ATP
Not all right on the night
THE scheduling for the French Open night games is once again under the spotlight – for the lack of a women’s match in the peak viewing slot.
There have been women’s matches, but not top of the bill. Why?
Tournament director Amelie Mauresmo explained that this time slot was reserved for the best match of the day – and the match that gets the bigger audience at Roland Garros is a men’s match.
Take a glance around the stands during the matches – the proof is there.
Some may argue, and rightly so, that there is a need to promote women’s matches.
And one journalist has called it out on social media.
“This year so far, none of the six nights will have had women’s matches scheduled. Tomorrow night [June 3], Zverev vs. Tiafoe. No Swiatek, Jabeur or Gauff vs. Andreeva.”
But let’s look deeper – as this is not a sexist issue.
Swiatek has made it clear that she doesn’t want to play night matches.
Last year Mauresmo apologised for saying women’s tennis did not have the same ‘appeal’.
But she is right – commercial reasons prove that – bums on seats in the arena and lower TV ratings.
And while we are in Paris, what is it with all this booing?
TUNISIAN Ons Jabeur was booed after she beat home star Oceane Dodin in round two at Roland Garros.
She admitted afterwards that the fans at Roland-Garros are “difficult” and didn’t enjoy being booed during the match.
“The French crowd is a bit difficult, I would say,” she said after the match. “I don’t like it when they boo, but that’s part of the game.
“They want French players to win. In the other countries, although I hit a good shot, they appreciate not necessarily here. They prefer me to miss, but it’s part of the game.”
Booing at a Grand Slam? To borrow from another sport … it’s just not tennis.
ANOTHER to be booed was American Taylor Fritz, jeered by fans after he beat Arthur Rinderknech 2-6 6-4 6-3 6-4.
Fritz celebrated his win by placing his finger to his lips as fans booed him.
“The crowd was just so great that I had to let it fire me up. They cheered so well for me, I wanted to make sure I won. Thanks guys,” the American said sarcastically in his on-court interview.
AND…. What was this all about…?
Video footage has emerged of a photographer being dragged out of the arena during Carlos Alcaraz’s match with Denis Shapovalov.
A clip by Eurosport Polska shows the four members of security dragging the journalist out of the arena. The reasons for his rejection are as of now uncertain.
BELARUSIAN World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka opted to skip a press conference after her win over Kamilla Rakhimova during the week, citing safety reasons.
Some have likened the boycott to that of former former World No. 1 Naomi Osaka, who had a history of skipping press conferences, claiming a variety of reasons, including mental health, while simultaneously posting on her social media channels promoting sponsors.
But Sabalenka’s is more likely because of the ongoing issues between her and Ukrainian players.
“For my own mental health and well-being, I decided to take myself out of this situation today, and the tournament has supported me in this. On Wednesday I didn’t feel safe in press conference,“ she said.
Didn’t feel safe from what?
Journalists doing their job and asking her about her homeland’s support of Russia in its invasion of another sovereign country.
WITH Tennis participation in the US apparently surging, the USTA announced last week its marketing campaign for the 2023 US Open will be led by someone called ‘Cookie’.
Who? You may well ask. And GST asked a couple of savvy younger generation – answer: who?
The USTA’s creative agency, Dentsu Creative, wants to connect with younger potential fans.
New Jersey-native Cookie Kawaii (real name Vanice Palmer) has had a couple of Twitter hits with ‘Vibe’ and ‘Violin’ and according to USTA’s marketing guru, Nicole Kankam, “is a unique talent with a distinctive voice that we think can further connect with new fans as the future of tennis shines bright under the spotlight of the US Open.”
‘Violin’ a rap song, has apparently been streamed 40 million times.
The US Open will begin Monday, August 28 and end on Sunday, September 10.
NO great shock that Daniil Medvedev was dumped out of the French Open last week in the first round – although by a rank outsider might have been more of an eye-opener.
No. 172-ranked Thiago Seyboth Wild, a 23-year-old Brazilian virtual unknown, overcame cramps before dominating the back end of the match.
“It definitely was the happiest day of my life,” Seyboth Wild said after the match.
“I knew it was going to be a tough match, but I knew how to play. I have watched him play 1,000 times already. I just had to believe in myself.”
BUT did you know that in 2021, Seyboth Wild faced a lawsuit filed by his ex-girlfriend Thayane Lima and was investigated by police in Rio de Janeiro over allegations of mental and physical abuse.
He denied the allegations, describing them as “fabricated and vengeful claims”.
