Tennis: French Open 2025

[Greatzsky 99]

The Tribute for the Great Rafael "Rafa" Nadal, was one of
the finest moments i have seen in all of sports, and the
most deserving, if there was ever an athlete i would like to meet
number 1 is Nadal, what a man! well done by French Open!

The Bull, The Ultimate warrior, competitor, gentleman
Rafa! thanks for the memories!

edit: ooops, restricted video, but it is on FO YT website

 

[kihei]

Norrie over Medvedev 7-5 6-3 4-6 1-6 7-5. This will take some explaining. Exceedingly strange match. Norrie, for whom stamina used to be a weapon, seemed to tire after taking the first two sets. The first game of the fifth set, in which Norrie held serve, took 13 minutes. The entire fourth set which he lost 1-6 took 24 minutes. Medvedev broke early in the fifth and cruised easily to 5-4, serving for the match. He then was inexplicably broken twice to lose the set 7-5. In effect, Medvedev was beaten by a lesser version of himself.

 

[kihei]

For the fourth time this year and the sixth time since last year's Wimbledon, Dimitrov is forced to retire from a match. It appears his body is trying to tell him something.

 

[kihei]

Why do we still have humans calling lines at the French Open? I thought this year that was supposed no longer be common practice anywhere.

 

[kihei]

Frech defeats Jabeur 7-6 6-0. Kind of sad, really, watching Ons in decline. She still took time to sign autographs after the match. Frech had 38 winners and 57 unforced errors in 19 games, a head shaker of a stat, and still managed to win a set at love.

 

[kihei]

Despite looking more than a little intimidated by an absolutely rabid French crowd, Mensik knocks off Muller in four hard fought sets. That's a very big win for Jakub's nerves, which can be shaky, winning in that situation. Could bode well for the future.

Nole wins 3, 3 and 3 over McDonald. McDonald never gave the slightest impression that he thought he could win the match. That created an odd atmosphere created by a player who definitely wasn't tanking but was treating the eventual result as a fait accompli, nonetheless. Nole gets the win, but not exactly an ideal start because he really wasn't tested in any meaningful way.

 

[kihei]

Felix starting his match against Arnaldi. Have to favour Arnaldi in this. The way Matteo has been playing recently, an FAA win would definitely be a bit of an upset.

Felix takes the first two sets, looking like his vintage self. He's making very few errors and is dominating on both his and Arnaldi's second serve. Still, he often blows big leads in matches, so we are not out of the woods just yet.

....and what do you know? We are going to a fifth set. Ai yi yi. Felix had 13 unforced errors in the first two sets; in the last two sets, he's had 30 unforced errors.

 

[kihei]

I've posted recently about Felix's unbelievably awful record in three set matches when he wins the first set (3-10!). Well, the rot extends to five set matches, too. If he loses this match, it will mark the third in the last four GSs that he has blown a two sets to love lead. I mean, man, little gremlins must be playing mean, nasty games in his head.

Arnaldi wins the deciding set 6-2. Poor guy, Felix looked near tears.

 

[Jack Straw]

Can't say I'm a huge fan of the coverage on MAX. Brian Anderson is great on the NBA broadcasts but he just seems wrong for tennis. And Adam Lefkoe is horribly wrong for anything involving cameras and a microphone.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

No better showman in this sport than Gael Monfils

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Can't say I'm a huge fan of the coverage on MAX. Brian Anderson is great on the NBA broadcasts but he just seems wrong for tennis. And Adam Lefkoe is horribly wrong for anything involving cameras and a microphone.

Love the spotlight on tennis but I agree probably the wrong people there, Brian Anderson needs to be in sports where WOW moments deserve to be called where the announcer overshadows the crowd a bit if that makes sense. That's why he's awesome in basketball/baseball, tennis HAS a lot of downtime in matches and plus the wow moments in tennis are usually just tremendous crowd noise instead of commentators imo

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

I've posted recently about Felix's unbelievably awful record in three set matches when he wins the first set (3-10!). Well, the rot extends to five set matches, too. If he loses this match, it will mark the third in the last four GSs that he has blown a two sets to love lead. I mean, man, little gremlins must be playing mean, nasty games in his head.

