TENNIS: Roland Garros rolls on

[JaneJeffer]

Well done Felix. He didn’t hang around once the system got going again.

oh no! I was really looking forward to watching him too!

NuRafa is still scheduled to play Eastbourne- be interesting to see if he does.

I don't want to see the end of the 5 set matches, it's what makes the slams special. Although I agree about the injuries.

There have been some great 5 set matches I agree. And I take the point about it making the slams special (although surely the slams are still special for the women who still play best of three same as any other tournament?).

I just think that they’re cramming the tennis calendar so full now that something’s got to give somewhere.

Foe and Flavio are playing in Halle. They seemed to have played a lot this year.

The other thing that John Lloyd said was that there would be far fewer injuries with only 3 sets. And he reckoned the players will soon demand this.
I agree with him & @ChessieFL - bring on 3 sets!

Can someone explain why the Masters moved towards (almost) 2 week events?

It's one of the reasons the calendar is so busy now.

(I don't think the Slams should drop 5 sets - would almost argue for women doing 5.)

I would be disappointed if the Slams dropped to 3 sets but unfortunately, I wouldn't be surprised, given some of the other so-called 'positive' innovations that have been made in recent years

Watching Pinnington-Jones vs Shapovalov. PJ was a break up at the start of the 3rd but it may be slipping away from him now.
Unfortunately, the butterfly fancier is commentating. "Shapovalov, as a leftie, will serve out wide here". As Denis serves down the middle

The short answer to this , is probably money. I don't think the players actually like the longer Masters, but the events can increase the number of players (allowing lower ranked players to take part and make money).

It allows more rest days (some players like this).

The bigger question- when there ae already too many events, and the 2 weeks masters keep the players on the road for longer- is why they are adding another one to the calendar in Saudi Arabia.

The answer there is definitely money.

I love a good 5 setter but maybe I wouldn’t have broken my adrenal glands in 2008 if the Wimbledon final had been best of three!

Speaking of Saudi Arabia, apparently they are building a new Wimbledon
https://worldtennismagazine.com/saudi-arabia-unveils-plans-for-impressive-new-national-tennis-center/27874

Thanks @Raahh

Bloody hell.

Will anyone actually go to watch though? Good thing they probably aren't relying on ticket sales .

It significantly increases tournament ticket revenues, as there are more days of play. This in turn enables them to pay the players more in prize money.

The higher ranked players seem to universally dislike the change, but I suspect they want to have their cake and eat it too i.e. they want to keep the extra prize money that the longer format enables.

No one ever asks the lower ranked players, but the 96 player draws do give more players the opportunity to play Masters. However, as all the seeded players get first round byes, the early rounds feel like an extended qualifying tournament.

This is so bizarre. Why not commission some original architecture, rather than a tacky replica?

It's like a tennis version of Las Vegas.

It so is Raahh. I guess that's the vibe they're going for.

Wimbledon wild cards have been announced. In addition to the usual assortment of lower ranked Brits, Stan and Grigor have been given them on the men's singles side, Maja Chwalinkska for ladies' singles, Nick K and Sasha Bublik for doubles, as well as the Williams sisters. No singles WC for Dan, although he does have one for doubles, together with Henry Searle.

It seems there are some still to be announced, hoping it won't be Nick K or Serena in singles.

I will be so annoyed if they give the remaining ones to Nick or Serena.

I'm glad Maja got one ( she had to, really).

I will be raging if Kyrgios gets one instead of Dan!

Bellucci just won the first set tiebreak against Bublik with some crazy tennis!

That was an amazing last point by Bellucci. Sasha not doing himself any favours by double faulting on set point though.

I had to go out, but I did notice that Mattia was still wearing his purple headband. Is it glued to his head

Just switched on Halle and Hubi looks almost like an older version of NuRafa. I think it's the broad shoulders and white t-shirt.

I've realsied that Matteo Berrettini is still listed as going through qualifying for Wimbledon- I will be even more annoyed if Dick gets a wild card and Matteo (who is 48 on the live rankngs, but missed the earlier cut-off, bit of a Maja situation) has to go through qualifying. .

I'm glad Grigor received a wc. Stan also, although Gael hasn't, as yet. It's difficult with so many retiring this year. Stan has 3 GS but has never done that well at Wimbledon. Gael is the reverse.

I think there's 2 more left to give for men's singles. It will be a real kick in the teeth for Dan if he doesn't get one (and why wouldn't the cttee announce it today?). He probably won't make it through the 1st round but he's given so much to Team GB in the Davis Cup and Olympics, I think Dan deserves it for one final bow. Unfortunately, I don't think he'll get a wc now (unless Tim is being particularly evil in winding Dan up )