TENNIS THREAD - The clay season is in full swing, and it's onwards to Roland Garros!

[Raahh]

Shiny new thread.

Hopefully we will see some players return from injury in the next few weeks.

Munich/Istanbul in play this week amongst other tournaments.

Madrid week beginning the 7th (hopefully with Delpo playing)

I feel sorry for Halep having to wait for her match. Bit off, since she is the the number 1 seed, that her schedule has been so rubbish. She won't get a day off now.

Even without the rain delays, there was the likelihood she wouldn't have played last night, as she was scheduled last.

Halep has a potentially tough opener against Alison Riske. That's the match I'm watching first.

Sorry crossposted.
Yes, I agree. It wouldn't have happened to Rafa or Roger.

Halep looks in trouble but she's just broken to love after losing the first set so it may just be that she's made a slow start.

Aww Benneteau in tears at winning his match.

Bless him
Djokovic on the other hand is winning but just looks plain bored!

I didn't look at the draw so I've just realised Gulbis is playing. Hope he does well. Not much chance of seeing him with ITV coverage.

Zverev is a set down.

Gulbis cane through qualifying I think. He's always good entertainment!

His interviews are hilarious. He could have done so well if he hadn't been such a messer but at least he enjoyed himself and could afford to.

Second set to Zverev.

Zverev is 6' 6" just in case anyone hasn't heard them mentioning it every five minutes

3rd set Lajovic - some great tennis being played.
Ah yes his height jane mustn't forget that if they mention it again I'm turning on mute.

I've just got home- have been watching at my mum's . Zverev's stroppy racquet smashing has made me want Lajovic to win. And the rather dodgy wet patches on his beige shorts were a talking point- did nobody test these things before hand? The beige is not not good.

Have seen Dimitrov is in trouble too.

We were watching without the sound

Our own commentary was much better

I missed the racquet smashing. Zverev looks in such a state compared to Lajovic

Lajovic definitely looks smarter.

Sascha made very sure his racquet was unusable.

Both matches have levelled at 2 sets. Two upsets might have been too much to hope for.

I think Lajovic may have missed his chance now.

Yeah, Zverev is about to win. Looks like Lajovic is injured, though.

(Incidently, Zverev's name has caused huge arguments with my brothers, who insist that Sasha is not an acceptable nickname for Alexander)

Do feel for Lajovic- he was playing well. I don't feel Zverev had upped his game particularly. He will have to do better as things go on.

Sascha has always been a diminutive of Alexander- his family are originally from Russia. Both he and his brother have Russian shortenings for their names - Mischa (short for Mikhail).

(A lot of Russian male names have diminutives that sound 'female' - like Nikita, which is not really a girls name, Elton John.)

Dimitrov is fighting back- but it's very close.

Oh, Donaldson is limping.

Nishikori is through. Had never realised the colour of Paire's hair- then realised it's because usually he wears a hat .