PARIS — In the pink – but on the blink. That was a dazed Rafa Nada at 5:54 Sunday afternoon as he blew a volley after three and a half hours of play and his last chance to stay unbeaten in Paris and win a fifth successive French Open. The explosion you heard from the direction of Roland Garros was Rafa going up in smoke, a colossal victim. The clay court seemed to … [Read more...] about NADAL’S FAVORITE GROUND SLIPS BENEATH HIM
Archives for May 2009
WHITHER SPORTING SILENCE AND BEHAVIOR? GONE LIKE TYPEWRITERS?
Where are the noise police? Who will protect our eardrums? Is the women’s game, normally a fine shooting match, degenerating into a shouting match? Has sportsmanship gone the way of the typewriter? These were some of the questions raised Friday as the multitude of 15,000 booed and whistled their disapproval of a new kid on the block named Michelle Larcher de Brito. The … [Read more...] about WHITHER SPORTING SILENCE AND BEHAVIOR? GONE LIKE TYPEWRITERS?
MARIA’S BACK WITH A BIG WIN — AND HER SOUND SYSTEM, TOO, IS INTACT
Better to see her than hear her. Nevertheless it was good to have the Siberian Siren — Maria Sharapova (ranked 102) — among us again, despite her shrieks that cause many to turn off the sound whenever she appears on their TV screens. Noise and all she was welcome as a long-legged gem of the game, who just might slug her way back to No. 1. All right, am I going … [Read more...] about MARIA’S BACK WITH A BIG WIN — AND HER SOUND SYSTEM, TOO, IS INTACT
SERENA FOUND OUT IT’S WISE TO AVOID ZAKOPALOVA LALLAPALOOZA
Isn’t Zakopalova a wonderful name? Sounds like lallapalooza, and that’s what Zakopalova presented us with on the third day of the French Open — a lallapalooza of a match that almost swept Serena the Great out of Paris before she’d unpacked her luggage. I’m talking about Klara Zakopalova, a mite out of Prague ranked No. 100 who could probably fit into one of Ms. Williams’ … [Read more...] about SERENA FOUND OUT IT’S WISE TO AVOID ZAKOPALOVA LALLAPALOOZA
COUNT ON ROLAND GARROS FOR SURPRISES ON THE CRIMSON DIRT
PARIS — As the lone major on slip-slide clay, the French Open seems to offer more opportunities than the other three for reversals of fortune, amazing turn-arounds and unlikely comebacks. We were reminded of the vagaries of Roland Garros on opening day as Lleyton Hewitt climbed from a hole 2 sets deep to beat Ivo Karlovic. Lleyton was a little beaver gnawing away until he’d … [Read more...] about COUNT ON ROLAND GARROS FOR SURPRISES ON THE CRIMSON DIRT