2024 French Open - Women's Discussion

[Mark-Touch]

Now is the month of maying,
when all the French are saying,
Bring on the clay and don't delay,
the time is set for playing!
Fa la la la la la la la la,
Fa la la la la la la lah.

All WTA discussion (singles and doubles) pre-Roland Garros, during match play and post-Roland Garros
is welcome.

The draw is now available here.
If you picked 'Other', please let us know who you voted for.

 

[DSH]

Iga is going to win for the fourth time and third in a row, equaling what Justine Henin did in the first decade of the 2000s on the clay of Paris.

 

[Mark-Touch]

Iga is going to win for the fourth time and third in a row, equaling what Justine Henin did in the first decade of the 2000s.

I don't watch a lot of Iga's matches because she is not one of my faves but I must admit her current form (especially on clay)
is simply 'beast mode'. She's been ripping apart her opponents one by one.
I have to give credit to Gauff for being able to hang with Iga as long as she did yesterday before finally succumbing to her barrage.

 

[Mark-Touch]

We lost Sasno and the two Fruity sisters so far in the Qualies.

 

[Bill Lobsalot]

If Collins keeps her current level, she could be a threat.

 

[HarveyPitnik]

We lost Sasno and the two Fruity sisters so far in the Qualies.

Brenda was really disappointing in the 2nd round of the qualification. And her failure to go through the qualies must really hurt as her contemporary ranking is 90 which would easily be enough for straight entrance to the main draw.
Fruity1 showed signs of ending her tailspin in the 1st qualification match against Shymanovich but even though her 2nd opponent Sramkova has been somewhat a in-form player Linda could have won that match too, but did all kinds of "er...what?"-stuff and just couldn't get her s*it together. Still I think Linda pretty much matched my expectations, Brenda definitely didn't.

Of the in-form players Romanian Elena-Gabriella Ruse has proceeded convincingly according the numbers but yesterday against Lamens of Netherlands she did tons of "sloppiness mistakes". She must get rid of those or good old(!) Sara Errani is the one who goes to the main draw instead of her.

Mark, is Marina Stakusic anyway familiar player for you? Young Canadian with obviously some Yugoslav-origins. She fought very well in the last match (or at least one of the last) and showed promise and did good(ness) job in the end.

A real battle in the best WTA-tradition was between 188cm tall ex-Romanian Raluka Serban that has represented Cyprus now for some 6-7 years and young Czech Dominka Salkova that after mediocre junior career (from Czech point of view) rose very quickly in the rankings last year.
Salkova took the first tight set, then in the second it started to look that it's going to be over in 2... but then Serban woke up and played much better than before and instead took the 2nd. She also lead in the 3rd already 5-3 on serve but then it was time for Salkova to play her best game and take several games in the row... but of course she couldn't serve it out at 6-5. Then Salkova took convincing lead in the super-tie-break, lost the lead, then both had match balls and finally Serban took the victory with 13-11 in STB! Gotta love WTA!

 

[Mark-Touch]

Brenda was really disappointing in the 2nd round...

Mark, is Marina Stakusic anyway familiar player for you? Young Canadian with obviously some Yugoslav-origins. She fought very well in the last match (or at least one of the last) and showed promise and did good(ness) job in the end.

A real battle in the best WTA-tradition was between 188cm tall ex-Romanian Raluka Serban that has represented Cyprus now for some 6-7 years and young Czech Dominka Salkova that after mediocre junior career (from Czech point of view) rose very quickly in the rankings last year.
Salkova took the first tight set, then in the second it started to look that it's going to be over in 2... but then Serban woke up and played much better than before and instead took the 2nd. She also lead in the 3rd already 5-3 on serve but then it was time for Salkova to play her best game and take several games in the row... but of course she couldn't serve it out at 6-5. Then Salkova took convincing lead in the super-tie-break, lost the lead, then both had match balls and finally Serban took the victory with 13-11 in STB! Gotta love WTA!

I didn't get a chance to watch either of the Fruity sisters but was especially disappointed when I saw that Fruity2 didn't make it through.

I have watched Stakusic play a few times and like her style. She has a bit of a fragile game but still manages to surprise me sometimes with her wins.
I don't know what her potential is exactly but she has a long way to go if she ever wishes to be in the same conversation with Fernandez or Andreescu.

I am not familiar with either Serban or Salkova. I just looked them up and see that Serban is ranked 205 and Salkova 151, so Serban did well to defeat her higher ranked opponent.
Draw ceremony is underway...

 

[NaomiKonjuhPotapova]

poor naomi!
In good note, we can have Iga - Collins part 2 in QF.

Draws pretty even for all 4 seeds imo.

 

[coolcamden]

Draw is out, of course we don’t have it from this OP. Instead we have poem/song/rap???

 

[Mark-Touch]

Draw is out, of course we don’t have it from this OP. Instead we have poem/song/rap???

The draw is now available here.
If you picked 'Other', please let us know who you voted for.

