Tennis: French Open 2023

[kihei]

Djokovic has won all four meetings with Ruud, never losing a set.

 

[Elvis P]

https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/09/sport/french-open-final-preview-muchova-swiatek-spt-intl/index.html

 

[kihei]

Interesting factoids: Although Ruud has won nine tournaments, eight of them on clay, he has never won a tournament above the 250 level. Not just no Slams and no 1000s, no 500s either.

Although he has made the Grand Slam finals two previous times, his victory earlier in this tournament over Rune marked his first win ever over a Top Ten player in a major.

Doesn't bode well for Sunday, especially with Nole going for his 23rd Slam.

 

[kihei]

Iga very quickly up 3-love. This is embarrassingly one-sided at the moment.

Muchova's play improves dramatically, but it has absolutely no effect on the scoreboard, 6-2.

 

[VMBM]

Well, frigg me, didn't see this coming. I hope Muchova wins it now. (Swiatek's serving is really poor.)

 

[Tuggy]

That changed quickly...

 

[kihei]

What a comeback from love-3 in the second set. Muchova has all the momentum now, and a net game that is really clicking.

 

[kihei]

Iga raises her game, breaks back, and takes a 3-2 lead on serve.

Muchova breaks for 4-3. A big question here is can she hold her nerve. (Later: nope)

 

[kihei]

Muchova is so much more relaxed returning serve than holding serve.

 

[kihei]

Swiatek just wanted it more, kept her cool amidst all those service breaks and is now a three time champion at Roland Garros.

 

[kihei]

Ruud, standing a mile behind the baseline on first serve, forces a five deuce, 12 minute game on Nole and breaks him eventually 2-love. What a great start for Caspar.

Nole breaks back on a forced error, 3-4. That game Caspar, for the first time, looked like he had doubts, not a good sign at all.

 

[Filppula]

About as poor a start as I’ve seen from Novak ever. Yikes.

 

[kihei]

About as poor a start as I’ve seen from Novak ever. Yikes.

Not to worry, I don't know if I have got this exactly right, but the other day there was a graphic showing that when Nole loses the first set in a GS, he is something like 13-3. Besides, he just broke back.

Mental toughness may end up being the big issue in this match. Huge advantage Nole.

 

[kihei]

How often has Nole ever looked off-balance? He just fell hard, not the first time he has looked awkward today. Nasty little X factor if he is nursing a leg injury.

 

[VMBM]

I wish Ruud would win at least the first set. Boy, what a big point he just won. (Didn't faze Djokovic at all though.)

 

[kihei]

More serve and volley, please.

If Nole can get the set to a breaker, that's been an automatic win for him at Roland Garros where he is 5-0 this year.

 

[VMBM]

Well gee, that (the tie-break) was surprising; Ruud doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell anymore (not that I gave him any chance to begin with). Yes, the momentum can change and blah blah blah.

 

[kihei]

7-1 with no unforced errors, as usual. Breakers are like freebies to Nole. That should calm his nerves, if that was the problem earlier which it might have been.

And poor Caspar. Did almost everything right--had a brief Kevin Anderson moment at a crucial juncture--and comes out of the ordeal a set down. How does he recover from that?

 

[Filppula]

What a ridiculous TB by Novak.

 

[kihei]

So why isn't wifey in the box for his potential 23rd GS title and, instead, some gorgeous-looking super model is? Huh, huh, huh?

Upon closer observation, it looks like the gorgeous super model is his wife. Great outfit.

 

[Novak Djokovic]

Good stuff so far after the initial mess.

 

[CupofOil]

Djokovic isn't going to stop winning majors until he retires. He's still far above everybody else, sadly. Wimbledon is a foregone conclusion already, sadly. Not good for the sport IMO.

 

[VMBM]

Good stuff so far after the initial mess.

What? You're playing in a GS final and texting on HFBoards at the same time?

 

[kihei]

One set away for Djokovic, and it sure doesn't look like Caspar could plot a comeback of this magnitude. Expecting a 6-2 type set here.

 

[Novak Djokovic]

So why isn't wifey in the box for his potential 23rd GS title and, instead, some gorgeous-looking super model is? Huh, huh, huh?

I saw both Jelena and Stefan (his son).