Tennis Tour Tidbits – Roland Garros, Federer, Rafael and more…

Written by: Staff on 3rd June 2013

French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros

Tennis Tour Tidbits - Roland Garros, Federer, Rafael and more...

epa03726187 Alize Cornet of France in action during her third round match against Victoria Azarenka of Belarus at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, 01 June 2013. EPA/YOAN VALAT |

Ryan Harrison made a visit to Radio Roland Garros and tried his hand at play by play. The 21-year-old American aspires to be a sportscaster when he retires. Harrison revealed that while at his best friend Matt Ebden’s wedding as a groom, he danced with the Australian’s sister: “It was a step down for her as my dancing skills are nowhere near par!” he said with a laugh. Harrison, who fell to John Isner In France, is headed to England to play the Nottingham Challenger. Jack Sock, who lost to Tommy Haas, may try to get in there too. . .

After falling in the third round of the French, Marion Bartoli is unsure whether she will play Birmingham. Many of the young US women will head there, including Madison Keys, who will also try and play Eastbourne prior to Wimbledon. . .

France’s Alize Cornet, thinks she’s on the verge of being an elite player again but realizes something is missing. “I need to find the key, quote/unquote, to open that door and unlock that potential,” she said. “And I felt close in my level of game, close to beating those players in the top 10. But I like things to keep moving fast. So I get impatient. I want to feel those fabulous feelings.” . . .

Former Roland Garros champion Ana Ivanovic agrees with Rafael Nadal that the men should be scheduled before the women if weather is factor as the men play three out of five sets and the women only two out of three. “Especially now when it’s like maybe they have back to back because of the rain, I think it’s just fair that they play first because they can get more time to recover,” she said. In a way he’s maybe right, but for us it also gets quite late. But especially now when he has to play day after day, I think he’s right. They should play early.” Nadal, who was scheduled to play the last match on Thursday but had his match postponed until Friday, was not only upset that his third round opponent, Fabio Fognini, finished his second match on Thursday, but that the reason he was given was Fognini’s opponent, Lukas Rosol, had to play doubles. “I am sorry, but that’s a joke,” he said. “You have one more week to play doubles if you want to play doubles. Why do you want to protect the player who has to play doubles? So I’m going to write myself on the doubles draw then and I have the priority to play?”

The normally graceful Roger Federer admitted the awkward stumbling fall he suffered during his French Open fourth round match win over Gilles Simon might have seen him drop the next two sets but ultimately provide the impetus to fight through.

PS…
Roger Federer’s win in Paris over Giles Simon marked his 900 career win. That’s an astounding number. The ATP is so lucky to have the brilliant Greg Sharko keeping track of all these details for over 20 years. The guy loves tennis. It’s it in his blood. He is our walking /talking encyclopedia.
Happy birthday Rafael Nadal. We know how Rafa is spending part of his birthday. But do you suppose he was born on time or late. Maybe his personality is more of the Taurus the bull versus a Gemini ?

Rafa started playing tennis at age 4. So he has been playing tennis 23 of his 27 years on earth.
Did Laura Robson pull out of dubs in the French ? According to Instagram she was cleaning her cupboards ? A slam is a slam ?
The men’s doubles is going thru the usual break ups. It was sad to see last years men’s champs of Max Mirnyi and Daniel Nestor both playing with new partners this year but both lost in the second round at RG13. They won this championships last year. That stings.
There are so many great doubles players out there. The depth in the men’s dubs in possibly at the highest we have ever known. Wish it was shown on television.
It’s nice to see Red Foo at the French. We wonder how his training is going . Foo is due to play in the U.S. Open playoffs. He was an excellent junior so he has a real chance. His dad Gordy Berry has a new play in New York about his Motown years. Red Foo was known around Southern California as Stephan Gordy.
Tennis players are the best sports. After all these battles in rough conditions when the match is over they shake hands. They hug. They exchange pleasantries. Amazing athletes.

Topics: Alize Cornet, Ana Ivanovic, jack sock, John Isner, Marion Bartoli, Max Mirnyi, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Roland Garros, Ryan Harrison