Déjà Vu All Over Again…Almost
Kristina Mladenovic has played the US Open twenty times. Her most recent experience is not one of her fond recollections. At the Open, she was caught up in the Benoît Paire Social – Distancing Affair. Harried by the restrictions imposed after she played cards with Paire, she was up 6-1, 5-1 against Varvara Gracheva of Russia then collapsed mentally and lost 1-6, 7-6, 6-0. But, the worst was yet to come. After winning her first round doubles match with partner Timea Babos of Hungary, the team was removed from the tournament by COVID-19 protocols.
The late Yogi Berra, a beloved Major League Baseball Hall of Fame member, used words and phrases in a way that in time became known as “Berraese”. In the first round at Roland Garros, playing Siegemund, Mladenovic had a “déjà vu all over again” experience. On set point leading 5-1, she hit a backhand drop shot that her opponent barely reached but was able to flick a shot for a winner. Mladenovic immediately appealed to chair umpire, Eva Asderaki-Moore of Greece saying that Siegemund’s shot was “not up” (meaning it had bounced twice). Asderaki-Moore disagreed leaving Mladenovic to shake her head in disbelief. (Television replays showed that the ball had indeed bounced twice.)
The shot energized Siegemund. She rolled through games as Mladenovic succumbed to her New York pattern of play. After the German won 7-5, 6-3, Mladenovic admitted she had the first set in hand, but added caused her to lose focus. When asked about Siegemund not conceding the point, she said that if her opponent had “she would have all my respect…” But, in the end, the chair umpire “was the one responsible…”
Fortunately, all was not lost. Mladenovic teamed with Babos and they defended their 2019 Roland Garros doubles title defeating Alexa Guarachi and Desirae Krawczk, 6-4, 7-5. (The finalists, who represented Chile and the US, interestingly played intercollegiate tennis at University of Alabama and Arizona State University respectively.)
Mladenovic and Babos were undefeated in 2020 Grand Slam doubles play. They were the first duo to score a Melbourne-Paris double since Bethanie Mattek-Sands of the US and Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic were the winners of both tournaments in 2015 and 2017. Including her Paris victory with countrywoman Caroline Garcia in 2016, Mladenovic tied Gail Benedetti with the second most Roland Garros doubles titles in the Open Era.
During the trophy presentation, she said, “To lift the trophy here, like Timi said, it’s always special, but this time you cannot imagine like what relief and what pride it is to actually, even for me personally, to leave this tournament with such a reward. I still have to wake up and believe it’s actually true.”
Abandon Tradition…
One of the revered traditions at Roland Garros is a chair umpire repelling down the tower steps and wandering onto the court to check the mark left by a shot. Everyone who was played, attended or watched matches on television has a story or two to tell about an official selecting a shot spot that is near but not the one that is actually being disputed. Often these shows become theatrical delays. Officials strut and gesture. Players point and exclaim. From time to time these sequences are so entertaining they are video presentation worthy. Nonetheless, after the success enjoyed by Hawk-Eye Live at the US Open, Roland Garros should consider making a change. The players want it. So do the fans. Next year, after the extensive renovation made to Court Philippe Chatrier and adding lights to the courts, light should be added to line calling and Hawk-Eye Live would do exactly that…
