The Early French Open Thread

[GameSetAndMath]

why does kokkinakis need a wildcard ?..last week he was 97 rank, this week in the 80s or so.

The entry to tourneys are decided six weeks before the first ball is hit. He probably was not in top 104 when the entry list was made.

 

[herios]

kokkinakis, hyeon chung, borna coric, alex zverev first round draw french open.

Zverev surely will not be in the main draw. He will also need to qualify. I am not sure about Chung, but I think he will not be either.

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

ok..i didn't know stuff about seedings and qualifying rounds was decided weeks ago.

 

[herios]

ok..i didn't know stuff about seedings and qualifying rounds was decided weeks ago.

Only qualifying. The seeding are decided based on the last released ATP rankings to date, so for RG the current one.

 

[herios]

As I mentioned, both Chung and Zverev need to get through the Qualification round, as they just in the recent weeks jumped into the top 100.
They are seeded 1-2 respectively there.
Both have interesting R1 matches:
Chung will play Donaldson and Zverev will play Zeballos.
The qualies start tomorrow.

 

[Federberg]

I'm looking forward to RG more than any other slam in recent history. I'm intrigued to see if Novak can withstand the level of expectation that will fall on him. This is stuff that Roger and Rafa have had to deal with for years, but I'm not sure if Novak has ever experienced what is likely to happen. Yes of course he's been favourite before, but this is different. He's favourite, and he has targeted this tournament specifically. If he's able to pull it out, he'll go up in my estimation even more. This is big time champion stuff! Fedal stuff...

 

[GameSetAndMath]

I'm looking forward to RG more than any other slam in recent history. I'm intrigued to see if Novak can withstand the level of expectation that will fall on him. This is stuff that Roger and Rafa have had to deal with for years, but I'm not sure if Novak has ever experienced what is likely to happen. Yes of course he's been favourite before, but this is different. He's favourite, and he has targeted this tournament specifically. If he's able to pull it out, he'll go up in my estimation even more. This is big time champion stuff! Fedal stuff...

I think he will pull it out. He had been close a few times before at RG, since 2011 (at least
three times, 2011, 2013 and 2014). So, he must have learned the lessons by now on how to
handle it.

At any rate, I too am excited to watch RG this year. I will probably not miss a single match
of any member of big four, but definitely not that of Rafa and then that of Novak and then that
of Fed and then that of Andy (in that order).

 

[GameSetAndMath]

[split] Rankings

Novak says he is in favor of Rafa's seeding boosted to top four, but it is up to the tournament directors to decide.

 

[Federberg]

I'm looking forward to RG more than any other slam in recent history. I'm intrigued to see if Novak can withstand the level of expectation that will fall on him. This is stuff that Roger and Rafa have had to deal with for years, but I'm not sure if Novak has ever experienced what is likely to happen. Yes of course he's been favourite before, but this is different. He's favourite, and he has targeted this tournament specifically. If he's able to pull it out, he'll go up in my estimation even more. This is big time champion stuff! Fedal stuff...

I think he will pull it out. He had been close a few times before at RG, since 2011 (at least
three times, 2011, 2013 and 2014). So, he must have learned the lessons by now on how to
handle it.

At any rate, I too am excited to watch RG this year. I will probably not miss a single match
of any member of big four, but definitely not that of Rafa and then that of Novak and then that
of Fed and then that of Andy (in that order).

Me too. And probably in that order

 

[Fiero425]

RE: Rankings

Novak says he is in favor of Rafa's seeding boosted to top four, but it is up to the tournament directors to decide.

That's easy for him to say; he's #1! What does Tomas say about it? :snicker :laydownlaughing :angel:

 

[Federberg]

RE: Rankings

Lol! It's a bit self serving. Who would want to have to face Rafa in the quarters? I can't wait for the draw!!

 

[herios]

Top seed Chung is manhandled in R1 by Donaldson:
6-0, 6-1.
It seems that while winning in Asia all those HC events in the last few weeks did a lot for him in the rankings, but coming straight to play on clay was a mistake.
He might even have been jet lagged as he played in Asia on Saturday.

 

[Moose]

Perhaps it was asked earlier, and my apologies if it has been, but has their ever been another time in history when there were 3 active career Grand Slam winners?
So excited for Nole to do it this year at RG. I hope he can hold up to the pressure.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Perhaps it was asked earlier, and my apologies if it has been, but has their ever been another time in history when there were 3 active career Grand Slam winners?
So excited for Nole to do it this year at RG. I hope he can hold up to the pressure.

Well, Fed and Rafa and Agassi were together for some time.

 

[Fiero425]

Perhaps it was asked earlier, and my apologies if it has been, but has their ever been another time in history when there were 3 active career Grand Slam winners?
So excited for Nole to do it this year at RG. I hope he can hold up to the pressure.

Well, Fed and Rafa and Agassi were together for some time.

Even to get to 3 of the majors has been tough; Connors, Ashe, Newcombe, Lendl, Becker, Edberg, & Wilander OTTH! Nole may be the last holder of a career GS for a while; most pros can't get 1 much less all 4! Andy has a chance, but getting that FO will be even tougher than it is for Nole now! :nono

 

[Kieran]

Who would be the man Nole would least want to face in the final - if he gets there, and Rafa doesn't?

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Who would be the man Nole would least want to face in the final - if he gets there, and Rafa doesn't?

A Stan in Form.

 

[Kieran]

Who would be the man Nole would least want to face in the final - if he gets there, and Rafa doesn't?

A Stan in Form.

Interesting. I think you could be right. Stan encapsulates the level of spite and stubbornness needed, and he has history with Nole. It would be an interesting match...

 

[Fiero425]

Who would be the man Nole would least want to face in the final - if he gets there, and Rafa doesn't?

A Stan in Form.

I'll have to stick to the most obvious candidate to upset Nole; Roger! Even on clay he has a chance if he plays his game and attacks the net, serves lights out, and frustrates Nole! It happened in 2011 when Djokovic was still undefeated at 42 matches! There was the added pressure of that, but it was still on clay! Roger obviously has a mental thing going on which caused Nole to drop serve twice at Wimbledon last season trying to wrap it up in 4; couldn't do it! The problem is I don't think Roger will get a sniff of another final; even seeded #2! He has to get past so many young guns who are hungry and see he's vulnerable in his aging state of decay! :cover uzzled :nono :angel:

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Who would be the man Nole would least want to face in the final - if he gets there, and Rafa doesn't?

A Stan in Form.

I'll have to stick to the most obvious candidate to upset Nole; Roger! Even on clay he has a chance if he plays his game and attacks the net, serves lights out, and frustrates Nole! It happened in 2011 when Djokovic was still undefeated at 42 matches! There was the added pressure of that, but it was still on clay! Roger obviously has a mental thing going on which caused Nole to drop serve twice at Wimbledon last season trying to wrap it up in 4; couldn't do it! The problem is I don't think Roger will get a sniff of another final; even seeded #2! He has to get past so many young guns who are hungry and see he's vulnerable in his aging state of decay! :cover uzzled :nono :angel:

Even though I am a Roger Fan, I don't see Roger defeating Novak at RG. The key differential
between them is in baseline rally play. You cannot totally avoid baseline game, especially on clay.
Novak outscored Roger about 3 to 1 in the baseline war in Rome finals.