What a Friday!
But it was a grand day for tennis lovers who were able to spend most of the day in front of a television set. Actually, it was worth buying a ticket. And that’s not just because Andre Agassi and Jim Courier were on board at the same time on TNT’s broadcast of the French Open.
Novak Djokovic was super good, but no true match for Jannik Sinner’s powerful game and court coverage. Novak played his heart out as usual, but tall and lean Jannik was just too good in sweeping Novak’s dream of a 25th Grand Slam away with a straight-set 6-4, 7-5, 7-6 (3) victory in the semifinals.
NOVAK’S GAME SPARKLED
Djokovic played excellent tennis, but just couldn’t match Sinner’s game.
And then there was Carlos Alcaraz, who played earlier Friday. He played steady in the first set, but just couldn’t win the big point against talented 23-year-old Italian Lorenzo Musetti. By the time Alcaraz moved into a second-set tiebreaker, he was on top of his game, yielding just three points in the tiebreaker.
Musetti is a strong player fully capable of one day sneaking into a Grand Slam title. But in the end eight straight games went Carlos’ way before Musetti surrendered to sore calf muscles and a 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-0, 2-0 ret. loss in taking the rest of the tournament off.
And Sunday’s final between the 23-year-old Sinner and the 22-year-old Alcaraz might be even better. It doesn’t get much better than world’s Nos. 1 and 2 squaring off in a Grand Slam final.
SINNER’S GAME IS BETTER THAN IT LOOKS
Sinner may not look powerful, but he is once he puts a racket in his hands. His strokes seem to automatically find the court in a sizzling manner. And this 6-3 Italian seems to be able to reach the other side of his end of the court in just a few steps. He doesn’t waste any time trying to take charge of a point. He just takes it.
He seems almost unbeatable these days.
But then Alcaraz brings his brilliant magical game, his own power, flexibility and enjoyment. He’s the fan favorite most of the time, unless he’s in Italy.
You might want to toss a coin on championship Sunday in Paris.
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James Beck (843-795-3584, h)
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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.
See his latest columns on all of the Grand Slams at ubitennis.net/author/james-beck or worldtennismagazine.com
