Grand Slam

From Navratilova To Nadal: Tennis Legends And Coaches Pick Their French Open Favourites

Ubitennis has a closer look at the players who have been backed to win Roland Garros this year.

Published

5 years ago

22/05/2019

Adam Addicott

The women's French Open trophy (photo by Gianni Ciaccia)

With the French Open getting underway on Sunday, players are making their final preparations ahead of the start of the most prestigious event to take place on the clay.

Once again the usual suspects will be heading into the event as favourites to win. Although 2019 has been far from predictable with a series of different winners each week. On the WTA Tour, Karolina Pliskova, Kiki Bertens and Petra Kvitova has been the only players to have won multiple titles this season. Meanwhile, five players have achieved the accolade on the men’s tour. Including Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.

With a grand slam title at stake, some are wondering if more surprises will be in store. Especially in the women’s draw with many still inspired by Jelena Ostapenko’s shock run to the title back in 2017.

Maybe the best indicator is to get the opinion of those who have been involved in the sport for the majority of their lives. Here is who some former players and coaches have backed to win the title this year.

Justine Henin

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Former Belgian player Justine Henin knows what it takes to win the Roland Garros title. During her career, she won the tournament four times and was undefeated between 2005-2007. In the Open Era only Steffi Graf (six) and Chris Evert (seven) have won the women’s French Open title more times.

Henin’s pick for the women’s title this year is reigning champion Simona Halep. The Romanian has featured in the Paris final three times since 2014 and it is currently the only grand slam where she has won 20 or more main draw matches. Her current win-loss record stands at 24-8.

“It is going to be a very interesting tournament. I think Simona Halep is going to be the favourite. I like her game, I like how she plays on clay because on clay you need to be a complete player, both physically and mentally,” Henin told the Indo-Asian news service on May 1st.
“Every grand slam, you get one or two surprises. So, I am expecting that also to happen,” she added.

During a recent interview with Digi Sport TV, Halep has dismissed the idea that she feels under pressure to perform at the French Open. Since winning her maiden major title 12 months ago, she has only won one additional trophy on the WTA Tour. Doing so at the Canadian Open last summer.

“I have no expectations because it’s the first time when I have to defend a trophy at a Grand Slam,” Halep said. “(I just want to) be relaxed, enjoy the tournament and try to win some matches. Nothing more!”

Toni Nadal

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Uncle Toni, who is best known as the former coach of Rafael Nadal, believes there will be three key contenders for the men’s title. Besides multiple champion Nadal, Toni has named world No.1 Djokovic and 2018 runner-up Dominic Thiem as favourites.

“I do not know, Rafael has not played in a perfect way in Madrid, Monte Carlo or Barcelona, he reached the semifinals and I think here and in Paris, he will play well”, Toni told Tennis World USA shortly before the Italian Open.
“I think he is the favourite with Novak Djokovic and Dominic Thiem.

Federer has also been named as a potential threat. The Swiss player hasn’t played in the clay-court major since 2015 and it will be only his third tournament on the clay since June 2016. Federer’s first and only triumph at the French Open was a decade ago in 2008.

“Roger Federer too, he has won a record 20 Grand Slam titles, it’s normal he is one of the contenders, less than Djokovic and Rafael but if he plays well he can beat one of the top guys.”

Arantxa Sanchez Vicario

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In the Open Era, Sanchez Vicario in the only Spanish woman to have won Roland Garros on multiple occasions. The 47-year-old was victorious in 1989, 1994 and 1998. Placing her on equal ground with Serena Williams for most titles won at the event.

Unsurprisingly Sanchez Vicario lists compatriot Nadal as the man to beat, but says this year he will face a greater threat from his rivals. The King of clay has endured a mixed season on the dirt so far. Reaching the semi-finals at three consecutive events before going on to win the Rome Masters. His first ATP silverware of the season.

“Nadal is the one to beat because of the success he has had on clay. Also, playing five sets is a different story compared to three sets,” Sanchez Vicario told Firstpost.
“This year, there are going to be more players who can challenge Rafa for the title. Novak Djokovic, obviously, is one of them. Dominic Thiem is a very good clay court specialist. Then we also have Roger Federer and Stefanos Tsitsipas. So it is wide open.”

The Spaniard has previously backed Halep to defend her title. Beyond that, she lists Petra Kvitova as a player to watch out for in the draw. The Czech is currently one of three players to have won multiple WTA titles in 2019. However, Kvitova hasn’t reached the French Open semi-finals since 2012.

