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Roland Garros

World No.1 Iga Swiatek was just too good against Alison Riske in straight sets at Court Suzanne Lenglen. Her first set spell so was outstanding that went unchallenged with six games to zero.

Although Riske may have fought back a game or two after the break, but it’s all about the overall performance where Swiatek closed this off comfortably from start to finish; 6-0, 6-2.

It was not the exit Riske wanted, having been blown away by Swiatek’s elite offerings on the table. She did the best she can when Riske fought back a couple of games, as well as shown some late progress with two games being accrued in the 2nd set. But the ship was already sailed by that stage when it comes to the overall lead.

And there’s so many good things to say about Swiatek where she dominated this game for the whole time; left, right & centre. She will continue her French Open campaign going into Saturday for Round 3 against Danka Kovinic from Montenegro, in a bid to secure her 2nd grand slam triumph since that breakthrough here as a 19-year-old two years ago. And although she would’ve love to challenge Ash Barty at any final, but with Barty now retired, It’s Swiatek’s time now to prove herself that she can win grand slam singles’ tournaments every year.

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It was an easy start by Novak Djokovic while Slovakian Alex Molcan began to make up some lost time after he was beaten easily in the opening set. However, Molcan’s late fightback in the 3rd set wasn’t enough to save his French Open campaign, as Djokovic closed out this Round 2 tie in straight sets with the win; 6-2, 6-3, 7-6 via 7-4 tiebreaker.

Congratulations to Djokovic who is through to Round 3 tomorrow against Aljaz Bedene from Slovenia. He was simply outstanding for the majority during these two opening sets. Although he had to overcome a competitive duel in the third while Molcan tried to keep this game alive, but Djokovic used the lifeline well going into the tiebreak and capped off in style with the win. Brilliant response there to hold back his opponent in a couple of areas that helped Novak being prepared to fight hard & show grand slam quality on the court.

Meanwhile, Moclan played some brilliant shots that earned him a few games, especially when he tried to stay in this fight which went all the way through the tiebreak in the 3rd set. But a poor opening set spell alongside a couple of gaps with his inconsistency just couldn’t him challenge the elite stature of Djokovic in the end. He came off a great run recently in the ATP Tour despite a couple of runner-up losses so far in 2022. But there’s still room for improvement though at age 24 where his best grand slam appearance was the US Open 3rd Round last year, as well as being the 38th ranked singles’ player right now.

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And 3rd seed Spaniard Paula Badosa was just too good against Fiona Ferro from France in straight sets, 6-2, 6-0. She basically wrapped this up real quick in just 54 minutes from start to finis, as Badosa’s next opponent going into Round 2 tomorrow will be Estonian Kaja Juvan.

She’s currently ranked Number 2 behind Iga Swiatek from Poland in the world of the women’s singles game after Ash Barty chose to retire on a high with an Australian Open women’s singles’ title two months. Her best grand slam performance to date was the Quarter-Finals here last year where she was defeated by Slovakian Tamara Zidansek.

However, this is her only grand slam finals appearance so far after she couldn’t get past the Round of 16 earlier this year at the Australian Open by American Madison Keys in straight sets, 6-3, 6-1. It’s still a long way to go but a great tournament last year here on clay, as well as a great WTA Tour campaign, also off the back from the same year, will hopefully be her breakthrough in a bid to win her first grand slam career here at the Roland Garros.

And unlucky with the heavy loss from Ferro where she was eliminated very early in this tournament. She was on the same page as Badosa with a point or two at the beginning of this match-up, but she just couldn’t keep up the high standards Badsoa has set ever since.

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We’re all gutted to see our Australian No.1 & World No.19 Alex De Minaur being eliminated early by Frenchman Hugo Gaston in the opening round of the 2022 French Open at Court Suzanne Lenglen, even though it was a really competitive effort by the two players.

He fired off well but then fell behind for a while where De Minaur at one point was on a brink towards an early end going into the third set. However, he never gave up and began to rebound lost time midway through this match-up with two easy mini-wins in sets 3 & 4. Unfortunately, he just couldn’t hold off Gaston in a head-to-head sprint to the finish when De Minaur blew his lifeline away during the 5th & final set via the tiebreak.

And hats off to 21-year-old Gaston who opened his French Open campaign he really wanted at home in Paris. He responded to De Minaur’s fire off beautifully at the beginning with a late snatch following the opening set before he was too good in the second stanza. Now he may began to falter when De Minaur denied Gaston the chance to close the opening round in straight sets, even though he was beaten so easily after the fourth set. However, you gotta praise his finishing going into the final set tiebreak where Gaston managed to reset himself that helped him bow out comfortably with the win.

The final score if 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 0-6, 7-6 via 10-6 tiebreaker, as Gaston will meet Argentine Pedro Cachin in the second round tomorrow.

There’s only one Aussie though in the men’s singles running when it comes to Jason Kulber after he too overcame a really tight battle v American Denis Kudla in straight sets that was all collected via tie-breakers. He will need to beat 10th seed Cameron Norrie from Great Britain if Kubler wishes to continue his run in the 2nd Round tonight.

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What a comeback from Novak Djokovic! He was almost out of contention after being out during the first two sets to Stefanos Tsitsipas (6-7, 6-8 tiebreaker & 2-6).

But he never gave up until the very end and won back the next three sets himself (6-3, 6-2, 6-4) that confirmed his 19th grand slam crown!

Shows a lot of being such a true sport and pro from the Djoker.

And on Tsitsipas, he was almost there at one point with his terrific start of the big final. It was the first of these meetings coming from a 22 year old.

Although, he was unable to hold off Novak after the 2nd stage. But he can use this loss today in the hope of doing much better next time. As he has got a whole bright tennis career ahead of him so no rush.

Looking forward to Wimbledon now!

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What a moment for Barbora Krejcikova who won her first grand slam title at the Roland Garros.

It was an easy first set win for the Czech 6-1 but Anastasia Paulyuchenkova bounced back in the 2nd 2-6.

That led to a close battle towards the finish as Krejcikova came home first 6-4.

Tough to see that lost coming from Paulyuchenkova, but it’s been 14 years to finally reach her first grand slam final. And never gave up so there is a few good moments coming her way after the French Open.

Onto the Men’s finals now later today between Novak Djokovic v Stefanos Tsitsipas.

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