And Medvedev? He has always struggled on clay and has shown distaste for the surface over a number of years.
BIANCA Andreescu has tapped into a new source to get her back to winning ways on court: her Romanian grandmother.
“I started thinking about my grandmother because she’s getting old, and I’m very close to her. She said – in Romanian, she doesn’t speak English – ‘Bianca, I really want to watch you win another major’,” Andreescu said in Paris on Tuesday, after beating Victoria Azarenka.
And having her grandmother close helps Andreescu realise that success on the tennis court is worth fighting for.
“The last few weeks haven’t been easy for me, just like recovering from my injury and all that stuff,” she said.
“I’m still not 100 per cent. I still get pain here and there. I just have to push through it and not think that it’s bad pain.
“My fighting spirit is back, so that feels nice.”
Photo: Roger Parker International Sports Fotos Ltd
AMERICAN Jessica Pegula has revealed she got food poisoning shortly after arriving in Paris and said she was “a zombie for two days.”
Pegula arrived in the French capital on Tuesday went to a restaurant for a meal.
“I don’t know exactly what did the damage,” she told the BBC.
“I had escargots (snails) – I love escargots – but everyone else in my group had them. I also had salmon so maybe it was a bad piece of fish.
“I was throwing up for the whole night and I couldn’t sleep much. I didn’t practise on Wednesday, I practised on Thursday – but it was not pretty.
“I could barely do anything. I was getting a lot of nausea and acid reflux, I wasn’t eating.
“I was afraid to eat anything. I didn’t have an appetite. It lingered for four or five days but I wasn’t able to just sit in bed, I had a bunch of stuff to do.”
CAM Norrie should think himself lucky there are no video replays in tennis – or he would be playing well into the early hours, if the delays annoying soccer fans are any indication.
Norrie called for replays to be used in tennis after a umpiring controversy in his second-round victory over Lucas Pouille at the French Open.
Umpire Eva Asderaki-Moore failed to spot a double bounce at a key moment in the third set of Norrie’s 6-1, 6-3, 6-3 win.
Both men said afterwards a video replay might have resolved the issue – albeit that soccer overtime now often extends games for lengthy periods while referees still debate a ruling with their VAR system that also still got it wrong.
AND finally … Rafa Nadal pumps his fist after undergoing minor surgery for a psoas muscle injury in a Barcelona hospital.
The what muscle?
The psoas muscle is one of a number of muscles that overlie the vertebral column in your back.
Carlos Alcaraz ended a four-and-a-half month injury exile with a resounding 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 defeat of Roman Safiullin on Monday at the US Open to mark his return to the courts after a wrist injury.
The defending champion now ranked third is hoping to become the first man to successfully defend the title here Roger Federer won US Open over five consecutive editions (2004-2008).
“For me it’s been a really tough five months. Being able to step on Arthur Ashe and being able to compete again.. as I said before the tournament, I couldn’t decide to come back in a better tournament than here in New York,” Alcaraz said.
“It’s a really special tenement for me. I tried to enjoy as much as I can. I missed it. I missed the crowd. The energy. I missed competition. I missed everything. 🥹 I’m just really really happy I was able to compete again.”
“On this (Ashe) court, I made my dream. First major. First time becoming No. 1 in the world.
“The warm welcome I receive every time I come here is crazy. I really appreciate it. I really feel the love from the people.”
One-time top 10 regular Stefanos Tsitsipas unleashed a major surprise on Cincinnati winner Arthur Fils with a turnaround 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-1, 6-4 win as the French youngster failed to earn a two-set-to-love lead over the Greek.
“I don’t have the answer,” the 10th-seeded Fils said after his collapse in form. “Once the energy went down at the end of the second, I never felt again a good energy.
“I have to talk with my team, but at my level, to do such a mistake is almost unprofessional.”
He added: “I was trying to fight; at one point I broke back early in the fourth, so I was trying to find a way, but not accurate enough on the serve.
“The ball was not going very well out of my racquet. Even if I was fighting, was tough.”
Fils had beaten No. 53 Tsitsipas in all five of heir previous matches
The Greek, playing unseeded for the first time here, reaching the second round for the sixth time as he came from a set and 5-2 down.
Former ATP No. 3 Tsitsipas pronounced himself “speechless” at his success. “It’s an amazing start to the tournament, I’m very proud of myself.
“I’m taking it a day at a time. I don’t wanna be looking too far away. I prefer to stay grounded in the moment. A win like this today matters a lot to me.”