“Kvitova is a very dangerous player and none of the players like to face her when she’s on top. The fact that she is left-handed gives her an advantage, so she’s definitely one of the contenders in Paris,” Sanchez Vicario said.

Vicario also lists Ashleigh as a threat because ‘players will struggle against her.’ She also described Naomi Osaka as a ‘worthy No.1’ and has shown that she can ‘play on all surfaces.’ Both Barty and Osaka are yet to win a trophy on the clay during their professional careers.

Mats Wilander

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Former world No.1 Mats Wilander said his dream final in the women’s draw would involve Serena Williams. The American has only played in one clay event this season heading into the major. At the Italian Open Williams defeated Rebecca Peterson before withdrawing due to a knee injury.

“It would be nice to see Simona Halep in the final, because she the most interesting character on the WTA (tour) and I’d like to see her in the final with Serena Williams, because it would be nice for people to see her come back and not stay with the remembrance of the (US Open) final. Halep – Williams would be my final dream.” Digi Sport quoted him as saying.

Whilst Wilander said he would like to see Williams in the final, during a separate interview he played down her chances.

“I do not think she can win the title. I would be very surprised if she won 7 matches on clay. She will win a Grand Slam, but not the French Open.” He said.
“The three favourites are quite obvious: Simona Halep, first, Naomi Osaka, second. Then I think it’s Sloane Stephens.” He concluded.

As for the men, his pick mirror that of Toni Nadal. Nadal is the front runner, followed by Djokovic and Thiem.

“Obviously he has already played much better in Madrid, he is 32 years old, 33 soon. He does not have to win every tournament to get a chance at Roland Garros. Yes, at 3 sets out of 5, it will be difficult to defeat him.” Wilander commented about Nadal.

Greg Rusedski

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1997 US Open runner-up Greg Rusedski believes Djokovic is on par with Nadal when it comes to his chances of winning. The Serbian is currently on a 21-match winning streak when it comes to the majors. Should he prevail in Paris, Djokovic would be the champion of all four grand slams at the same time for the second time in his career.

“For me joint-favourite is Djokovic and Nadal. Nadal announced himself. Before this match (Italian Open final) I was putting Djokovic as a slight favourite ahead of Rafa,” Tennis365 quoted Rusedski as telling Amazon Prime.

Interestingly, he didn’t mention Federer in the running. However, he listed both Stefanos Tsitsipas, who reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open, and Fabio Fognini as outside contenders.

“I look at the outside guys, Tsitsipas has said, ‘I’m coming to the party!’” He explained.
“He’s a guy we didn’t think was going to step up this quickly.
“If you took someone as the third favourite I’d have to say Dominic Thiem, after Djokovic and Nadal.
“The wildcards are Tsitsipas and Fognini. Fognini is probably fifth or sixth, because he can be brilliant or crash out early.”

Martina Navratilova

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This year marks the 35th anniversary of Navratilova’s last singles triumph at the French Open. Back in 1984 she defeated Chris Evert 6-3, 6-1, in the final. Earlier this year, the former world No.1 wrote an editorial for wtatennis.com about Petra Kvitova. A player who has previously said she has been inspired by Navratilova growing up.

Looking ahead to the French Open, the 62-year-old believes Kvitova could win Roland Garros as long as the conditions are in her favour.

“I would love to see Petra punctuate her comeback by winning a major this year, adding to the Wimbledon titles she took in 2011 and 2014.” Navratilova wrote.
“She is a threat on any surface, and could even win Roland Garros for the first time this year, though much will depend on the speed of the playing conditions in Paris, which can vary quite a bit. When Petra is on, she can beat anybody.”

Paul Annacone

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Finally, Paul Annacone has described Nadal as the ‘clear favourite’ to win. Saying the Spaniard knows what it takes to overcome his previous disappointments on the tour. Annacone is a former world No.12 player who went on to have a successful career as both a coach and commentator. He is best known for his work with Pete Sampras (1995-2002) Federer (2010-2013).

“Nadal knows what he has to do,” he said.
“One of the most impressive things about Rafael Nadal and so many great players is their ability to sift through the emotional responses and be really pragmatic about where they are in their game. He knows where he is and he knows how to win on clay.
“And I still think there is no tougher test in men’s tennis than beating him three out of five on red clay.
“So for me he is the favourite for Roland Garros, the clear favourite, not even close.”

