TENNIS THREAD - Arrivederci Roma! Onwards to Roland Garros.

[Raahh]

VAMOS Rafa!

I nearly missed the end of that!

I'm trying to sort out paperwork while I watch but it's so boring I could cry.

Yay Keith! So pleased to see him doing well.

Well, Serena has started playing.

So far on my bingo card, we've had mention of the night match and the 24th slam.

I think I will walk the dog.

I might chance changing channels now then.

I took the card out and put it back in and now everything is working again, phew! Looks like Stef is having no problems here.

Aww the children waiting for Stef to finish so they can get his autograph is so lovely to see.

Stef is funny.

Looks as if Rafa’s got the special night match tomorrow - I’m sure that Gasquet would have preferred to play in front of a French crowd!

Although I’m sure they were saying that Gasquet hasn’t beaten Rafa since they were about 12 so not sure how much the crowd would have helped!

Fizzy yes, I think both of them would have preferred to play in the afternoon, in front of the crowd.

But I am delighted to see that Djok is on Lenglen.

There's nothing wrong with Lenglen- but it will feel like a demotion to him, won't it? (Although he gets the benefit of the crowd).

Fizzy yes, they wheel out that stat every time Rafa and Richard are mentioned in the same sentence. Poor Gasquet. He will never be allowed to forget.

Unless he beats him again . not tomorrow.

Buzarnescu is doing better in the second set and now Serena is shouting.

Don’t say that Raahh!

Yes I’m sure Djok will see that as a demotion!

Jane that doesn't surprise me,.

I'm watching PCB. And making dd2's dinner.

just looked at the scores.

The shouting worked then?

It's Rafa's birthday tomorrow- so a bit sad that there will be no crowd there- will he still get a cake?

Glad to see Buzarnescu got the set.

I’m sure he will get a cake - maybe Marion Bartoli will sing happy birthday to him - or maybe Jim courier - I’m sure on the Tennis Podcast Mary Carrillo said she had a tape of a recording that he’d done (bet that was interesting!)

I thought Buzarnescu could cause SW problems and it looks like she is.

I like Bartoli. She's such a gossip 😉

Jim singing

Well, here we go. The atmosphere is electric at the night match.

Medvedev has come dressed as one of the line judges. Awkward.

I just don’t get the night sessions!

Fizzy me neither. The point of them - in normal times, would have been to generate money, I imagine.

Which this is doing precisely the opposite of, whilst providing no atmosphere, and it can't be great for the players.

But hey- what a specatacle for the tv viewers .

Why they didn't just wait until the 9th to start the 'official' night matches (post curfew) I don't know!

I was just saying about the night matches to DH!

I can't believe they've put Rafa and Gasquet as a night match

Did he just say the last scheduled night session - is the night the curfew ends ??

You couldn't make it up