The French Curse

Well known amongst tennis freaks is the fact that French players are usually pretty good clay court players.  The French Open, after all, is on red clay.  But there is the French Curse to consider:  French players suffer at the French Open.  The only male singles winner in the last sixty years was Yannick Noah in 1983.  Two ladies have won the even since 1947:  Mary Pierce in 2000 and Françoise Dürr in 1967.  But thank God for Gaël Monfils, who won the boys’ singles in 2004, giving France some future hope.  Let’s hope that hope isn’t really hopeless.

Three French + Three Finals = Zero Winners

Three tournaments have lead us to this, French Open Eve — qualifiers are almost finished duking it out for their births.  All three finals featured a French player.  All three French players lost.  Perhaps it’s getting too close to the first official match of this Slam, but Aravane Rezai, Amélie Mauresmo and Monfils for the men, all crashed in different circumstances.

Hypo Group Tennis International

Hypo Group Tennis International,  Monfils lost to Juan Monaco of
Argentina, 76(3) 60.  Normally a #47 player beating a #72 player wouldn’t be too much to talk about, especially with the final set include a snack:  the bagel.  But Monfils came roaring through after a dismal year on the circuit and stomped over Andy Roddick and Lleyton Hewitt.  You’d think a #47 player would have been easy for him.  But again I say, Argentinians love the clay and French play well on it just before choking.  Don’t hate me, Gael, I’m actually a huge fan and I’m a lot less mad at you then you are.

Internationaux de Strasbourg

Over at the Internationaux de Strasbourg (Strasbourg, France), a $175,000 Tier IV event, Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain defeated number one seed and currently 5^th in the world, Amélie Mauresmo, trading sets instead of having a Monfils-style shut disintegration.  At this event, Garrigues got a lucky draw with Jelena Jankovic bowing out before their match.  Jankovic, had she stayed, would have easily won and she has a strong shot at the Open title, if I can say that without jinxing her.  Ladies doubles dream team, number one ranked Yan Zi/Zheng Jie of China defeated the Australian/Chinese pairing of Alicia Molik and Sun Tiantian.  Let’s hope these two get to add a new Slam to their history.

Istanbul Cup

At the $200,000 Tier IV Istanbul Cup (Turkey), number two ranked Elena Dementieva defeated France’s Aravane Rezai, 76(5) 30. The game was retired due to Rezai’s left patella tendonitis. Pity, as Rezai had been triumphant over both Venus Williams and Maria Sharpova on her way into the finals.  Anyone who beats Sharapova is okay in my book.  Yes, I am still saving the Maria discussion for later.  I’m sure her father or she will pull something this week that is either on the edge of cheating or just a flat-out slap in the face to a rule or two.  It’s usually just a matter of time.  No offense toward Rezai’s achievements, but I cannot help but wonder what with Schnyder’s early  bow-out, Venus’s sloppy second round play after a stunning first, Jankovic’s disappearance and Sharapova’s ease at losing to a low-ranked player, that some of this is in anticipation of the incredibly physical game that today’s tennis has become.  In other words, they’re saving up for the big one.  And it’s about money, too.  Who are we kidding?  If you bow out of a $20,000 possible purse, you can easily gain it back at Roland-Garros in fewer rounds.

As for the doubles champs of Turkey, that goes to sister act Angieska Radwanska/Ursula Radwanska of Poland who beat the Taiwan/India pair, number one ranked Chan/Mirza, decisively, 61 63.  I had suspected this might be the case when the sisters upset another sibling pair, the Bondarenkos, in an earlier round. 

Tennis World Team Championships

In the jam-packed week leading up to Slam number two for this year, the Tennis World Team Championships will be fought by the Czech Republic (Tomas Berdych, Jan Hajek, Jiri Novak, Martin Damm) trying to defeat Argentina (Jose Acasuso, Agustin Calleri, Juan Ignacio Chela, Sebastian Prieto).  Odd, as the Czech’s are not known for having a lot of well-ranked players, unlike their opponents and other teams at the event, such as the good ole USA.  Go check the site to see how they did.  I don’t want to talk about.

I will talk later, though, and plenty, about the French Open.  Much to say.  Lots of interesting subjects in the draw.  Go visit them and start getting excited about the next few weeks.  Clay courts + Slam = Lots of Surprises.