Arnaldi wins the deciding set 6-2. Poor guy, Felix looked near tears.

FAA back to back grand slams where he's blown 2-0 leads in sets, blew a 2-0 to Fokina at the AO and now this match today to Arnaldi.

 

[Jack Straw]

Love the spotlight on tennis but I agree probably the wrong people there, Brian Anderson needs to be in sports where WOW moments deserve to be called where the announcer overshadows the crowd a bit if that makes sense. That's why he's awesome in basketball/baseball, tennis HAS a lot of downtime in matches and plus the wow moments in tennis are usually just tremendous crowd noise instead of commentators imo

There really is no need for a "professional PxP guy" in tennis. Having a couple former players calling the game works better, Cliff Drysdale and any former player works great, the McEnroe brothers are good.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

There really is no need for a "professional PxP guy" in tennis. Having a couple former players calling the game works better, Cliff Drysdale and any former player works great, the McEnroe brothers are good.

Can't fault him, guy got a free trip to Paris from TNT to sit next to McEnroe for matches

Tbh, I hate commentators in most sports. I love tennis matches where it's just the crowd + players being the noise

 

[PanniniClaus]

FAA back to back grand slams where he's blown 2-0 leads in sets, blew a 2-0 to Fokina at the AO and now this match today to Arnaldi.

Man did he blow this.

 

[kihei]

Monfils delighted the French crowd coming back from two sets down to beat Dillien, the only player from Bolivia that I ever heard of. The crowd showed restraint when Sinner played a Frenchmen, but it was full throttle support in this match.

 

[kihei]

Man did he blow this.

Well, I think he is up to blowing something like 13 leads similar to this since the beginning of 2024. It's gotten to the point that there seems to be something pathological going on, some form of self sabotage. Felix needs a counsellor more than he needs a coach.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Monfils delighted the French crowd coming back from two sets down to beat Dillien, the only player from Bolivia that I ever heard of. The crowd showed restraint when Sinner played a Frenchmen, but it was full throttle support in this match.

Rinderknech is very mediocre so anything they got out of him was a bonus. Still somewhat shameful that he blew that 3rd set and could've given the French crowd a fourth set but once he started showboating up 4-0 in the third set, I knew Jannik would come back lol. Sinner did the same exact thing to Paul at the US Open last year granted Paul didn't show boat at all.

 

[Tuggy]

Another straight sets win for Mboko and into the 3rd round she goes. She is yet to drop a set through 3 qualifying matches and the first 2 rounds.

Moves into the top 100 (89) in the live rankings for the first time.

Big test up next against #8 seed Zheng.

 

[kihei]

Zheng is most likely a bridge too far, but, regardless, this has already been a spectacularly successful tournament for Mboto.

 

[kihei]

Ruud attempts to play through a knee injury, but goes down to Borges, 6-1 6-0 in the last two sets. Sad way for Caspar to exit.

Didn't see it, but Medjedovic, one of my favourite young players who I have been touting for a couple of years, is through to the third round with a straight set win over Cerundolo, the Lesser, where he will play a winnable match against Altmaier. Curious, because clay really isn't Hamad's best surface or close to it.

 

[Jack Straw]

If Matteo Gigante keeps playing like this I think his ranking (167) is going to improve a bit.

 

[kihei]

If Matteo Gigante keeps playing like this I think his ranking (167) is going to improve a bit.

I hadn't seen Gigante play before. Man, his passing shots were deadly; he really dominated on short points. Now I'm really looking forward to if he can be as effective in his next match against Shelton who will kick the aggression level up a notch or two.

 

[kihei]

It is easy to see why Rybakina has dropped out of the Top Ten. Her groundstrokes on both sides have become very unreliable. She had an easy time against 17-year-old Jovic, winning 3 and 3, but her next opponent Ostapenko might be her last at Roland Garros.

 

[kihei]

Bad day for Brooksby who some liked as an ultra-dark horse before the tournament started (not me). How did he ever get to this level with that fifth-grade service motion? Anyway, Korda dispatched him in straight sets relatively easily 1, 2 and 6.