Things We Learned on Day 10 of the 2014 French Open

Amy:

1. I’m sure Sharapova was probably just confused from the lack of context of this, but leave it to the British press to ask her about a random tweet from Judy Murray, and then make a big deal when she has no idea what they’re talking about.

https://twitter.com/NeilHarmanTimes/status/473847830038462464

2. This is just amazing.

3. First Wozzilroy, and now it looks like Vikafoo is no longer. I never really cared much about the Redfoo talk, but I’d be lying if I said I’ll miss seeing him in Vika’s box when she eventually gets back on court. A Twitter friend said it best:

4. Yes, it has absolutely nothing to do with tennis, but I have to share this with the world. I just moved to Philadelphia three days ago, and for lunch today, I ate at a restaurant 300 feet away from my new place, and had something called a “bacon lattice mac and cheese pie.” Look at how glorious it is:

I promise I’ll have more to say about the tennis, now that I’m settled in.

5. For Rafael Nadal’s 28th birthday today, Vogue took a look at his bold, colorful on-court fashion statements.

Lindsay:

1. Since the world seems to want to make the genders forever in battle in tennis, it’s very important to know that the women crushed the men in both performances and entertainment value today. Oh, and they all played the same number of sets, too!

Muguruza showed once again that her win over Serena was no fluke, crushing Sharapova in the first set and then pushing her to the brink in the second set before fading away in the third set. I have to hope that Garbine is able to build on this run and get to the top 10 sooner rather than later, because she is smart and feisty and brave and I like her a lot.

But Sharapova did what she does best: cling on with the tip of her fingernails and then claw her way back to victory.

Meanwhile, CSN-Bouchard was a battle of nerves, contrasting styles and all the cross-court action you could handle. It was beautiful stuff at times, and it was hard not to feel a bit heartbroken to see Suarez-Navarro let go of her best chance at a major semifinal.

Still, all the credit goes to Bouchard. She might not have a warm, friendly and popular attitude, but she certainly has a winning one, and getting to back-to-back major semifinals is a huge accomplishment no matter what the draw.

I’m pretty excited about Bouchard vs. Sharapova on Thursday, although I’m not at all excited about the hype.

2. Shhhh … don’t tell him, but Julien Benneteau is into the doubles semifinal with his partner Edouard Roger-Vasselin. For some unknown reason, they are the highest seeds left in the draw. Considering Benny lost 18-16 in the fifth to a guy whose name you likely can’t remember in the first round, this would be a big deal. (And therefore it won’t happen.)

3. Here’s a link to part of the Ernie presser, if you’re into that sort of thing. You’re welcome.

Q. You said yesterday that you thought you had one of the best backhands on the tour. Out of the guys that are left in the tournament now   Djokovic, Nadal, Murray, Monfils   do you feel like you have the best backhand out of the six guys that are left in the tournament?

ERNESTS GULBIS: Why my opinion should have changed from day to day? If I said that I have the best one, one of the best throughout all the tour, doesn’t matter who’s left in the tournament. My backhand didn’t change overnight.

4. Can anyone stop a Nadal vs. Djokovic final? I dug into the stats and head to heads and came up with this radical conclusion: probably not.

5. This twisted strap DROVE ME INSANE. Get it together, Maria. Sheesh.

6. There have been a lot of ridiculous things going on in the world of tennis coverage over the past couple of weeks, but ESPN Tennis live-tweeting a tape-delayed match takes the cake. I’m pretty sure that your audience watching the tape delay isn’t on twitter–or at least you’d better hope not, considering you were tweeting spoilers at the same time.

3 Responses

  1. kwando
    kwando June 3, 2014 at 8:06 pm |

    I can’t believe ESPN would be… silly enough to live-tweet a recorded broadcast. But, still, happy for Genie to make it to another semi. Too bad Milos couldn’t pull it off, though…

  2. ST
    ST June 3, 2014 at 8:56 pm |

    Lindsay – what precisely makes you come to the conclusion that Bouchard doesn’t have a “warm, friendly and popular attitude?” I’m far from the biggest tennis fan in the world or even in the top 10,000, but from what I’ve heard from her during the Australian Open and here she seems to me like someone who has a cheerful, engaging personality. Is there something I’m not seeing?

  3. q10
    q10 June 3, 2014 at 10:35 pm |

    @ST maybe it’s to do with the comment Bouchard said about you can’t have friends on the tour?
    and thank you Lindsay for the link to the Ernie presser, always interesting words coming out of his mouth

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