Tennis: Roland Garros 2018

[Hadoop]

Good match so far.

Came in rooting for Halep but Stephens is such a great big-match player.

Cool to see Jozy Altidore in the stands.

 

[Cole Caulifield]

Good match so far.

Came in rooting for Halep but Stephens is such a great big-match player.

Cool to see Jozy Altidore in the stands.

Stephens is 6-0 in finals in her career I believe. She really has the tools to become the #1 and hold the position for years.

Altidore is Sloane's boyfriend I believe.

 

[kihei]

2nd set: Sloane immediately breaks for 1-love. A counter puncher like Halep needs weaknesses to probe and mistakes to exploit, but Sloane isn't doing anything but beating Simona at her own game at the moment.

 

[Cole Caulifield]

When Sloane hit that forehand on the line to make it 30-30 after 0-30.... Halep looked a little disappointed...

 

[Cole Caulifield]

2nd set: Sloane immediately breaks for 1-love. A counter puncher like Halep needs weaknesses to probe and mistakes to exploit, but Sloane isn't doing anything but beating Simona at her own game at the moment.

Halep was 6-2 against Stephens before today I believe, but I don't think Halep had faced Stephens since Stephens broke out. But yeah Stephens basically doesn't miss... so consistent.

 

[kihei]

Simona starts coming to the net a bit, smart play--always change a losing game. Anything to disrupt Sloane's rhythm right now.

 

[Cole Caulifield]

2-2 in 2nd set, Halep recovers her break down ! The plot thickens !

Sloane looks human all of a sudden. She looks out of juice somehow.

 

[kihei]

Halep finally catches a break (literally).

 

[Hadoop]

2-2 in 2nd set, Halep recovers her break down ! The plot thickens !

Sloane looks human all of a sudden. She looks out of juice somehow.

I know; she looks really gassed. Even in the first game of the second set she looked like she was starting to gasp for air.

 

[kihei]

Finally a weakness, as Sloane's backhand starts to show strain.

 

[Cole Caulifield]

IM-HO-TEP, IM-HO-TEP !

And a reversal ! She breaks back !

 

[kihei]

Suddenly Halep in the ascendancy 4-2 and we know that she can stay out there all day. Very dangerous time for Sloane....and she responds like a champion with a break at love, 4-3, back on serve.

 

[kihei]

This is likely going to be a lot more fun than tomorrow.

 

[kihei]

This is the set Sloane needs to win. Going three with Halep is not a tempting prospect.

 

[Cole Caulifield]

4-4, 30-30 ... critical moment.

Sloane timid, and Halep holds !

 

[Cole Caulifield]

Is this the slam where Halep overcomes her demons ?

 

[kihei]

Right now every point feels like a three-act play.

 

[kihei]

Anyway you want to cut it, this is just a great set from Halep, 6-4.

 

[kihei]

Even match but now being played on Simona's terms until proved otherwise.

 

[Hadoop]

This break surely benefits Stephens more no? Halep has a big edge in endurance but both players have just hit the reset button.

 

[kihei]

3rd set: Slow start but Halep holds. Some lovely selective play by Halep to Sloane's suddenly tentative backhand. Will see more of that, I think.

 

[Cole Caulifield]

Stephens look lost... what happened ! I don't understand.

 

[rangerssharks414]

Go, Simona!

 

[kihei]

This break surely benefits Stephens more no? Halep has a big edge in endurance but both players have just hit the reset button.

they are resetting in very different universes, though.

 

[Cole Caulifield]

I just don't understand what happened to first set Stephens....