French Open 2021

Floppybits · 27-05-2021 10:19am #1

A few days away from the second Slam of the year. I guess for the men's Nadal has to be favourite. Is there anyone that beat him here? As for the ladies for me its wide open with 3 or 4 players that can win. I see Osaka has said she is not doing any press at the French Open for her mental health. I don't see her winning it.

yerwanthere123 · 27-05-2021 3:57pm

Nadal, Djokovic and Federer all in the same half. Federer-Djokovic a potential QF match.

Notable women's R1 matches:
Kenin-Ostapenko
Azarenka-Kuznetsova
Jabeur-Putintseva
Suarez Navarro-Stephens

Kenin-Ostapenko.. at least one of them will make the second round

Will be rooting for Suarez-Navarro pretty hard against Sloane.

yerwanthere123 · 27-05-2021 4:01pm

As for Osaka boycotting press, give me a fucking break. Can be loosely translated as "I have no expectations of getting very far here, I've been doing zero work to improve my clay game, please don't ask me any tough questions". Hope she's sanctioned pretty heavily for it, but given she made over €50 million+ off court last year, it's not fines that will teach her a lesson.

Floppybits · 27-05-2021 4:01pm

How is Nadal seeded 3 at this tournament?

yerwanthere123 · 27-05-2021 4:03pm

Floppybits wrote: »

How is Nadal seeded 3 at this tournament?

They simply followed the rankings, which is ludicrous. Wasting a #2 seed on Medvedev only serves to hurt their tournament, so no idea why the didn't change it.

Floppybits · 27-05-2021 4:04pm

yerwanthere123 wrote: »

As for Osaka boycotting press, give me a fucking break. Can be loosely translated as "I have no expectations of getting very far here, I've been doing zero work to improve my clay game, please don't ask me any tough questions". Hope she's sanctioned pretty heavily for it, but given she made over €50 million+ off court last year, it's not fines that will teach her a lesson.

Osaka is becoming a real pain with this nonsense and using mental health as a excuse is just pitiful. Would have more respect if she said I am not doing press conferences after my matches and left it at that. Sure a fine is pittance to her. I also think all this press conferences after matches are load of kack. The players are all so trained in how to handle the questions it is the same response over and over again.

Floppybits · 27-05-2021 4:12pm

Nadal, Djokovic and Federer all in the same half of the draw. Fed would play Djokovic in the quarters and Nadal in the Semi. Can't see him getting that far though, I'd say he would be happy to 3 to 4 matches in here and then he can concentrate on the grass.

sxt · 27-05-2021 7:20pm

Nadal draw gets very tough from third round onwards . Sonego third round (semi finalist, loss narrowly to djkovic in Rome two weeks ago. 4th round Sinner (next gen superstar in the making.. ). Shock early exit for Rafa?

Where's Hector with his predictions

josip · 27-05-2021 7:26pm

sxt wrote: »

...
Where's Hector with his predictions

Probably taking his time to evaluate the draw and all the potential match ups before arriving at his well considered prediction.

lostcat · 27-05-2021 10:52pm

Showtime for Nadal, this is going to be his best (maybe even last) chance to finally get his nose in front of Federer in the Slam count. Can't see much on his side of the draw, but I guess Sinner did give him a bit of a match last year. Djokovic should make the semi also but there are a few decent clay courters on his side.

The other half of the draw is a next gen bloodbath, Nadal will be happy enough to only have to face the last one standing.

Slashermcguirk · 28-05-2021 9:34am

Farcical that Medvedev is seeded 2, he is useless on clay. He even said himself he doesnt like the surface. I really think past performance in French open over past few years should be taken into account when confirming seeds.

Could be a Federer vs Djokovic QF although no guarantees both will get that far

Floppybits · 28-05-2021 9:54am

Slashermcguirk wrote: »

Farcical that Medvedev is seeded 2, he is useless on clay. He even said himself he doesnt like the surface. I really think past performance in French open over past few years should be taken into account when confirming seeds.

Could be a Federer vs Djokovic QF although no guarantees both will get that far

I think Federer will be very happy if he gets through the first week and gets in game time and practice.

Djokovic its hard to know which one will turn up but I am hoping its the one that really wants to be the man that dethrones Nadal at his favorite tournament on his favorite court.

lostcat · 28-05-2021 3:14pm

Slashermcguirk wrote: »

.... I really think past performance in French open over past few years should be taken into account when confirming seeds.