Current odds to win

Men
Nadal – 9/10
Djokovic – 12/5
Thiem – 6/1
Tsitsipas – 16/1
Federer – 18/1
Zverev – 20/1

Women
Halep – 7/2
Bertens – 8/1
Osaka – 10/1
Williams – 12/1
Kvitova – 12/1
Stephens – 14/1

Source – bwin.com

Grand Slam

Australian Open Considering Switching Women’s Final To Sunday In Future

Published

2 months ago

14/02/2024

Adam Addicott

The Australian Open could become the first Grand Slam to break away from the tradition of women playing their singles final first.

According to a report from the Australian Associated Press, tournament chief Craig Tiley is open to making such a move which wouldn’t require any approval from either the WTA or ATP. However, they would likely need to consult with players first and no changes are set to be made in 2025.

The reasoning for making such a change is due to the women’s final usually being shorter than the men’s best with it being a best-of-three set match. Compared to the men who play the best-of-five. Their thinking is that due to the length of men’s matches increasing in recent years, staging it on a Saturday would enable more people to watch the entire match compred to a Sunday when many are consious about staying up late due to the working week starting on Monday.

This year’s Australian Open saw Jannik Sinner bounce back from two sets down to beat Daniil Medvedev in a epic encounter that lasted three hours and 46 minuites. Meanwhile, Aryna Sabalenka required an hour and 17 mnuites to beat China’s Qinwen Zheng and capture the title.

Should such a switch take place, it is estimated that the Sunday finale would end at around 10:30pm local time instead of after midnight, which would make it more appealing to fans. Furthermore, it could throw the women’s final more into the spotlight.

However, there will be obstacles that need to be addressed. The most significant for the Australian Open will be trying to ensure that their 48-hour recovery period between best-of-five-set men’s matches will still be followed.

This year was the first time in history that the Melbourne major took place over 15 days with play starting on a Sunday. Organisers claimed that the move was done in order to prevent the number of late-night finishes. However, it has little effect on any matches that took place after the first round.

It is throught that now the event is held over 15 days, it gives more room for organisers to schedule the men’s final for a Saturday. The proposal was discussed during this year’s Australian Open’s official debrief.

Grand Slam

It Wasn’t The Same Old Story On Sunday Down Under

Jannik Sinner won his first Grand Slam title on Sunday.

Published

3 months ago

29/01/2024

James Beck

(@janniksin - Twitter)

It’s been the same old story at the Australian Open for a long time in the men’s game.

One of the greats almost always would take the top prize Down Under. Either Novak Djokovic, Rafa Nadal, Roger Federer or even Stan Wawrinka always prevailed since 2006 at Melbourne.

And then came Jannik Sinner in 2024.

None of the other superstars were still around for Sunday’s final.

A DIFFERENT AUSTRALIAN OPEN

Yes, this time it was a different Australian Open.

But actually Sinner may have written his own story when he upended Djokovic in the semifinals. Without that experience, the slender Italian may not have been able to handle the pressure that Daniil Medvedev sent his way in the final.

Sinner was ready for the finish line after shocking Djokovic in the semifinals. It just took time to get there.

Sinner played within himself most of the last three sets of the final. A first-time Grand Slam finalist, Sinner played as if he belonged there in those three sets.

But, oh, those first two sets when Medvedev dominated play with his backhand from the middle of the court. Backhands usually are reserved for the backhand side of the court, but not with the tall Russian on the court.

SINNER DIDN’T PLAY HIS GAME AT FIRST

In a similar manner as women’s champion Aryna Sabalenka, Sinner followed up a big semifinal win with his own Australian Open title. Only, Sinner had to fight for five sets to accomplish his dream Down Under with a 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 victory over Medvedev.

Sinner appeared to play far differently from his victory over Djokovic when he controlled the court with his aggressive play and power.

This time, Sinner started things conservatively with few aggressive winners, repeatedly leaving the corners wide open for Medvedev’s crafty, but hard hit strokes. Medvedev made Sinner pay a price with a style of play that was just the opposite.

Medvedev played close to the baseline and aggressively hopped on balls with his backhand in whip-lash fashion. He hardly had to move as he conserved energy.

THE STRATEGY ALMOST WORKED TO PERFECTION

Medvedev’s strategy worked like a charm until Sinner served the ninth game of the third set as Medvedev once needed only six points for a possible Grand Slam title. Sinner managed to overcome a deuce score to win that game.

