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
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