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Andy Murray Survives Against French Wild Card In Another Five-Setter At Roland Garros

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by Kevin Craig

@KCraig_Tennis

 

French wild card Mathias Bourgue gave Andy Murray another scare at the French Open on Wednesday as he forced the two-time major champion to five sets. Murray, who had to come back from two sets to love down to beat Radek Stepanek in the first round, had to fight back from a two sets to one hole in the second round, eventually earning the 6-2, 2-6, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 win.

The No. 2 seeded Murray was not only battling the spirited wild card, but also the French faithful on Court Philippe-Chatrier who gave their full support to Bourgue throughout the match as he gave the crowd much more to cheer for than anticipated.

The match began as most would have expected as Murray raced out to a 6-2, 2-0 lead, but that was where the match turned on its head as Bourgue was able to roll off a six-game win streak, taking the set and leveling the match at one set all.

The Frenchman was able to battle back thanks to a dip in concentration for Murray that led to him making too many unforced errors. “It wasn’t like I was not there mentally, but I just couldn’t find the court,” said Murray.

Bourgue, a 22 year-old who is currently ranked No. 164 in the world, continued his hot streak into the third set and outplayed Murray, utilizing a variety of shots to get the job done.

The sense was present throughout the match that Murray would be able to battle back and find a way to pull out the win, like he has shown so many times before throughout his career. That was the case as Murray was able to begin controlling his shots more in the fourth set, limiting his unforced error count to just three in the set and finding a way to assert himself on the court.

The fifth set was more of the same as the much more experienced Murray continued his roll in the fifth set, attacking the youth and inexperience of Bourgue to earn two breaks and close out the match.

Murray highly praised the young Frenchman for his performance on Wednesday, but clearly stated his disappointment with his own level of play. “Today certainly wasn’t easy. I lost my way on the court today for quite a while…You can’t continue playing matches like that and then expect to win the tournament” said Murray.

The Brit will take on big serving Ivo Karlovic in the third round. Karlovic had a scare himself in the second round, as he was forced to play 22 games in the fifth set of his matchup with Australian Jordan Thompson, eventually pulling out the 6-7(2), 6-3, 7-6(3), 6-7(4), 12-10 win.

Another Frenchman in action on Wednesday was on the opposite end of the potential upset bid as Gilles Simon battled back from two sets to love down to beat Argentine Guido Pella, 4-6, 1-6, 7-5, 7-6(4), 6-4.

Pella, who is having a career year after having reached his career his career high ranking of No. 39 in March, raced out two a two sets lead and looked to be in complete control of the match. After going up a break in the third set and having a 3-1 lead, Pella was just three games away from his first third round appearance at a major, but the battle tested Simon needed to give his French faithful something to cheer for.

After going down 3-1, Simon won six of the next eight games, breaking Pella back to take the third set and keep the match alive.

Pella’s upset bid was far from over, though, as he broke in the first game of the fourth set and held a 4-2 lead before Simon was once again able to break late in the set to get back on serve, eventually forcing a tiebreak. The Argentine’s hopes looked to be crushed in that fourth set tiebreak as Simon raced out to a 5-0 lead and eventually won 7-4 to force a deciding fifth set.

The battle continued into the fifth set as each player was forced to battle in their service games, including at 2-2 where Simon had two break points and took advantage of the second one to begin his closing out of the match.

When the Frenchman served for it at 5-4, Pella showed just how much of a battler he is. A 22-point game ensued and Pella had a look at three break points, but Simon was too good and came up clutch as he saved all of them and finished off the comeback win to the delight of the Parisian crowd.

Simon’s epic win sets up a battle in the third round with Viktor Troicki.

Andy Murray
Andy Murray

Petra Kvitova, Benoit Paire Highlight Opening Day At Roland Garros

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by Kevin Craig

@KCraig_Tennis

 

On a rain shortened day of play in Paris, Benoit Paire made the French faithful nervous, but was eventually able to pull out a five-set win over the No. 137 player in the world, Radu Albot, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4, 1-6, 6-4.

Paire appeared to have an easy day at the office on his hands after jumping out to a set and a break lead over Albot at 6-2, 3-1. Albot, the first player from Moldova to play in the main draw of a major, looked to settle in halfway through the second set as he got back on serve and broke Paire as he served to stay in the set at 4-5 to level the match at one set all.

