Monday, October 05, 2020

Weekend Tennis Diary

 

Don't even know where to begin with this year's off-season French Open. The women's draw is even more wide open than usual, with Simona Halep being blown off the court by 19-year-old Iga Swiatek --anyone else just figure out Mary-Lou Piatek was Polish because of that name? -- Garbine Muguruza crapping out to Danielle Collins and Karolina Pliskova losing in straight sets to Jelena Ostapenko. (Notice I don't even expect Madison Keys or Sloane Stephens to show up anymore.) The only way this won't end up being a complete farce is if Elina Svitolina and Petra Kvitova end up reaching the final, which is about as likely as my winning the men's singles. 


Per usual, the men's draw is holding up much better. And in addition to Djokovic, Nadal and Thiem still in contention, it's been great to see KIT212 fave Marton Fucksalot reaching his first French round of 16. (He'll play Andrey Rublev later today.) 

Meanwhile ...


Andreas Mies and Kevin Krawietz are through to the quarterfinals ...


where they will take on Jamie Murray and Neal Skupski, who weren't nearly as cool as Grigor Dimitrov and friend


Marcos Giron ran out of gas against Brazilian Thiago Monteiro


Tommy Paul, who nearly upset Casper Ruud in singles, teamed up with Nick Monroe to advance to the fourth round in doubles, defeating Pablo Cuevas and Fernando Verdasco in a third-set tiebreak. (I had never heard of the 38-year-old Monroe until a few weeks ago when he joined Tennis Channel Live so it was fun to see him in action.) It looks like Tommy had quite a present waiting for him back at the room, although I prefer the Taco Bell home kit!


J.J. Wolf, who lost in the qualies in Paris, still won't hang out with men who don't have square jaws 


Holger Rune is a cryolab rat


Guido Andreozzi in the driver's seat


Neal Skupski looking like a million bucks a friend's wedding


Tommy Haas's wife is still nowhere to be found ...


Corentin Moutet lost 18-16 in the fifth to an unknown Italian, but it was his workout partner who really got my attention


I think Thomas Fabbiano is just a spokesmodel now, which suits him well



Did he get that mask from the same store that sold Mom and Dad Djokovic those Novak T-shirts?


A modest Liam Broady will get no pushback from me


Tommy Paul knows a "sex tornado" when he sees one


Early loser Borna Coric reunited with "daddy" ex-coach Kristijan Schneider -- who is now working with Croatian-born American player Bernarda Pera -- as well as his pup


Following eight title wins on the ITF World Tennis Tour, Francisco Cerundolo has clinched his first trophy on the ATP Challenger Tour by winning the inaugural Split Open. The 22-year-old from Argentina fought past top seed Pedro Sousa from Portugal by the score of 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(4) in Sunday’s singles final at the Tennis Club Friule.



Treat Huey and Nathaniel Lammons won the doubles title in Split, knocking out the top-seeded pair of Andre Goransson and Hunter Reese, 6-4, 7-6 (7-3). And Harri Heliovaara and Szymon Walkow beat Lloyd Glasspool and Alex Lawson 7-5, 6-3 in the doubles final in Biella, Italy. 


The singles final was postponed because of rain with Blaz Kavcic of Slovenia leading Facundo Bagnis of Argentina, 7-6, 4-3.) On Monday Bagnis won the second set and Kavcic retired with a hamstring injury/

Fans might remember Ben Rothenberg's 2018 article that detailed how Krejcikova --  who ended up reaching the round of 16 in Paris before losing Nadia Podoroska of Argentina -- and her parents literally showed up outside Novota's house years ago to ask for her help. 

No comments: