Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka will be the first to admit that much of their clay seasons didn’t meet their lofty standards, but they’ve raised their games at the right moment for a rematch on Friday at Roland Garros. Murray defeated the 2015 champion in four sets at this very round last year, but the rematch is one some tennis critics may not have predicted at the start of the fortnight. Murray arrived in Paris with a 4-4 record on clay this year and lost before the quarter-finals in three of his four events on the dirt. Dropping sets in his first two matches this fortnight to Andrey Kuznetsov and Martin Klizan didn’t do much to fuel optimism, but he...
It’s fitting that the biggest rivalry of this clay season will conclude on Court Philippe-Chatrier. Rafael Nadal and Dominic Thiem have already met three times in the past six weeks and will battle one more time on Friday for a spot in the Roland Garros final. There will be no surprises when they share the court once again. Both players have a healthy respect for each other and the weapons they bring to the court. Nadal acknowledged the Austrian’s power and that he “doesn’t give you a lot of options.” With his massive forehand, backhand and big serve, Thiem is one of very few players with the firepower to make life uncomfortable for Nadal on clay. Meanwhile, Thiem praised Nadal’s...
Day 11 at Roland Garros promises to be the most appetising yet for men's tennis fans. Four quarter-finals. One day. Hours of entertainment. No. 4 Rafael Nadal (ESP) v. No. 20 Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP), 11 a.m. Court Philippe Chatrier FedEx ATP Head2Head: Nadal leads 3-0 Can anyone stop Rafael Nadal? The fourth seed has looked like clear favourite to take home his 10th Roland Garros crown and achieve tennis history on Sunday. No man or woman has won a Grand Slam title 10 times since the Open Era began 49 years ago, in April 1968. This fortnight in Paris, Nadal has yet to drop a set and could hoist the trophy without doing so, as he did in 2008...
Rafael Nadal may be peerless on clay with nine titles and a 76-2 record at Roland Garros, but Toni Nadal still admits he feels nervous if his nephew wins too easily. Nadal has lost just 20 games in four matches this year at the clay-court Grand Slam championship and remains on track to capture his 10th trophy without dropping a set – as he did at Roland Garros in 2008 and 2010. “I am always scared when we win easily,” admitted Toni Nadal. “Then you have a close match where you are 4-4, 5-5 and you get surprised to reach that stage… The first week has been perfect or at least that’s what the results show. Rafael has won his...
Top seeds Henri Kontinen and John Peers lead a strong doubles field on the clay of Roland Garros. The Australian Open champions tasted victory the last time they were in Paris, lifting the Tennis Paris Masters trophy in November, and will look to continue their winning ways on French soil. The Finnish-Aussie duo open against Spanish pair David Marrero and Tommy Robredo and will face stiff competition to lift the trophy. Defending champions Feliciano Lopez and Marc Lopez also reside in their quarter of the draw, while fourth seeds Lukasz Kubot and Marcelo Melo and seventh seeds Ivan Dodig and Marcel Granollers also loom large in their half. View Draw Kubot and Melo enter on the heels of claiming their...