The third set looked promising for Paire early on as he broke Albot at love to take a 3-2 lead, but that break was the first of five in a row that eventually saw Paire end up with a 5-4 lead. The Frenchman had no problems serving out the set to take a two sets to one lead and looked like he would be able to cruise into the second round to the delight of the home crowd.

If you have followed tennis for the past 12 months or so, then you know that nothing Paire is ever as straightforward as it should be, and that was certainly the case on the opening day of play. Paire, after taking the two sets to one advantage, looked to be uninterested in the fourth set as Albot was able to break serve three times and take it 6-1 to force a decider.

Albot, who had to win three qualifying matches to get into the main draw of the French Open, continued his fight throughout the fifth set, holding a break lead twice. Both times, though, Paire was able to break back in the next game as the lesser-experienced Albot was unable to come up clutch on the big points. This trend continued as Paire held a 5-4 lead on serve and Albot attempted to serve to stay in the match. Albot, though, found himself down 15-40, and Paire took advantage of the first match point he had to clinch the win and his spot in the second round.

Paire’s win see him go on to face Teymuraz Gabashvili of Russia, who beat Donald Young in straight sets, 7-6(1), 6-2, 6-3.

Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova also had difficulty in her first round match, but was able to overcome Danka Kovinic of Montenegro on Court Philippe Chartrier, 6-2, 4-6, 7-5.

Kvitova, like Paire, was also up a set and a break and looked like she would cruise into the second round. Kovinic, 21-years old and the No. 59 player in the world, was able to break Kvitova three consecutive times in the second set to force a deciding third set.

Kovinic was able to utilize her firepower to force Kvitova out of her comfort zone. “I think she just came back and tried to play more aggressive…I was just trying to put the ball in, but it’s not really my game,” said Kvitova

Kovinic continued to play well throughout the decider and looked very comfortable on serve. That was the case until she broke Kvitova to take a 5-4 lead and served for the upset win. Kovinic got to within two points of the match at 30-30, but never held a match point as Kvitova was able to break and get back on serve.

After holding at love to take a 6-5 lead, Kvitova was able to break Kovinic one more time and close out the win, earning herself a spot in the second round against Su-Wei Hsieh, who defeated  Lara Arruabarrena, 7-6(6), 6-3.

Kvitova was happy to get the win, but knows she will have to play better if she has plans to advance to the later round of the tournament. “I think that the end of the match was kind of sorry from my side. It was a big fight again. I’m happy that I won it,” said Kvitova.

Petra Kvitova
Petra Kvitova

Rafael Nadal A Bigger Threat To Win Roland Garros After Monte Carlo Win

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It is the ninth time that Rafael Nadal has won the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters. The win has increased Nadal’s French Open odds. He was crowned champion last Sunday after he won 7-5, 5-7, 6-0 against Gael Monfils in the final. He is now the second favorite to win the championship in Paris. It was an extra special day as Prince Albert II along with Princess Charlene watched from the royal box to see Nadal win a 28th trophy on the ATP tour.

It was the first win for Nadal in nearly two years. The 29-year-old went on a record winning streak of 46 matches unbeaten at the Monte-Carlo Country Club between 2005 – 2012. His run came to an end when Novak Djokovic beat him in the final in 2013.

The win puts Nadal back in the frame for the French Open. His form has suffered in recent years due to injuries and age taking its toll. He showed though at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters that he is back to his best. Many experts are making French Open tennis predictions that he will make the final.

The last time that Nadal won a competition on the APT World Tour was in August 2015. He won in Hamburg beating Fognini in the final.

The final between Nadal and Monfils lasted two-hours and 45 minutes. It was an epic battle and to begin with it looked like Monfils would be victorious. He made great shot selections when it mattered most, and his defensive side of the game was exceptional. Nadal hit his stride though and to pull the victory out of the bag.

Nadal proved he is back to full fitness at long last, and it was his energy that won it for him. Monfils was worn out having to return all of Nadal’s powerful baseline shots. After winning match point, Nadal was extremely emotional falling to his knees. You could tell exactly how much it meant to the player from Spain.

Monfils was graceful after the game saying the better man won on the day. He left Nadal played unbelievably well, and there was nothing he could do to counter it.

