NOW IT BEGINS – ROLAND GARROS 2015 BY CHERYL JONES

Written by: Staff on 23rd May 2015

NOW IT BEGINS - ROLAND GARROS 2015 BY CHERYL JONES |

Photo by Francisco Resendiz.

In 1968, Roland Garros hosted the first Grand Slam tournament of the Open Era. The French Open or as it is known in France, Roland Garros has been hosting tournaments for 113 years. As always, the French Tennis Federation has been honing the event to make its present day a perfect Parisian polished venue. Much has changed in all those years, but one thing is certain, it is the pinnacle of the global tennis championships that include the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open.

Photo by @wta via Instagram.

The prize money has significantly risen since last year, and the winner will receive 1.8 million Euros. It is certain that Rafael Nadal will be looking to be the first player, man or woman, to take home ten titles and the certainly the remuneration that goes with it. (Margaret Court has eleven titles at the Australian Open and Martina Navratilova has 9 titles all at Wimbledon.) In a sidebar that should be included, Nadal is also looking to hoist the trophy for the sixth year in a row, which will be a record in Paris. Three men have had at least six successive titles in both the US Open and Wimbledon, but the last time that happened was in 1925 when Bill Tilden took home his sixth straight title at the US Championships, (the precursor to the US Open). In the early years, it was easier to take home the title multiple times. It seems that until 1921, the champion from the previous year would have to win only one match (the final) to retain the title. Nadal, who has been having issues with his overtaxed body, likely wishes for a return of those “good old days”, in order to spare the pain and uncertainty that playing many matches might provide.

Sunday will provide a look-see for the first of the players to move either up or down. It will be interesting to watch the mystery unfold, because year after year, there are surprises. Players who seem barely ordinary step up and play extraordinary tennis – and often. Last year’s women’s winner, Russian player Maria Sharapova outlasted Romanian, Simona Halep who will be the one to kickoff play on Court Philippe Chatrier, promptly at 11:00 a.m. She will face yet another Russian, Evgeniya Rodina, and if my guess is correct, she will sail into the next round without a problem.

Roger Federer will provide the Second Acton that same court, and face Alejandro Falla, who is unseeded. The nearly 34 year-old Federer isn’t ageless, but his fluid game should allow him to move into the next round with no problems. Federer has had some issues with the clay, but this year should test his growing comfort on the surface. The terre battue might be easier for him to deal with after climbing to the final in Rome mere weeks ago.

Tomorrow’s matches will be the beginning of the 114th Roland Garros and players young and old will have something to prove, not just for themselves but for all the tennis fans that will be tuning in to the watch the play from all over the world.

Roll on, Roland Garros.

“The ball kids are ready! #RG15 #InsideRG” – Photo by @rolandgarros via Instagram.

Topics: Cheryl Jones, French Open, RG15, Roland Garros 2015, Tennis News

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10sBalls_com says:

May 23, 2015 at 1:57 pm

NOW IT BEGINS – @rolandgarros 2015 BY CHERYL JONES – http://t.co/JvijabZ7HP #Tennis #FrenchOpen #RolandGarros #RG2015 #RG15 #Paris #France
HilarySteel says:

May 23, 2015 at 7:41 pm

RT @TennisNewsOne: NOW IT BEGINS – ROLAND GARROS 2015 BY CHERYL JONES http://t.co/rALCE1KPCY #tennis