Medvedev fell behind 30-0 serving the 10^th game of the set and then Sinner got his first set point. Sinner made it stand up and it was a new game after that.

Sinner didn’t appear to be ready for Medvedev’s game the first two sets, but the Italian then came alive. He became prepared for Medvedev, even after losing the first two sets.

Of course, Sabalenka got her boost from a surprising, but solid win over talented Coco Graff in the women’s semifinals. Sabalenka then was never really challenged by Qinwen Zheng in the final.

Sinner’s final was much different. He was somewhat lucky to escape with a win.

Medvedev almost wrapped up the title in the ninth game, but it didn’t happen. As a result, Sinner may have started his own success story in Grand Slam finals.

—

James Beck was the 2003 winner of the USTA National Media Award for print media. A 1995 MBA graduate of The Citadel, he can be reached at Jamesbecktennis@gmail.com.

Focus

Australian Open Daily Preview: Daniil Medvedev Plays Jannik Sinner for the Men’s Singles Championship

Published

3 months ago

27/01/2024

Matthew Marolf

Daniil Medvedev during Friday’s semifinals (twitter.com/AustralianOpen)

The men’s singles and women’s doubles championship matches are on Sunday in Melbourne.

Across the last 10 hard court Majors, Daniil Medvedev has now advanced to six championship matches, half of which have come in Melbourne. In those finals, Medvedev is a meek 1-4. However, this is the first time Medvedev is looking across the net at a man not named Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic, the two winningest male singles players of all-time at Grand Slam events.

And Medvedev can thank Jannik Sinner for that, who for the third time in their last four meetings, defeated Djokovic in Friday’s semifinals to reach his first Major final. Since adding Darren Cahill to his team 18 months ago, one of tennis’s best coaches of all-time, Sinner’s game has continually and significantly improved, most evident in his three victories over Djokovic since November. On Sunday, the most dominant male player of this fortnight looks to break more new ground in his young career.

Earlier on Sunday, in the women’s doubles championship match, it’s Lyudmyla Kichenok and Jelena Ostapenko (11) vs. Su-Wei Hsieh and Elise Mertens (2). This is a first Major final for Kichenok, and a first in doubles for Ostapenko. Su-Wei has won seven Majors in doubles, including her first mixed title earlier this week, and is 7-1 at this stage of Majors. Mertens has won three Majors in women’s doubles, including Wimbledon in 2021 alongside Su-Wei.

Jannik Sinner (4) vs. Daniil Medvedev (3) – Not Before 7:30pm on Rod Laver Arena

Through six rounds, Sinner has dropped just one of 19 sets, which came against Djokovic in the semis. But even that match was a rather comfortable win for the Italian, who lost only six games in the three sets he claimed. Jannik has not just been the best ATP player this fortnight: he’s been the best ATP player since the last Major, with a record of 26-2. The 22-year-old is 10-4 in ATP finals, with this of course being by far the biggest of his career to date.

Medvedev endured a much more complicated path to this final, completing 25 out of a possible 30 sets, which included three five-setters. Two of those came in the last two rounds, against Hubert Hurkacz and Sascha Zverev. Daniil has spent six more hours on court than Jannik, and has played for over 11 hours during the second week alone. He is 20-16 in ATP Finals, with all 20 titles coming at different events. But Medvedev can be rather streaky in finals: after losing five in a row, he won seven of eight, yet has now lost his last three.

And those last two losses came at the hands of Sinner, who beat him in both Beijing and Vienna. Jannik also defeated Daniil in the semifinals of the ATP Finals in November, though all three of those recent matches were tight. Prior to that, Medvedev had dominated their head-to-head 6-0, which includes two finals earlier in 2023. All ten of their meetings have taken place on hard courts, and this is their first at a Major.

Based on their recent history, as well as their individual form this fortnight, I favor Sinner to win his first Major on Sunday. While he’ll surely be nervous in the biggest match of his life, and could experience an emotional letdown coming off ending Novak’s undefeated record of 20-0 in Australian Open semis and finals, Jannik will be the much fresher player on this day. Plus, he will feel confident after those three recent wins over Daniil, who has a lot of scar tissue to overcome in Major finals. And after facing Medvedev so much within the past year, Sinner is well-versed on how to take advantage of Daniil’s deep return position.

Sunday’s full Order of Play is here.