It was a staggering 100th final at tour-level that Nadal has competed he. The Spaniard has managed to win 68 of them.  It is the sixth time that a player has reached 100 finals in Open Era on the ATP Tour. He is just a single trophy away from beating the record of most titles on clay-court. The record for the Open era is set by Guillermo Vilas and stands at 49. With the event in Paris on clay-court Nadal’s French Open odds of beating the record have tumbled. It could be a magical tournament for Nadal if he can carry on his form from Monaco.

It is going to be interesting in Paris to see if Nadal or Djokovic will make it to the final and claim the crown. It is hard seeing past them both when making French Open tennis predictions. If Nadal wins, he will beat the record and if Djokovic wins he will claim the only trophy missing from his cabinet. Hopefully the effects of Nadal’s recent loss in Australia won’t be affecting him, and both players bring their best game

Tennis - Monte Carlo Masters - Monaco, 13/04/2016. Rafael Nadal of Spain plays a shot to Aljaz Bedene of Britain. REUTERS/Eric Gaillard
Tennis – Monte Carlo Masters – Monaco, 13/04/2016. Rafael Nadal of Spain plays a shot to Aljaz Bedene of Britain. REUTERS/Eric Gaillard

NCAA Champ Nicole Gibbs “90% Sure” About Turning Pro This Year

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By McCarton Ackerman, Special for Tennis Grandstand

Reigning NCAA champion Nicole Gibbs will likely be turning pro at the end of this year’s college season.
The junior at Stanford University swept the NCAA women’s singles and doubles titles last year, becoming only the third player in college history to achieve that feat. Last summer, she enjoyed a breakout year on the pro tour by winning the $50,000 USTA Pro Circuit event in Denver, Colo. and winning rounds at WTA Tour events in Stanford and New Haven, Conn. She also won a round in qualifying this year at the Australian Open.

Nicole Gibbs

This week, she is competing at the Fresh Start Women’s Open, a $25,000 USTA Pro Circuit event in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., where she has moved into the final without the loss of a set. Gibbs is projected to move up to a career high ranking of No. 183 next week and says her recent pro results have made it likely that she will not return to Stanford for her senior year.
“Nothing is official yet, but the team knows there’s a 90 percent chance I won’t be returning next year,” said Gibbs. “I won’t be playing the French Open because of the NCAA championships, but am hoping to make Wimbledon my first tournament as a professional.”
Part of the decision comes from the strong summer that she had last season and the limited opportunities to play pro tournaments she has had since then. Since the US Open, Gibbs has been limited to just three events.
“It puts so much pressure on the summer when you’re chasing points for such a concise period,” said Gibbs. “You can’t bank on playing well for that six-week stretch every single year and keeping your ranking in that same spot.”
After dominating college tennis for the last two years and getting advice from fellow Cardinal Mallory Burdette, who turned pro last year after her stellar summer on tour, Gibbs believes she is ready to handle life on the WTA Tour.
“I’ve done what was needed in terms of being confident to leave school,” said Gibbs. “This tournament was instrumental in reasserting that, but I’m feeling confident with my game and think I’m playing at a top 100 level now.”

The Best Live Match Ever

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by James A. Crabtree
I was talking with a fellow tennis fanatic the other day and the conversation shifted to the best live match we had ever seen. The fellow fanatic in question has rather deep pockets and could recount epics played throughout the world and the great corporate seats they had and blah blah blah. Well, enough about them, they were rather annoying.
I am not going to get snobby and say “You had to physically be there.” That is absurd and unfair to those of us with mortal salaries.
And by no means does this epic matchup have to be a final.
You simply have had to watch the match live, been engrossed in it, unable to draw yourself away from the drama that unfolded in front of your eyes..
Andy Roddick versus Roger Federer, 2009 Wimbledon Final

Tough call here because the Federer versus Nadal epics in 2007 and 2008 were pretty special. But the choice goes to this five setter simply because, like many, I started the match cheering for Roger and finished going for Andy. Fed, at the time, was going for his fifteenth slam which would make him the most successful player in history, and Andy has had to bear witness to every slam in Fed’s career. But on this day Andy Roddick really looked like he could it. He was a set up, then 6-2 in the second set tie break, but Federer levelled it. Roddick lost the third but rebounded in the fourth. The thirty game fifth set, well that’s just part of Wimbledon lore. Do I really need to mention that Federer won it?
Stephen Edberg versus Michael Chang, 1989 Roland Garros Final
This was an absolute heartbreaker, especially if you were a diehard Edberg fan. Anyway, the gentleman Swede was attempting to become one of only a handful of true volleyers to pick up the title. In the fifth set he was a break up and looked like he would serve and volley his way into destiny, on clay. Unfortunately for Edberg fans he was up against a seventeen year upstart who had famously underarmed served in the fourth round against Lendl, the world number one. Michael Chang, with destiny on his side, took the title and secured his place as the youngest ever grand slam winner.
Rafael Nadal versus Novak Djokovic, 2012 Australian Open final

This epic final knocks out of the list the 2009 Verdasco/Nadal semi-final. Although still a very recent memory the relentless fight these two players showed proved why they will be remembered as legends in a match that lasted twice as long as Lord of The Rings. Let’s remember both players were coming off emotional wins, Rafa over Roger and Novak over Andy. The final included some of the most gruelling baseline hitting in recent memory, Nadal falling to his knees in jubilation after winning the fourth set and Djokovic’s infamous Hulk inspired shirt rip after his victory. Most of Melbourne awoke after this match with a very painful tennis hangover.

Boris Becker versus Johan Kriek, 1985 Queen’s Club Championships
Little can be said for the quality of the tennis as I simply don’t remember because I was only five years old at the time, but this was my first ever tennis match. I do remember it being very hot, and standing with my parents in line for the bar behind the biggest and most ginger human in the world.

This list did take a lot of deep thought, with so many games to recollect. The 2012 Aussie Open Marco Baghdatis versus Stan Wawrinka racquet smash bonanza was one of the most intriguing matches I’ve ever seen and now rewritten as a Greek tragedy. Brad Gilbert versus David Wheaton at Wimbledon 1990 was a strategical masterpeice. It is easy to recall the Sampras and Agassi bouts, Henman near misses, Davis Cup upsets including Lleyton’s 2003 two set down comeback against Federer. But the battles royale that take precedence within the memory banks cannot be dislodged.

The 2012 U.S. Open Semi Final Preview

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by James A. Crabtree
Whenever Federer, strangely, doesn’t make a grand slam semi-final there is a collective sigh of regret from the majority of the world’s tennis faithful. On the flip side, of the players still standing, there is a genuine sigh of relief.
Suddenly there is a chance, a real chance, a fresh face could hold aloft a grand slam trophy. Apart from Juan Martin del Potro’s 2009 U.S. Open all the slams since Roland Garros 2005 have been dominated by either Roger, Rafa or Novak.
Andy Murray, Tomas Berdych and David Ferrer all believe that this could be their chance at tennis immortality. They are smiling on the inside.
The only guy to possibly spoil an all-out ‘Thank God They Are Not Here’ party is, of course, Novak Djokovic who is the only member of the big three present. Also noteworthy is the fact that the Serbian world number two has been looking scarily good, just ask big Jaun Martin del Potro.

David Ferrer versus Novak Djokovic
Is this a forgone conclusion?
I really hate to say this, and I don’t want to believe it but yes, it looks to be all Novak. In almost all aspects he is a better version of his opponent.
What David Ferrer/young Emilio Estevez fans have to hope for is Djokovic to have one of those apathetic meltdowns that we used to see from him pre 2011. We need Ferrer to out grind to the backhand, keep the ball deep , return exceptionally and break late in sets. Trouble is it just doesn’t look likely. Tennis is all about current form and confidence. The Djoker is riding high on both after blitzing through the draw including that sensational win over Juan Martin del Potro.
Okay, so Ferrer’s record against the Serb isn’t bad, he has won five of their thirteen meetings. Noting that three of those were in round robin play, but none in grand slams.
Although it would be a real treat to see the other Spaniard gunslinger in a grand slam final, a true gambler wouldn’t bet against Novak now, especially in Gotham City.

Andy Murray versus Tomas Berdych
This should be a really testy encounter. A Highlander taking on the pride of Skynet, the T1000. These are two really volatile baseliners who can either bring brilliance or boredom.
Andy Murray is perhaps the best second-serve returner on tour. Now, Berdych does have the ability to serve big when he is on his game but when he gets nervous this is the first part of his game to falter, much in part due to that absurdly high ball toss.
We should expect to see Berdych start strong with that power game of his; riding high on his Federer victory but the Murray monotony will undoubtedly wear him down. Unless Berdych can hit flat out winners Murray should have him beaten from the back of the court using his superior fitness and consistency whilst lulling him into errors and a state of mental anguish, that cyborgs generally aren’t programmed to deal with.
Before you know it, it’s game, set and match to the golden boy. FREEEEEEEDOMMMMM!
The only question now is whether destiny is on the side of the Scot, the 2008 finalist? Without both Federer and Nadal to contend with, and ultimately some revenge on Djokovic, it would be hard to imagine Murray losing five grand slam finals in a row.
But that is a whole other conversation. Bring on the FINAL!
 

Trials and tribulations end in the ultimate triumph for Maria Sharapova

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By Melissa Boyd

Four years ago many wondered if she would ever play again and when she did, next to no one believed she could taste the sweetest victory of her career, the one that she earned on the famed red clay courts at Roland-Garros. In the space of three days, Maria Sharapova became World No. 1, captured her first French Open title, completed the career Grand Slam and wrote another page in the tennis history books.

Maria Sharapova completed her career Grand Slam at Roland-Garros

People may have doubted Sharapova’s ability to win a Grand Slam after suffering a potentially career threatening shoulder injury in 2008, but Sharapova herself never stopped believing through all of the trials and tribulations of her comeback. It all came together for her on the clay in 2012, a surface on which she once famously described herself as being a “cow on ice”. Remarkably, Sharapova went undefeated on red clay this year, a streak which culminated with her fourth Grand Slam title in Paris following a 6-3, 6-2 over first time Major finalist Sara Errani of Italy.
“I had so many outs in my career.  I could have said, I don’t need this.  I have money; I have fame; I have victories; I have Grand Slams,” Sharapova said. “But, when your love for something is bigger than all those things, you continue to keep getting up in the morning when it’s freezing outside, when you know that it can be the most difficult day, when nothing is working, when you feel like the belief sometimes isn’t there from the outside world, and you seem so small.”
The 25-year-old Russian is the tenth woman to complete the career Grand Slam joining the esteemed ranks of Maureen Connolly, Margaret Court,  Chris Evert, Shirley Fry, Steffi Graf, Doris Hart, Billie Jean King, Martina Navratilova, and Serena Williams. She is the first player to accomplish the feat having won only one title at each of the four events.  Sharapova’s performance at Roland-Garros will propel her to a whole new category of greatness, the one that is reserved for the best players of all-time.
Beyond the numbers and the significance of such a monumental triumph, it’s how Sharapova found her way back to the pinnacle of her sport that is perhaps most impressive. She overcame bad losses, poor form and a less than reliable serve. She has since improved her movement, rediscovered her lethal groundstrokes and most importantly, found her confidence. The Sharapova that won her first French Open title is a better player than the Sharapova who won her first three Grand Slam crowns.
Beneath Sharapova’s fame, fortune and steely exterior, lies the heart of a true champion and the exuberance of a young woman who is realizing her dreams. She is a fierce competitor who takes her tennis very seriously and when she fell to her knees and cried tears of joys into the French ‘terre battue’ after Errani’s shot went into the net on match point, she showed the world just how much the greatest moment of her tennis life meant to her.
“It’s the most incredible feeling. I don’t know what to say. I’m so happy. I’ve worked so hard for this,” Sharapova said. “It took a lot to get to this stage and even more to win it. There are so many tough days where you feel like giving up, but you don’t. It’s been such a journey to get to this stage again.”

Maria Sharapova and Sara Errani shine; David Ferrer crashes the ATP party — The Friday Five

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By Maud Watson

Living the Dream

Tennis fans know the name Sara Errani. The plucky Italian woman has been one of 2012’s most consistent performers on the dirt, and she’s an excellent doubles player. But few, including her, saw Errani reaching the final of the year’s second major. Her ability to play admirable defense while mixing it up and implementing her doubles skill set when possible has enabled her to knock off more than a few big names this fortnight, including former champions Ivanovic and Kuznetsova, as well as Top 10 players Kerber and Stosur. She’s also delivered in the doubles, where she’s reached the final with Vinci, providing her the opportunity to become the first woman since Mary Pierce in 2000 to win both the singles and doubles titles. The pair of Italians will have their work cut out for them against the tough Russian duo of Kirilenko and Petrova, but Errani’s bigger test will come in the singles final where she’ll have to knock off another Russian, Maria Sharapova, to make her singles dream come true. It’s a daunting prospect, but after what her countrywoman Schiavone did in 2010, anything is possible.

One Down, One to Go

Maria Sharapova after defeating Petra Kvitova to reach the French Open finals (KENZO TRIBOUILLARD/AFP/GettyImages)

No matter what happens on Saturday afternoon, Maria Sharapova is assured that she will be the new No. 1 player in the world when Monday’s rankings come out. It is a phenomenal achievement for a player who has struggled to find her way back after shoulder surgery. But the more important prize that the Russian hopes to leave Paris with is the Roland Garros title – a title that would give her a career Grand Slam. Many, myself included, were reluctant to give the once self-proclaimed “cow on ice” the tag of a heavy favorite, but she has delivered where many of her fellow top stars have not. Sharapova may even be feeling a sense of destiny, as with the exception of Kvitova, she has seen most of her potentially tricky roadblocks, such as Serena and Wozniacki, eliminated by lesser opposition. Even Stosur faltered at the penultimate hurdle to see Errani – a player who lacks fire power and has never been touted as a future Grand Slam singles champion – through to the final. In short, Sharapova has been handed a golden opportunity. She will be in control of her own destiny come Saturday. How she handles the nerves of going for the career Grand Slam, as well as being the overwhelming favorite, will determine the outcome. Either way, one woman is going to leave Paris very happy indeed.

We Meet Again

Both men took an exciting and roundabout way of getting there, but in the end, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer managed to set up a highly anticipated rematch of their 2011 Roland Garros semifinal encounter that saw the veteran Swiss end the Serb’s win streak and derail his chances at a potential calendar-year Grand Slam. Hard saying how this one will unfold. Both men have struggled to find their form, both have had to come back from two sets down, and Djokovic had to save four match points against native Frenchman Tsonga in the quarterfinals. But like the champions that they are, they found a way to get the win. Champions also tend to bring out the best in one another, and much like last year, there’s something extra riding on this match with Djokovic looking to move one step closer to becoming the first man since Laver in 1969 to hold all four majors. Hopefully this latest chapter in their rivalry lives up to the hype and fans are treated to another spectacular spectacle.

Crashing the Party

We were on course for the Big Four to once again reach the semis of a major, but David Ferrer had other ideas. The No. 2-ranked Spaniard was relentless against Murray, running down shots, running Murray, and refusing to buckle, even when the momentum appeared to temporarily leave him. His reward is a match with Rafael Nadal. They’ve had some dog fights in the past, but this one is going to arguably be the biggest test of Ferrer’s career. He has the game to hang with Nadal, but the question with Ferrer has always been whether or not he has it between the ears when it matters most – a question that will be further put to the test given that he’s also playing for a spot in his first Grand Slam final. Add to that the fact that Nadal has been absolutely brutal in dispatching the opposition, and it’s safe to say that Ferrer will be waging a real uphill battle. Still, as only one of two men to have defeated Nadal in a major after dropping the first set, he has a sliver of a chance to pull off the upset.

Heartbreaking

We’ve seen some great comebacks and subsequent painful losses as the two weeks of Roland Garros have gone by, but perhaps none were more heart-wrenching than seeing Jo-Wilfried Tsonga go down to Novak Djokovic in five sets. For a man who gave himself no chance before the event began, he played superbly and fought valiantly against the Serb. He produced scintillating tennis, hitting his backhand better than ever. He came ever so close to playing three sets of winning tennis, and he even carved out four match points before going on to fold in the fifth and lose the match. To be fair, on three of the four match points you had to tip your hat to Djokovic, who played brave, champion-quality tennis to save them. But there was that one forehand on match point that Tsonga drilled into the net that he’s likely still having nightmares about. He will be one to watch in the coming weeks as fans look to see if he takes the positives from his quarterfinal loss, or if it instead has lingering negative effects.

French Open: Sara Errani toughs it out against Sam Stosur to reach her first grand slam final

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By Melinda Samson, Special for Tennis Grandstand

Coming into their semifinal match of the French Open, Sam Stosur had a winning record against Italian Sara Errani. In their five previous meetings, Stosur hadn’t allowed Errani much room, winning all five times, including a straight sets win on clay during the second round of the Rome Masters in May.
It was Errani’s first time ever reaching a Grand Slam semifinal, and Stosur’s third already at Roland Garros. What was meant to be an easy win for the Australian turned into an all-out three set battle. Errani’s best results to-date had been three title wins in Acapulco, Barcelona and Budapest. But by beating Stosur and reaching the final at Roland Garros, Errani will become the new Italian number one player next Monday when the rankings are updated.

Sara Errani of Italy celebrates after defeating Sam Stosur in the French Open women's semifinals (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Errani was well prepared for the match, saying “I don’t have too much power so I have to think more…I have to make other things maybe with the head … I have to be fast – I have to be resistant.”
The match began just over an hour late due to a rain delay, but proceeded uninterrupted after the first ball hit.
Stosur won her first serve then broke Errani’s serve but was immediately broken back. Both players then held serve until 5-5 when Errani converted her fourth break point, given her the opportunity to serve for the set at 6-5. Despite Stosur stepping up her level of play, Errani held her ground, won the game and took the set 7-5.
In the second set, Stosur faced a break point on her first service game. It was an important game for her to hold in order to avoid being down a set and a break. After winning her serve, Stosur relaxed and won the next four games. She had a set point on Errani’s third service game but Errani came back with a winner and held her serve, so that Stosur had to serve it out, which she did at 6-1.
Although it was expected that Stosur would capitalise on the momentum from her second set win, the third set was a complete contrast. Stosur’s errors helped Errani win the next three games and bring the score to 3-0. Stosur regained control and got the set back on serve at 3-3 but then wavered again and lost her next service game, giving Errani the opportunity to serve for the set at 5-3. Errani was quickly ahead 40-0 and converted on her first match point.
With the win, Errani will move in to the Top 10 of the WTA Tour Rankings for the first time in her career. She will play veteran Maria Sharapova in the Roland Garros final this weekend.
Melinda Samson is attending Roland Garros and has written updates on Australian players through their trek of the tennis world’s second slam. She also manages the website Grand Slam Gal and is attempting to do the fan version of a tennis grand slam in 2012. Follow her on Twitter for further live updates @GrandSlamGal.

Sam Stosur blasts pass Dominika Cibulkova to reach Roland Garros semifinals for third time

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By Melinda Samson, Special for Tennis Grandstand

Sam Stosur and Dominika Cibulkova both have good records at Roland Garros as each player reached the semifinals in 2009 and Stosur went one better as runner-up in 2010. Prior to their quarterfinal meeting at the French Open, Stosur won the only match they have ever played against each other back in 2009.
To reach this stage of the tournament, Stosur defeated Elena Baltacha, Irina Falconi, Nadia Petrova and Sloane Stephens, winning all matches in straight sets. Cibulkova defeated Kristina Mladenovic, Vania King, Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez and world number one Victoria Azarenka.
In the first set, both players held serve for the first four games. During Cibulkova’s third service game, the umpire overruled an incorrect line call, which would have given Stosur a winner on break point but instead the point was replayed. Not distracted by the missed opportunity, Stosur won the game two points later. The girls then stepped up the attack during the sixth game, which went to deuce six times before Stosur won, giving her a double break at 5-2.

Samantha Stosur into the Roland Garros semifinals (JACQUES DEMARTHON/AFP/GettyImages)

Stosur then served for the set but failed initially. At this point the match was starting to feel similar to her fourth round match against Stephens, when Stosur had a double break but twice failed to serve it out. But that’s where the similarity ended. During her second attempt Stosur successfully served for the set, saving three break points and winning 6-4.
Cibulkova came out firing in the second set with Stosur having to save three break points to hold serve during the second game. But then Stosur took control and went on to win the next four games. With Cibulkova double faulting to bring up the first match point, Sam confidently took the second set 6-1, winning the match in one hour and 25 minutes.
During the on court interview after the match, Stosur commented:
“I’m very, very pleased with the way I played today and to get through. The last few years have been very good to me in Paris. I love playing on this court and it doesn’t get any better than this.”
When asked about being the highest seed in her part of the women’s single draw, Sam replied simply:
“In the semifinals at Roland Garros that doesn’t mean much, whoever you play it’s going to be tough.”
Stosur has yet to drop a set during the tournament and will play 21st seed Sara Errani of Italy in the semi final on Thursday.
Follow Tennis Grandstand for updates on all the Australian players’ progress throughout the main draw of the French Open.
Melinda Samson is attending Roland Garros and will be writing updates on Australian players through their trek of the tennis world’s second slam. She also manages the website Grand Slam Gal and is attempting to do the fan version of a tennis grand slam in 2012. Follow her on Twitter for further live updates @GrandSlamGal.