ROLAND GARROS 2013

[MrsVamosRAFA]

Well, here we are again, another French Open. Yay !

It's a shame we wont see Murray, as he was playing very well, it would have been great to see the Top 5 'together' again.

No prizes for guessing who the favourite for the Mens is, VAMOS RAFA ! I'd love to see him win it for the 8th time.

Roger Fed is looking well, just started playing , it would be good to see him do well, although we all know Wimby is his best tournament.

Novak seemed to be struggling a bit earlier this year, after the Aussie Open win, it will be interesting to see how he fares this year on clay. Nicely set up so that he and Rafa will meet in the Semi's, should they both play well. Which easily leads to Rafa for the Final, and his 8th win ! Don't forget, Novak fans, that Rafa beat Nole in 4 sets last year.

Serena Williams is looking her usual belting self, just thrashed her opponent, she must be a consideration for the win, as must last years winner, Maria Sharapova. I'd like to see Laura Robson do well, and Heather Watson, but realistically Laura could be out in the first round.

Hope everybody enjoys the tennis as much as I do, I'm going to have a great fortnight, 9:30am to 9:00pm everyday. Bliss !

Looking forward to having our usual daft threads running, along with the ogling and arguments. Here's to another great summer of tennis !

If you're here around French Open time, ITV shows it. But if you're trying to catch non- G.S. tennis (e.g. Italian Open, earlier in May), you'll need access to satellite.

Good to know, CremeEggThief -- thanks. Tennis on TV here in the US is becoming rare without satellite or cable. Way to keep it exclusive....

Although I'll be hoping Tsonga does well today, I hope it's a long match. The action from RG won't be on TV for another 3 hours; I really want to see RF!

Been out most of the day, so have missed a bit. Ferrer wasn't messing about, was he?

Tsonga is looking pretty strong too.

Tommy Robredo is having a fantastic tournament- Vamos Robredo!

Uh-oh Simon is pushing Federer a bit!

ROGER!

What are you playing at????

Tsonga was fab.

I'm for Simon. i acknowledge that Federer is the greatest player of all time but I don't like him very much. Plus, Gilles is French, and I love how excited everyone gets here when the French do well :)

I like Robredo. and well done Kusnetsuva (she looks like a ferengi!!).

Ferrer was on fire today. he soooo deserves a GS.

Simon has been playing really well- the crowd are odd- they certainly aren't partisan.
And it's great that it's the 'older' players doing so well. Sometimes, listening to the commentators , you'd think anyone over 25 had one foot in the grave

If Nadal doesn't win here, I'd be thrilled if Ferrer won. Or Tsonga.

about time, Fed. at last, giving his opponent credit.

Should that shot have been allowed?
Feds very clever shot where the ball went around the net into the court.

clever shot, yes. went in court, not out.

but the balls supposed to go over the net, not around.

in the old days a netcord judge would have been sitting there and the ball wouldn't have gone round them.

or is the point because it landed IN court?

It landed in court - AFAIK it doesn't have to go over the net.

I'm not going to be able to watch Federerer v Tsonga on Tuesday & am gutted. Think that could be match of the tournament & I'd love to see Tsonga win.

I hope Tsonga wins o n Tuesday. Simon and Gasquet (since his drugs thing) aren't particularly liked here. Gasquet for the drugs and Simon is seen, unfortunately, as a rich boy having it too easy compared to the other current stars, Tsonga and Monfils. It's unfair but the image has stuck.

Ridiculous as tennis is cheap and easy to get into over here, more so than the UK. I live in a small village and even we have a thriving tennis club, and even one of my neighbours is in the top 100 French players ( we spkindly refused his invitation to the courts. i'm shite at tennis, even by top 100 standards) You don't have to be rich to be talent spotted.

That's interesting, PetiteRaleuse; I didn't know any of that about the French players.

I'm still pulling for Fed, but I do like Tsonga very well, too. They seem to be on good terms off the court. I don't like this about myself, but I do rather get caught up in the personalities sometimes.

So I'm up for hearing all the goss....

Yey it's a Rafa day today and I'm off work. Happy times.

I'm feeling a bit sad the Schiavone is being whitewashed by Azarenka right now. I am keeping my fingers crossed that she will make a miraculous comeback.

Am I the only one watching the tennis today?

No, am watching the Rafa match but it's not that good.

What is wrong with Rafa? I know he's had knee problems but he seems so bloody fed up with it all. He looks as if he'd rather not be there.

Happy Birthday Rafa!!

I imagine he's probably really quite pleased with getting through today. Nishikori was meant to be quite a threat, because he's fast on court. In the end, it was reasonably easy.

The cake looked really good too.
I thought Djokovic's tribute to his childhood coach, during his press conference, was lovely.

And I'm annoyed that ITV4 are sticking with the Shriekapova match- when there is an epic Wawrinka/Gasquet match going on...They are quite equally matched- but C'mon Stan!

oh good- they've seen sense. Very, very close match the Gasquet/Wawrinka one- will be miserable for whoever loss

loses

I hope Gasquet can finish this off

Yay! Stan!

Aww, he's crying. I feel for Gasquet, though.