:French veteran Adrian Mannarino, aged 38, fought back from two sets to love down for only the second time in his career to advance past Thiago Tirante 4-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3.
The loss ended the dream of the 42nd-ranked Argentine who beat Novak Djokovic in the Cincinnati second round last month as the Serb competed for the first time since Wimbledon at the pre-Open event.
The first-round match began on opening day but was interrupted by night-time rain and concluded on Monday.
Andrey Rublev wore down lucky loser Otto Virtanen as the Finn cramped in the closing stages on the way to a 6-7 (5), 6-7 (0), 6-0, 6-2, 7-6 (5). Virtanen entered the draw as former champion Marin Cilic withdrew.
Main photo:- ‘New look” Carlos Alcaraz celebrates first round win on return from injury – ATPTour.com
Novak Djokovic hit the wall as the 24-time Grand Slam winner vomited at the back of the court and was treated by the trainer during a disheartening first round loss which ended early Monday morning on opening day of the US Open.
The 39-year-old Serb fell ill – he said things have been this way for weeks – as he took a loss to Mariano Navone 7-6 (5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1.
In addition to his stomach problems, the ailing Serb was seen by the trainer, the doctor and used an inhaler as he complained of cramping and general poor health during a stress test lasting nearly four and three-quarter hours.
The defeat came a fortnight after Djokovic was knocked out in his opening match in Cincinnati after reaching a Wimbledon semi-final.
“It was obvious that it was an awful feeling on the court for me. It’s something I’ve been carrying, unfortunately, pretty much every match this year,” Djokovic said early Monday.
“Vomiting, throwing up, a serious issue there. Then my whole body starts to collapse, basically cramping and pain.
“The back just gave up in the end and shoulder, and I couldn’t close it out.
He added: “I was up a break up in the fourth, but just struggled all the way since the fourth game of the match. Congrats to him. He’s a nice guy, a fighter.
But, you know, I didn’t enjoy myself.”
The disappointing end was Djokovic’s earliest Grand Slam exit in two decades and cut off a run of 78 Grand Slam first-round victories going back to a loss to Paul Goldstein at the 2006 Australian Open.
“From the perspective of the crowd and support, it was incredible, honestly from the beginning. They were trying to lift me up in important moments,” Djokovic said.
“I’m very sorry that I, you know, didn’t perform as well as I should have or could have… but the love and appreciation they gave me in the end really touched my heart.”
Seventh seed and 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev came good after losing here a year ago in the first round, posting a win over Hugo Gaston 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 for his 33rd victory of the season.
Montreal quarter-finalist Daniel Merida defeated Marton Fucsovic 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 to earn the fist straight-set men’s win of the fortnight.
Jiri Lehecka put out two-time semi-finalist Pablo Carreño Busta 6-1, 7-6 (5), 4-6, 6-2. The win served as revenge after the veteran Spaniard beat the Czech in the Roland Garros first round.
No. 101 Dino Prizmic spent nearly four hours before completing a win over Alexander Shevchenko to advance in five sets.
The 2-6, 6-3, 6-3, 5-7, 7-5 success was hard-fought, with Prizmic leading 5-2 and serving for it in the fourth set but needing to go all the way to claim his first victory here after saving two match points.
The Croat has threatened top 10 names in the past, beating Novak Djokovic in Rome and Ben Shelton in Madrid.
Cincinnati quarter-finalist Tommy Paul recovered after losing the opening set, storming back for a 6-7 (3), 6-1, 6-3, 6-3 win over Hong Kong qualifier Coleman Wong.
Day 1 British results were mixed, with Cam Norrie going down in an upset loss to Frenchman Luca van Assche 6-7 (6), 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 while debutant Toby Samuel’s earned the biggest win of his career as he stunned Czech Tomas Machac 6-2, 6-3, 6-2.
Former finalist Casper Ruud made a last-minute pull out on Sunday as the US Open began, with the Norwegian still affected by the back injury which forced his retirement only days ago in Cincinnati.
The runner-up four years ago to Carlos Alcaraz has been carrying the problems for several weeks and pulled the plug on his participation on opening day of the season;s final major.
Ruud becomes the 20th player to withdraw,, a list led by world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who is dealing with a knee injury and who has not played since winning Wimbledon in July.
Ruud was due to start in New York against Juan Manuel Cerundolo, whom he defeated last month in Montreal.
Ruud now faces a rush to fitness if he is to compete at the Laver Cup in London from September 25.
US Open 2026 Women’s Day 2
US Open 2026 Men’s Day 2
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