Visually challenged once again coolcamden?
Look at the date/time of your post and look at the update date/time of my post.
You sure are a grumpy poster.

 

[spystud]

PDF here, much easier to view.

 

[Mark-Touch]

PDF here, much easier to view.

Yes it is thanks.

My position with draws is the following.
I figure anyone who can make it to this site should also be able to Google '2024 French Open draws' and find it for themselves.
Same goes for any match score for any tournament.

When I updated my OP and added the link to the draw, it was so fresh the .pdf hadn't come out at the Rolland Garros site yet.

 

[spystud]

My position is people shouldn’t start threads whining about Google, but you do that too.

Scores will always be posted in the Match Results forum, shocker I know.

 

[Mark-Touch]

My position is people shouldn’t start threads whining about Google, but you do that too.

Scores will always be posted in the Match Results forum, shocker I know.

I don't think you quite understood what I was saying, so I'll spell it out for you and try to be a little clearer.

My thread didn't start with any 'whine'. The OP is there for all to see.
So I don't know what you were referring to when you said "you do that too"?

As far as scores being posted in the Match Results forum is concerned ...

Sure I know this is the forum that scores are permitted to be posted.
I read that notice a long time ago (when I joined).

But honestly, if someone comes by here and simply says Player-X beat Player-Y 6-3, 6-4,
or Player-A beat Player-B 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 and nothing more, how much value do you think it offers members here?

If someone is just interested in a score for a particular match (and nothing more) do you think it would be quicker to Google the match and find the score,
or come here, find an appropriate thread and hope and pray someone has posted the result for the particular match they are interested in?

Which method do you think would be most efficient?

 

[spystud]

Shut up, Mark.

Scores will be posted.

 

[Mark-Touch]

Shut up, Mark.

Scores will be posted.

It would have been so much nicer if you had responded without resorting to impolite language.

Scores?
I've got nothing against scores.
In fact I LOVE scores!

However, what I love even more, are scores accompanied by interesting, thought-provoking analysis of games/matches.

That really engages me and inspires me to respond.

 

[flyingboris]

if someone comes by here and simply says Player-X beat Player-Y 6-3, 6-4,

I do this pretty regularly for matchups that I find interesting. I’m thinking for members that follow tournaments casually it might be nice to know that seed X was soundly beaten in round two etc. Not the most interesting type of post of course, but it has some value.

 

[Mark-Touch]

I do this pretty regularly for matchups that I find interesting. I’m thinking for members that follow tournaments casually it might be nice to know that seed X was soundly beaten in round two etc. Not the most interesting type of post of course, but it has some value.

Yes it has some value. I think if someone does this most of the time and adds little if any commentary, it doesn't really engage people to respond, if you know what I mean.

I use this platform to engage with others and have interesting dialogues/exchanges, rather than use it as a bulletin board to pin notices and nothing more.

 

[spystud]

Fortunately we don’t have Mark in the other 40 weeks of tourneys to play hall monitor.

 

[coolcamden]

Fortunately we don’t have Mark in the other 40 weeks of tourneys to play hall monitor.

Unfortunately he jumps in the other 12 weeks at the slams to be the 1st to start a thread, in this case about 10 days before.

 

[coolcamden]

Wish @Rattie was doing WTA too. I always love how he puts the path to win for the top 4 seeds in the quarters, or most intriguing prospects. But then he doesn’t start 10 days before the tournament like the OP.

 

[Mark-Touch]

Mark-Touch defeats spystud 6-0, 6-0.
Mark-Touch also bagels coolcamden 6-0, 6-0.

 

[Jonesy]

It seems this discussion is too meta for a non WTA follower like me. But i will watch Iga's matches and cheer for Bia and Sabs.

 

[flyingboris]

At this point anyone who casually wanders into this thread will nope right out. Maybe a fresh start is in order?

The French open is a great tournament, let's not have a tournament thread that's all arguments back and forth even before a single match has been played.

 

[Marius_Hancu]

Errani [1 in Qs] all on Lenglen
Respect

 

[Mark-Touch]

At this point anyone who casually wanders into this thread will nope right out. Maybe a fresh start is in order?

The French open is a great tournament, let's not have a tournament thread that's all arguments back and forth even before a single match has been played.

Don't worry Boris we've got three days before most of the action starts, all is good.

They're just airing their dirty laundry, as they always do, at the start of my threads.
I don't think there has been a single tournament thread I started where they didn't immediately come to attack me.
I'm used to it.

 

[spystud]

Definitely attacking.

PDF here, much easier to view.

 

[Mark-Touch]

Some notable Nasty/Tough and Lucky 1st round matches.

Nasty/Tough matchups
Osaka vs. Bronzetti
Svito vs. Pliskova
Boulter vs. Badosa
Sab vs. Andreeva Erika
Vekic vs. Tsurenko
Yastremska vs. Tomljan
Samson vs. Linette
Ostapenko vs. Christian
Cirstea vs. Blinkova
Putin vs. