Roland Garros 2018, Paris, France, ATP GRAND SLAM

[brokenshoelace]

OK, "the player who decided the 2009 winner." That could be either Soderling or Federer. (Though I'm guessing Soderling.) "He thinks Sweden needs a star like Ibrahimovic." A late-career footballer (of Serbian-decent, so I kind of get where you're going with that.) I'm still asking you: what is the point? That Sweden needs better tennis players coming up? I'm not sure that's a news flash.

Ibrahimovic is of Bosnian decent.

I think Soderling just means Swedish tennis needs a player who's both good and has a strong, charismatic personality like Ibrahimovic.

 

[Moxie]

Ibrahimovic is of Bosnian decent.

I think Soderling just means Swedish tennis needs a player who's both good and has a strong, charismatic personality like Ibrahimovic.

Thanks for the translation.

 

[britbox]

Zverev just turned 21 last month...why are we already talking about him potentially never winning a slam? I'm not even that high on him but jeez.

I think he's a good bet to win slams, (multiple) eventually ... just not this one here and now.

 

[britbox]

Tomic's got Kyrgios in the first round. I don't think there is a huge amount of love lost between these two these days.

 

[Carol]

Profesional players playing vs the boll boys B-)

 

[Carol]

Tomic's got Kyrgios in the first round. I don't think there is a huge amount of love lost between these two these days.

Dumb and Dumber......the Bookmakers will be shaking :lulz2:

 

[Carol]

Dolgo withdraws and Bolelli will be the first opponent of Nadal. Meanwhile Delpo is not sure if he will be ready to play in RG

 

[Moxie]

Order of play Sunday 27 May (Men's Matches in bold)

Court Philippe-Chatrier Play starts at 11am

Viktor TROICKI vs Grigor DIMITROV
Alizé CORNET (FRA) [32] vs Sara ERRANI (ITA)
Lucas POUILLE vs Daniil MEDVEDEV
Jelena OSTAPENKO (LAT) [5] vs Kateryna KOZLOVA (UKR)

Court Suzanne-Lenglen Play starts at 11am

Ajla TOMLJANOVIC (AUS) vs Elina SVITOLINA (UKR) [4]
Elliot BENCHETRIT (FRA - WC) vs Gael MONFILS
Qiang WANG (CHN) vs Venus WILLIAMS (USA) [9]
Ricardas BERANKIS vs Alexander ZVEREV

Court 1 Play starts at 11am

Kurumi NARA (JPN) vs Barbora STRYCOVA (CZE) [26]
Kei NISHIKORI vs Maxime JANVIER (FRA-WC)
Johanna KONTA (GBR) [22] vs Yulia PUTINTSEVA (KAZ)
David GOFFIN vs Robin HAASE

Court 3 Play starts at 11am

Madison BRENGLE (USA) vs Anett KONTAVEIT (EST) [25]
Jozef KOVALIK (Q) vs Pablo CARREÑO BUSTA
Francesca SCHIAVONE (ITA) vs Viktoria KUZMOVA (SVK)
Federico DEL BONIS vs Thomaz BELLUCI (Q)

Court 6 Play starts at 11am

Saisai ZHENG (CHN) vs Ekaterina MAKAROVA (RUS)
Nicolas JARRY vs Jared DONALDSON
Oscar OTTE (LL) vs Matteo BERRETTINI
Magdalena FRECH (POL) vs Ekaterina ALEXANDROVA (RUS)

Court 7 Play starts at 11am

Damir DZUMHUR vs Denis KUDLA (Q)
Jennifer BRADY (USA) vs Amandine HESSE (FRA)
Ivo KARLOVIC vs Coretin MOUTET (FRA-WC)
Magda LINETTE (POL) vs Zarina DIYAS (KAZ)

Court 9 Play starts at 11am

Petra MARTIC (CRO) vs Yafan WANG (CHN)
Martin KLIZAN (Q) vs Laslo DJERE
Guido ANDREOZZI vs Taylor FRITZ
Alexandra DULGHERU (ROU) vs Christina MCHALE (USA)

Court 18 Play starts at 11am

Gregoire BARRERE (FRA-WC) vs Radu ABOT
Arantxa RUS (NED) vs Sloane STEPHENS (USA)[10]
Fernando VERDASCO vs Yoshihito NISHIOKA (PR)
Chloe PAQUET (FRA) vs Pauline PARMENTIER (FRA)

* I put up the full schedule because it helps keep track
** Thanks to @Hoergren for already having done the WTA one, which I copied.

 

[Moxie]

Dolgo withdraws and Bolelli will be the first opponent of Nadal. Meanwhile Delpo is not sure if he will be ready to play in RG

Sparing a moment for Dolgopolov: some were laughing that anyone was trying to make a first round match out of this v. Rafa, but, if you all remember back, there was a time when we though The Dog would have a real career. Sadly, seems derailed by his Gilbert's Syndrome.

 

[Moxie]

Like more than a few of us, Nadal seems to think that Novak Djokovic has a real chance. (Or at least the best chance of challenging him.) According to the Guardian, when asked if he thought Djokovic could get back to his best, Nadal said: “My answer is he’s not coming back; he’s there always. Sometimes when you come back from injuries [it] is difficult to play that well from the beginning. But he played a great event in Rome and is no doubt one of the candidates to win here.“

 

[mrzz]

A lot of interesting pairings on first round (a draw challenge nightmare). I selected a few -- there were some more, but involving lower ranked players that most posters here don't seem to bother about.


Borna CORIC
Philipp KOHLSCHREIBER [22] (anyone's bet here, both are good clay courters, PK is more natural on the surface but Coric is the better defender).

Aljaz BEDENE
Pablo CUEVAS - Bedene made a final on clay this year and Cuevas is a classic clay courter.

Steve JOHNSON
Adrian MANNARINO [25] - Both a bit out of their element on clay, complete coin toss to me.

Fabio FOGNINI [18]
Pablo ANDUJAR [PR] - Andujar is on PR but had some good results on his return. Fognini is retarded and anything could happen.

Paolo LORENZI
Kevin ANDERSON [6] - Lorenzi has power and is a good clay courter, could give Anderson trouble and this is nice candidate for an early upset.

Jeremy CHARDY
Tomas BERDYCH [17] - Chardy loves to find an upset and current Berdych on clay is a perfect candidate.

Nick KYRGIOS [21]
Bernard TOMIC [Q] - Kyrgios is a sitting duck on clay an Tomic made to a final of a Challenger and passed through the qualies. I had him on my bracket and it might be on straights.

Nicolas JARRY
Jared DONALDSON - Jarry one day will be high up in the rankings I hope, and has an amazing attacking game that works on clay. Donaldson is the higher ranked player and defends well. Interesting match.

Viktor TROICKI
Grigor DIMITROV [4] - These two have been playing frequently against each other, high quality match for a R1 and a coin toss given that is Dimitrov, on clay.

Ernests GULBIS [Q]
Gilles MULLER [29] - Strange match, particularly on clay. Gulbis made to a challenger semi lately and surived qualy. Should be able to beat Muller on clay. Technically an upset since Muller is seeded.

Lucas POUILLE [15]
Daniil MEDVEDEV - I see a lot of potential on Pouille but he is going a bit backwards. Medvedev never impressed me much but surely a close contest. I had Pouille on my bracket, but with zero confidence.

Guillermo GARCIA-LOPEZ
Stan WAWRINKA [23] - Very good match for a first round and I am almost sure Wawrinka goes out in three or four in this. Saw GGL playing on clay this year, and he is doing very well. One of the most dangerous floaters out there.

 

[herios]

I am wondering if Coric is 100%, because he retired in Rome after just 5 games in his match against Tsitsipas .

 

[Moxie]

A lot of interesting pairings on first round (a draw challenge nightmare). I selected a few -- there were some more, but involving lower ranked players that most posters here don't seem to bother about.


Borna CORIC
Philipp KOHLSCHREIBER [22] (anyone's bet here, both are good clay courters, PK is more natural on the surface but Coric is the better defender).

Aljaz BEDENE
Pablo CUEVAS - Bedene made a final on clay this year and Cuevas is a classic clay courter.

Steve JOHNSON
Adrian MANNARINO [25] - Both a bit out of their element on clay, complete coin toss to me.

Fabio FOGNINI [18]
Pablo ANDUJAR [PR] - Andujar is on PR but had some good results on his return. Fognini is retarded and anything could happen.

Paolo LORENZI
Kevin ANDERSON [6] - Lorenzi has power and is a good clay courter, could give Anderson trouble and this is nice candidate for an early upset.

Jeremy CHARDY
Tomas BERDYCH [17] - Chardy loves to find an upset and current Berdych on clay is a perfect candidate.

Nick KYRGIOS [21]
Bernard TOMIC [Q] - Kyrgios is a sitting duck on clay an Tomic made to a final of a Challenger and passed through the qualies. I had him on my bracket and it might be on straights.

Nicolas JARRY
Jared DONALDSON - Jarry one day will be high up in the rankings I hope, and has an amazing attacking game that works on clay. Donaldson is the higher ranked player and defends well. Interesting match.

Viktor TROICKI
Grigor DIMITROV [4] - These two have been playing frequently against each other, high quality match for a R1 and a coin toss given that is Dimitrov, on clay.

Ernests GULBIS [Q]
Gilles MULLER [29] - Strange match, particularly on clay. Gulbis made to a challenger semi lately and surived qualy. Should be able to beat Muller on clay. Technically an upset since Muller is seeded.

Lucas POUILLE [15]
Daniil MEDVEDEV - I see a lot of potential on Pouille but he is going a bit backwards. Medvedev never impressed me much but surely a close contest. I had Pouille on my bracket, but with zero confidence.

Guillermo GARCIA-LOPEZ
Stan WAWRINKA [23] - Very good match for a first round and I am almost sure Wawrinka goes out in three or four in this. Saw GGL playing on clay this year, and he is doing very well. One of the most dangerous floaters out there.

I completely agree that these are basically all draw-challenge nightmares. I went back and changed my draw challenge picks earlier. For no reason. I'm sure I'll be crying about it later.

Of these, I feel that I picked Fognini, Kyrgios and Cuevas with reasonable confidence. (Just wait until even these are wrong.) Every other one was a coin flip.

Stevie Johnson (USA) has been playing some great tennis of late. I'm kind of thinking Coric could go on a mini-tear, and if Chardy beats Berdy, I'll hate him forever. I picked him, then changed it. Every time I pick him to win, he loses, and vice versa.

 

[Front242]

Good chance that Andujar beats Fognini, Seppi beats Gasquet and Garcia Lopez beats Wawrinka imo. Haven't beat in years but 25.13 x 1 odds for that treble is extremely good. Just a measly €50 or $50 would get you back €1256.50 / $1256.50. Nice! To do or not to do. Hmmm.

 

[kskate2]

Troicki withdraws right before the first ball is struck. Replaced by a LL, Dimi catches a break on R1

 

[Front242]

Troicki withdraws right before the first ball is struck. Replaced by a LL, Dimi catches a break on R1

Probably had a rough nightmare last night and saw a giant needle.

 

[kskate2]

Dog has also withdrawn and will be replaced by a LL

 

[britbox]

Good chance that Andujar beats Fognini, Seppi beats Gasquet and Garcia Lopez beats Wawrinka imo. Haven't beat in years but 25.13 x 1 odds for that treble is extremely good. Just a measly €50 or $50 would get you back €1256.50 / $1256.50. Nice! To do or not to do. Hmmm.

I like the last two. Not sure about Andujar.

 

[MartyB]

The fault is not in the player who gets through a less than impressive draw, but with the field, then.

That is true but surface means a great deal in the draws. Certainly if Nadal had these same guys at Wimbledon my reaction would be different. He won't even be tested in a set until the final. By that point his opponent will probably have exhausted themselves. It is a draw made in heaven. I will cede that even with a draw that would have been far more complicated he still would have won it.

 

[kskate2]

Nicky withdraws too.