Posts Tagged ‘French Open’
French Champ Nadal: ‘I’m Not the Best In History’
Rafa Downs Federer to Win Sixth French Title
PARIS — Martina Navratilova said Roger Federer was “on the other side of the float. I don’t think he’ll ever play the way he did three or four years ago.” She wasn’t alone in her read of The Mighty Federer’s game who, God forbid, hadn’t reached a Slam final in 16 months. Yes, it would [...]
Return of Roger
Federer Halts Djokovic's Streak In Historic RG Semi 7-6(5), 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(5)
PARIS — At 9:37 p.m., the lion roared. Roger Federer, the greatest player in the history of the game, blasted a screaming ace, held a single finger skyward, looked to his wife, Mirka, and friends, and roared in delight as the dusk of Paris descended. Ultimately pride matters. The man who pundits ignored — too [...]
Djokovic’s Streak: A Singular Wonder?
Dream Men's Semis Ahead; Schiavone, Na Advance To Final
PARIS — Some things are crystal clear. Mardy Fish told us,“[Novak Djokovic] has got to lose sometime.” Duh. Other things aren’t quite as clear. For instance, just what is Djokovic’s current winning streak? He’s advanced in 44 straight matches. But one at Roland Garros was a walkover. Fabio Fognini retired from their quarterfinal matchup. So the [...]
The Contradictions of Maria
Baker’s Dozen: 13 Contradictions (of Sorts) Relating to Ms. Maria Sharapova
1. Maria Sharapova‘s new candy will be called Sugarpova, but her game is hardly sweet. 2. She’s tall, 6-foot-2, and elegant, but she grunts like a pirate. 3. She likes Audrey Hepburn and has been compared to Ingrid Bergman, but she’s an act all of her own. 4. She was born in Nyagan, Russia, but she’s [...]
French Open: It’s Good to Live In Interesting Times
Paris Sizzles With Storylines As RG Gets Down to Business
A GOOD DAY IN THE SPORT OF TENNIS: Andy Murray scores a gutsy five-set win over Viktor Troicki. Francesca Schiavone downs a rising Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova to keep alive her hopes of defending her title. Roger Federer beats France’s Gael Monfils to set up a fantastic semi against Novak Djokvic (who is streaking to a [...]
Nadal: ‘I’m Not Playing Well Enough’
Roland Garros Buzz: Memorial Day Edition
PARIS — British writer Sue Mott once said that the confidence of the British player Laurie Latimore was “drained away like a Yorkshire reservoir.” We know absolutely nothing about Spanish reservoirs, but we do know that the once preminent, supremely confident Rafael Nadal is now feeling drained. On Sunday, the soon-to-be 25-year-old said he was [...]
Post Bin Laden: ‘A Real Peace Can Come’
IT Exclusive: Pakistan's Qureshi Insists His Nation Is Safe and Peaceful
PARIS — After the Indo-Pak Express doubles team of Aisiam Qureshi and Rohan Bopanna swept to the French Open quarters, where they’ll again meet the Bob and Mike Bryan, Qureshi told Inside Tennis that he will “stand with my statement” for peace that he made in New York after the duo lost to the BryanBros. [...]
French Open: A Fabio Sunday in Paris
Of Fabio, Federer, Factoids and the Fight Against Jumboization
PARIS — Sometimes it’s best when there’s nothing left to lose. And Fabio Fognini had nothing left to lose. Sure, he had come back from 4-1 down in the fifth set against veteranAlbert Montanes. And never mind that the Spaniard was higher ranked (by 11 slots, No. 49 to 38) and had beat Fognini in their [...]
Parisian Post Card
Roland Garros Buzz: Day 7
PARIS — By the Sorbonne – on Rue Serpente — the woman in the purple dress with the orange bag and rebellious red hair, puffing her white cigarette, gestures emphatically. Meanwhile, in the garden on the dusty, ancient steps, the more-than-menacing young man with the black beard, wearing salon-velvet shoes and little look-at-me buckles on [...]
Not-So-Great Dane
Hantuchova Topples World No. 1 Wozniacki In Third Round 6-1, 6-3 at Roland Garros
PARIS — On a spare wooden bench in a wide subterranean corridor far below Court Suzanne Lenglen, a man in a green warm-up leans down to counsel his daughter. Isn’t that what dads do? After rough experiences, billions of pops have counseled their 20-year-olds. But Caroline Wozniacki is no ordinary coming-of-age kid trying to figure [...]