Could be a Federer vs Djokovic QF although no guarantees both will get that far

they do this for Wimbledon, using some kind of grass-fed formula (or used to, I think they have now dropped it) it might make sense for grass, seeing as it is only played on for two weeks a year.
There are enough high level clay court tournaments that the usual rankings are more relevant. I'm not sure it really matters on a long term basis.
In this case it has given Nadal a handy enough draw, most of the consistently good players over the past few months ended up on the other side.

I assume Sampras was no 1 or 2 seed for the French plenty of times, he never made the final and a good clay courter won the tournament each time.

I can't see Federer getting into a quarter (or even wanting to get into one) here.

lostcat · 28-05-2021 3:19pm

Floppybits wrote: »

Djokovic its hard to know which one will turn up but I am hoping its the one that really wants to be the man that dethrones Nadal at his favorite tournament on his favorite court.

I'm not sure Djokovic believes he can beat Nadal here, getting a right thumping last year despite coming into the final in very good form. There will be a lot of legacy riding on that semi if they both get there.

ForestFire · 28-05-2021 10:38pm

Floppybits wrote: »

Osaka is becoming a real pain with this nonsense and using mental health as a excuse is just pitiful. Would have more respect if she said I am not doing press conferences after my matches and left it at that. Sure a fine is pittance to her. I also think all this press conferences after matches are load of kack. The players are all so trained in how to handle the questions it is the same response over and over again.

Just wondering if I can avoid my customer calls next week so too, due to my mental health you know...??

And I'm being serious, I often have nightly stress, for some meetings, when things are not going great and the pressure is on....

If she thinks, she or her fellow athletes have stress to answer a few questions about a sporting game, win or lose (Probably still wins 1000s even when losing)...she should try going onto some business calls, with the demands and pressures of projects.

And we are talking, not losing a tiny portion of your own highly paid salary, but potentially your employers money, that could amount up to a single persons yearly wage.

(Unless its a government construction job, where its millions lost!!!)

klr87 · 29-05-2021 8:20am

yerwanthere123 wrote: »

As for Osaka boycotting press, give me a fucking break. Can be loosely translated as "I have no expectations of getting very far here, I've been doing zero work to improve my clay game, please don't ask me any tough questions". Hope she's sanctioned pretty heavily for it, but given she made over €50 million+ off court last year, it's not fines that will teach her a lesson.

Osaka will be 24 in October, and there's no sign of her getting any better on clay - or grass for that matter. Sharapova (love her or hate her) showed what determination and sheer bloody-mindedness can do. She had a good record at Roland Garros from the outset, despite being the proverbial "cow on ice". But she wasn't content with that. She won her first Rome title at 24, and her first French Open a year later. And while she started out younger than Osaka, she lost a lot of time to injuries in her early 20s.

klr87 · 29-05-2021 9:22am

yerwanthere123 wrote: »

Nadal, Djokovic and Federer all in the same half. Federer-Djokovic a potential QF match.

Notable women's R1 matches:
Kenin-Ostapenko
Azarenka-Kuznetsova
Jabeur-Putintseva
Suarez Navarro-Stephens

Kenin-Ostapenko.. at least one of them will make the second round Will be rooting for Suarez-Navarro pretty hard against Sloane.

Hopefully Ostapenko. She beat Kerber in Rome in one of the best matches of the season, but then lost the QF against Pliskova, despite having 3 match points, all on the Pliskova serve IIRC. It would have been better for the tournament if she had won that match, and maybe even for Pliskova, given what happened in the final.

If Azarenka-Kuznetsova goes the distance, then Azarenka will be odds-on to take an MTO, or even retire. Kuznetsova has played in some of the all-time slug-fests, particularly at the French and Australian.

I can't see Carla doing much after what she's been through with cancer. The French Open, Wimbledon and the USO are essentially her "farewell tour". But you never know: Sloane blew a seemingly unassailable second set lead against Wang Qiang in Parma last week, and lost in straight sets.

There are some other very interesting women's first round matches, like Gauff-Krunic, and Bencic-Podoroska. Bencic has had some very tough 1st round draws in slams, and this is yet another. Podoroska looks completely at home on clay, having been a semi-finalist here last year. She choked a bit against Serena Williams in Rome, but got it done 7-6 7-5.

Girly Gal · 30-05-2021 4:53pm

Thiem looks on the way out here, aren't Nadal and Djokovic on the opposite side of the draw, would have been a great opportunity for him to make the final again

mzungu · 30-05-2021 5:32pm

Not a good day at the office for Them. From two sets up he should be easily finishing these matches out.

Itssoeasy · 30-05-2021 5:50pm

Naomi osaka has been fined 15 thousand dollars for refusing to do any press interviews. Sure that’s pocket change to her.

MisterAnarchy · 30-05-2021 7:03pm

Itssoeasy wrote: »

Naomi osaka has been fined 15 thousand dollars for refusing to do any press interviews. Sure that’s pocket change to her.

She is a very unlikely person.
A real diva from her melodramatic histrionics last year for BLM to this latest publicity stunt.
Hopefully she gets booted out of the tournament for her disengenuous behaviour.

walshb · 30-05-2021 7:14pm

MisterAnarchy wrote: »

She is a very unlikely person.
A real diva from her melodramatic histrionics last year for BLM to this latest publicity stunt.
Hopefully she gets booted out of the tournament for her disengenuous behaviour.

Ah, but her mental health. Her mental health.

MisterAnarchy · 30-05-2021 7:16pm

walshb wrote: »

Ah, but her mental health. Her mental health.

A move out of the same playbook as Megan Markle.
Cue the outrage on Twitter, oh she is only being fined because she is a woman or she is black, they wouldn't fine a white man like Federer or Nadal if he did likewise.

yerwanthere123 · 30-05-2021 7:33pm

Osaka wasn't just fined, things escalated quite significantly today

https://twitter.com/mattracquet/status/1399016723253239813

Good to see they're taking a hard line with her, this nonsense needs stamping out.

BQQ · 30-05-2021 7:59pm

Zverev very slow out of the blocks, but looks like he's gonna survive now
2 breaks up in the last

whiterebel · 30-05-2021 8:14pm

BQQ wrote: »

Zverev very slow out of the blocks, but looks like he's gonna survive now
2 breaks up in the last

Unplayable in the last set. Magnificent tennis.

klr87 · 30-05-2021 10:52pm

yerwanthere123 wrote: »

Osaka wasn't just fined, things escalated quite significantly today

https://twitter.com/mattracquet/status/1399016723253239813

Good to see they're taking a hard line with her, this nonsense needs stamping out.

The corporations who pay her eye-watering amounts of money to wear, use and endorse their products would be seriously put out if she got herself banned from a slam. Their contracts with her presumably cover such things, Behind the scenes, they will probably now "encourage" her to see the error of her ways. Or else, she really could be facing serious financial consequences.

Rob2D · 31-05-2021 9:43am

klr87 wrote: »

The corporations who pay her eye-watering amounts of money to wear, use and endorse their products would be seriously put out if she got herself banned from a slam. Their contracts with her presumably cover such things, Behind the scenes, they will probably now "encourage" her to see the error of her ways. Or else, she really could be facing serious financial consequences.

This. The girl is clueless and all this acting up could well come back to haunt her. She doesn't seem to grasp that she's basically an employee in a travelling show at the end of the day. And she's biting the hand that feeds her. Another child who grew up in social media who thinks she can just tweet her issues away. How long before she turns on one of her sponsors? The Japanese especially will drop her in a heartbeat if she becomes too 'troublesome'. In Japan you do what you're told and tow the line. The more she acts like this, the harder a sell she becomes.

Girly Gal · 31-05-2021 4:32pm

Rob2D wrote: »

This. The girl is clueless and all this acting up could well come back to haunt her. She doesn't seem to grasp that she's basically an employee in a travelling show at the end of the day. And she's biting the hand that feeds her. Another child who grew up in social media who thinks she can just tweet her issues away. How long before she turns on one of her sponsors? The Japanese especially will drop her in a heartbeat if she becomes too 'troublesome'. In Japan you do what you're told and tow the line. The more she acts like this, the harder a sell she becomes.

Normally I'd agree with you and it is how it should go, but, all bets are off now once the mental health card is played, and if not already raised, the race and sexism cards could well appear too. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out.

Itssoeasy · 31-05-2021 6:11pm

Girly Gal wrote: »

Normally I'd agree with you and it is how it should go, but, all bets are off now once the mental health card is played, and if not already raised, the race and sexism cards could well appear too. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out.

So the fine that was handed out is racist or sexist now ? If she doesn’t want to talk to the media, then she should just say she doesn’t want to. It’s horrible how mental health is used as a reason these days for every thing. It does a disservice to people who have actual real mental health problems.

Augme · 31-05-2021 6:55pm

So Osaka has taken the decision herself to withdraw from the french open. Fair play to her.

Floppybits · 31-05-2021 7:02pm

Augme wrote: »

So Osaka has taken the decision herself to withdraw from the french open. Fair play to her.

Pulled out before she was knocked out. Wonder will she go to Wimbledon and pull the same stunt?

Augme · 31-05-2021 7:09pm

Floppybits wrote: »

Pulled out before she was knocked out. Wonder will she go to Wimbledon and pull the same stunt?

Do you think everyonw barring Nadal in the men's draw should pull out before being knocked out?

Itssoeasy · 31-05-2021 7:10pm

Augme wrote: »

So Osaka has taken the decision herself to withdraw from the french open. Fair play to her.

She put herself in the position to have to pull out of the tournament nobody else.

Itssoeasy · 31-05-2021 7:12pm

Floppybits wrote: »

Pulled out before she was knocked out. Wonder will she go to Wimbledon and pull the same stunt?

Well the all England club should say that any player who won’t have interviews should not bother turning up and do it now. I mean fair enough these post match interviews do at times seem boring and repetitive but it’s part of the deal.

Floppybits · 31-05-2021 7:17pm

Augme wrote: »

Do you think everyonw barring Nadal in the men's draw should pull out before being knocked out?

Are you Hector in disguise? She brought this on herself simple as that and it blew up in her face. If I was one of her sponsors I would be looking for my money back.

You don't see anyone else behaving like this?

Augme · 31-05-2021 7:18pm

Itssoeasy wrote: »

Well the all England club should say that any player who won’t have interviews should not bother turning up and do it now. I mean fair enough these post match interviews do at times seem boring and repetitive but it’s part of the deal.

I wouldn't be surprised if part of that deal starts to change now though.

Augme · 31-05-2021 7:24pm

Floppybits wrote: »

Are you Hector in disguise? She brought this on herself simple as that and it blew up in her face. If I was one of her sponsors I would be looking for my money back.

You don't see anyone else behaving like this?

It was more a case that your first point was fairly stupid tbh. Didn't really make any sense so I was wondering if you'd clarify it. You've decided not to so fair enough, we will move on.

I'd say she would be more than happy to give them their money back if they asked. I doubt they will though. Probably why you aren't one of her sponsors or in a position to make that decision either. In fact, I would say her sponsor night be more keen to come out in support of her now.

pjohnson · 31-05-2021 7:25pm

Augme wrote: »

I wouldn't be surprised if part of that deal starts to change now though.

It'll need more than Osaka to storm off in a huff for that to work.

Girly Gal · 31-05-2021 7:38pm

The sponsors and tournaments will not want to be seen to be negatively impacting the mental health of a young mixed race woman, like it or not that's how this will be portrayed in the media if they decide to pull support from her or ban her from tournaments. Personally I think she should be pulled up on her behaviour, but, that's not the world we leave in any more. She'll get off with a slap on the wrist

klr87 · 31-05-2021 7:42pm

I couldn't quite figure out how someone can handle playing matches on the biggest stages (where every shot could be a mistake), but not interviews (where many questions can be batted away with stock answers, once you learn the art*). I'm afraid she's messed this up from beginning to end, and backed herself into a corner, which she could take a long time to extricate herself from. Rather than trying to deflect attention from her issues, she's now brought them right out into the open. Everybody knows about them, she knows that everybody knows. Not a nice position to be in. If she'd just done the interviews and kept her counsel, she would have been under way less pressure and scrutiny than she is now.

*Just about any inter-county GAA player could give lessons on how to answer a question by saying absolutely nothing in the least bit enlightening. Mind you, the questions are usually so banal that they deserve such non-answers.

"Pressure is a privilege" - Billy Jean-King

Meanwhile, Kenin-Ostapenko was predictably unpredictable, with both trying to out-C'MON each other. Ostapenko couldn't hold serve in the final set, not for the first time, and probably not the last.

Augme · 31-05-2021 7:45pm

pjohnson wrote: »

It'll need more than Osaka to storm off in a huff for that to work.

Don't bank on it.

Christy42 · 31-05-2021 9:15pm

Itssoeasy wrote: »

Well the all England club should say that any player who won’t have interviews should not bother turning up and do it now. I mean fair enough these post match interviews do at times seem boring and repetitive but it’s part of the deal.

Why is it part of the deal? They do it to generate useless stories. Write about the match. If something is repetitive and boring get rid of it unless it provides some benefit. Keeping something in for the sake of it was always there is pointless.

She doesn't need tennis media to reach her fans. Heck if she makes an Instagram post it will get reported by them anyway without an interview.

Podge_irl · 31-05-2021 9:34pm

Christy42 wrote: »

Why is it part of the deal? They do it to generate useless stories. Write about the match. If something is repetitive and boring get rid of it unless it provides some benefit. Keeping something in for the sake of it was always there is pointless.

She doesn't need tennis media to reach her fans. Heck if she makes an Instagram post it will get reported by them anyway without an interview.

Because interviews often get snippets on the news with the tournament name and sponsors in the background. They aren't for her, they are for the tournament which is paying the prize money.

I have sympathy for her point of view but I'm not sure what the right answer is.

31-05-2021 9:39pm

Good on her.

She should pull out of Wimbledon too.

Organisers won't like missing out on those Japanese viewers.

wadacrack · 31-05-2021 9:40pm

Society continues to judge introverted athletes negatively, especially in the media ! This thread is good evidence of that. Look at any her interviews. She is pretty awkward, uncomfortable. I can understand her point of view. Admirable statement today and it would not have been easy to be so open about her emotions throughout this. Admitting you are socially anxious is pretty daunting I'd imagine.

santana75 · 31-05-2021 10:29pm

Fair play to her. The joint statement issued by the slams is insane really when you step back and ask when did the media become this idol that every athlete must bow down before and "fufill their obligations" to? Osaka is not the problem, she's doing the right thing, standing up to an organisation trying to force her into doing their bidding. More athletes need to take a stand and end this nonsense of painfully boring post match interviews that reveal exactly nothing

Christy42 · 31-05-2021 10:34pm

Podge_irl wrote: »

Because interviews often get snippets on the news with the tournament name and sponsors in the background. They aren't for her, they are for the tournament which is paying the prize money.

I have sympathy for her point of view but I'm not sure what the right answer is.

They more frequently get big named stars hitting shots which said tournament has just lost one of. The tournament and sponsors really get very little time in those snippets as well.

Podge_irl · 31-05-2021 10:36pm

santana75 wrote: »

Fair play to her. The joint statement issued by the slams is insane really when you step back and ask when did the media become this idol that every athlete must bow down before and "fufill their obligations" to? Osaka is not the problem, she's doing the right thing, standing up to an organisation trying to force her into doing their bidding. More athletes need to take a stand and end this nonsense of painfully boring post match interviews that reveal exactly nothing

Its not for the media. Its for the media and the sponsors and the TV companies and the tournament. It's not the media fining her, it was the tournament - no doubt partly because they themselves were not fulfilling their own contractual obligations to the TV and sponsors.

Whether or not you are interested in the interviews they generate massive media traction. They is undoubtedly steps that can be taken to make the situation better for athletes but simply stopping the interviews is not an inconsequential decision.

Podge_irl · 31-05-2021 10:36pm

Christy42 wrote: »

They more frequently get big named stars hitting shots which said tournament has just lost one of. The tournament and sponsors really get very little time in those snippets as well.

They are all over the backboards of the interviews...

ForestFire · 31-05-2021 10:38pm

santana75 wrote: »

Fair play to her. The joint statement issued by the slams is insane really when you step back and ask when did the media become this idol that every athlete must bow down before and "fufill their obligations" to? Osaka is not the problem, she's doing the right thing, standing up to an organisation trying to force her into doing their bidding. More athletes need to take a stand and end this nonsense of painfully boring post match interviews that reveal exactly nothing

She have benefited to the tune of 19.7m USD, for this seemingly "Forced Labour"

Forced labour is children making clothes in sweat shops or digging diamonds out of mines deep underground.

She is living a privileged life of wealth, and can retire now if she feels the pressure of this profession is too much for her.

No one is forcing her to do anything...she is free to decide to be part of the game or not....

How much is the prize money for Roland (Hint, she had already earned almost more than me, and most others, in a year for her fist game only)? Interviews are part of her job description, just like customer meetings are part of my job description...

How hard is it to do an interview and say, didn't play great today, the better player won on this occasion, but hope to be back stronger for the next tournament??

French Open 2021

Comments