Roland Garros Day 2 Update

Hey Y'all. Galileo here.

Rain is set to plague the French Open all week. It has already delayed play significantly. With thunderstorms on the cards, too, how will any matches be completed? When will the first week be concluded? We still have three, all involving seeds, that are not yet complete.

In one match, home favourite Paire eventually won in five over Albot, 6-4 in the 5th. With 78 unforced errors, Paire is clearly living up to his reputation. He goes through to take on Gabashvili. Kyrgios beat Cecchinato in three sets to edge through to the second round. Hitting 16 aces and 50 winners, the Aussie is in fine fettle. Unfortunately for the Aussie, Gasquet looms. He also had another fiery exchange with an umpire. He rightfully pointed out how Djokovic shoved an umpire and got a little slap on the wrist and also apologized. Still, it’s another incident and the last thing he needs.

Other winners across the first two days were Gabashvili over Young, Kuznetsov over Becker and Sijsling over Ungur. In Mladenovic news, she lost in the semi-finals of Strasbourg and drew Schiavone in the first round here. That semi result was her best all year. She’s been pretty poor all year but can she and Garcia finally show what they have? Kiki also has Serena looming.

*Suicide Picks*
MS 1st Rd: Sousa d. Dzumhur
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WS 1st Rd: Ivanovic d. Dodin


CHATRIER: WAWRINKA D. ROSOL
...Shall we start with our defending champion? He has a manageable draw and he just won in Geneva. Surely a run is more than possible here. When Rosol won the first set 6-4, people suddenly remembered the Swiss losing to Garcia-Lopez in 2014 in the first round. Would he do a Red Sox and do the worst to first to worst pattern? His inner-Stanimal showed up at just the right time, as he came back to take it 4-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. Both men hit nine aces, though Wawrinka hit 56 winners to 51. Rosol hit three less errors. It was a very even match played in three hours of drizzling rain. The man Murray claimed nobody liked broke just twice. And therein lay the rub. He converted a fifth of his break chances and Wawrinka a quarter. It’s the little things that can turn a match. With Japanese man Daniel coming up, Wawrinka will have a much nicer match next.
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CHATRIER: NISHIKORI D. BOLELLI
...There are few storylines in the early stages of slams, drowned in a sea of blowouts. Nishikori could have been excused for letting Bolelli push him, but he had no need to be excused. He dominated the Italian in a 6-1, 7-5, 6-3 victory on Chatrier. Hitting just 17 errors, Kei was perfect. He broke six times but he only won 50 per cent of second serve points. His first serve was little better. It mattered little as he only lost serve once. He wasn’t overly troubled and looks good. He is a not so dark a horse to reach the final. His forehand is on song but he could do with coming to net a bit more. In other Kei news, his outfit is very dull. His next match is against Kuznetsov and should not be taken lightly. The Russian has found some serious form lately and could definitely nick a set.
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LENGLEN: SIMON D. DUTRA SILVA
...One can forget how many Frenchies there are until you see them at their home slam taking up space on the show courts. It is the right of Roland Garros to do that because everyone else [except Wimbledon] does. Still the Raonic match should have taken precedence over this one. Simon won 7-6[5], 6-4, 6-2. There were thirteen breaks of service and the Brazilian hit over 50 errors. What can be said about this match, which called out to be placed in the back of beyond? Nothing. But the next three matches will all be huge challenges. Pella, Troicki and Wawrinka are all just around the corner.
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LENGLEN: GASQUET D. BELLUCCI
...Yes, another Brazil versus France clash. This is justifiably show court worthy. Gasquet is an unknown quantity, though more than a third of his slam runs have ended in the fourth round. The crowd barely saw Ritchie as he whipped 24 winners and conjured seven breaks to see off Bellucci. He was in and out, a perfect tactic in the pouring rain. The Frenchman looks like he could make a go of it here, especially if the draw fell his way. Bellucci has once more disappointed, and his career has been undercooked. All the ingredients were right but the finished item is all wrong. Fratangelo, who took a set off the Djoker this year, is his next opponent. Expect the Frenchman to overwhelm the young American.
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COURT TWO: TRUNGELLITI D. CILIC
...Chardy defeating Mayer in four is somewhat of an upset, but enough of the Frenchman. This is the match we should be focused on. It is the first big upset, the first slam winner to go down. He was typically abysmal in his loss to an unsung Argentinian qualifier. Unseeded in the qualies, Cilic should’ve taken this one in an hour. The world number 166 just got better and better, winning going away 7-6[4], 3-6, 6-4, 6-2. This means players in this quarter all now have a shot at a run. It gives Andre Ramos a magnificent chance to reach the fourth round of a slam for the first time. Cilic falling was not unexpected. The Croat did reach a final in Geneva last week, but he is not a good player right now. That U.S. Open is beginning to look more and more like a total fluke. What can he do at Wimbledon?
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OUTER COURT SELECTION: TROICKI d. DIMITROV
...Welcome to rock bottom. Dimitrov cannot even play spoiler against the 22nd seed. Troicki was too good, winning in five. Title-less since 2014 and down 30 places from his career high of eight, the Bulgarian’s loss in four hours was the sour cherry atop a rotten cake. It’s the way he’s losing. He lost 2-6, 6-3, 5-7, 7-5, 6-3. He blew it up two sets to one. He even admitted afterwards he feels insecure on court. These are not the words of a former top ten player who was a threat at every slam. Maybe Wimbledon, where he could be seeded, is the place he will regain his mojo. Troicki will face Lajovic next. How will Dimitrov find all that he has lost? Only time will tell, but surely grass court season is the best time to begin.


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