sat to recover.

Reckon Nadal would've been taken to a 5th yesterday.

Well if you really wanna entertain "what if"s about the weather, those ridiculous winds on Friday were a killer to both Djokovic's and Federer's chances with their flatter shotmaking. No telling who might have made it to the finals. Same goes for the women's side.

Maybe we need an indoor Slam :)

Bring back the WCT Finals in Dallas. The Handsome (One Hundred And Twenty-)Eight.

That's insane that the 2nd set made Thiem the only men's player now under 30 to have won a set in a Grand Slam final, as noted upthread. After Cilic and Del Potro's birthdays last September, there were none. The only players under still 30 to have made a final, Nishikori (2014 US), Roanic (2016 Wimbledon) and Thiem (2018 French) had all lost in straight sets.

The other cray-cray stat is that 53 of the last 64 Grand Slam tournaments have been won by Federer, Nadal, or Djokovic.

I think they've really let their guard down at Flushing Meadow. RF/RN/ND have won 14 out of the last 16 in Melbourne, RG and SW19, but a mere 11 out of the last 16 in NYC. Bah!

It's fun to read some of the old tennis threads in here. For example (without attribution), Roland Garros 2009 thread, shortly after the men's final:

"Always half-suspected that Nadal would burn out fairly early on - these teenage prodigies doesn't necessarily just keep on winning. Becker had four Slams by the age of 21 and was apparently ready to dominate the '90s but it took him the rest of his career to win another two and he only ever spent 12 weeks as #1. Nadal has obviously already surpassed that but I do wonder whether he can sustain this."
"i guess now there's del potro, monfils, tsonga, cilic and simon. plus gulbis ('88), who is quite possibly the most naturally talented player i've seen in ages but bit of a mental weakling. might get better once he gets older tho."
"I'd guess that [RF] has a spell of God mode as afterglow, maybe even coasts to Wimbledon with Rafa out/injured, but give it another year and things might start slipping. Doubt he'll consider retiring until after the 2012 Olympics though."
"i dont think novak will really challenge for the #1 - hes not mentally there and yah he seems to tire easily. hes a threat but imo he just doesnt have what it takes to really fuck w/ fed or nadal long term"
"I'd be glad to see Roger regain #1 for a spell and win at least 3-4 more Slams right in the heart of the Rafa/Nole/Andy era"

Salad days on ilxor dot com

I have only had one favorite tennis player ever. I'm glad I picked Nadal. He could end up with the record for most grand slam wins ever and keep it for 100 years. Stay healthy my man.

The "how many slams do you think Federer can win" conversation from that thread is amazing in retrospect.

lol i feel like I must have been that gulbis quote. the poster boy for squandered potential.

it's crazy that we're still talking about Fed/Nadal a decade later.

Roz! It was you! Aw, I thought he was great too. Did actually beat Fed at RG... 2014?

I wish I could remember (I could look it up) who put me straight about Rafa on the Wimb 2003 thread. I was shocked this teen had just dumped out Ancic, and someone said "watch this kid - he's going to be amazing". Maybe that was you too.

lol I have an incredibly embarrassing Halep post on that 2009 thread

lol i still think of halep as a youngish player and then the reality of how long she's been on tour hits.

You were in good company, Dan. Lex practically made an emoji out of her a few posts later. Well, hey.

Fed to end his career at Basel 2021 with 22 Slams (another W, another USO); 18 for Rafa (next year Thiem beats him at RG and Rafa retires), 16 for Novak (one more AO but a general slump from now on. Please). Murray plays another 18 months on the singles tour from late this year, makes top 25 but no better than L16 in Slams and misses a medal in Tokyo. Thiem #1 end of 2020, Tsitipas thereafter, then Auger-A. Zverev Olympic gold but continues to underachieve elsewhere. All hugely wishful thinking.

Let's check back in 2029 :)

xposts nope, wasn't me - I didn't post on ILX until 2005, and only started on the tennis threads around 2008 I think.

I miss Lex around here, but he still posts tennis updates on twitter.

Speaking of Mario Ancic, look at this Wall Street goof: http://www.oneequity.com/team/bio/50

I love that his work bio completely neglects to mention his tennis career.

Ha ha! The President is called Dick Cashin. I ASK YOU.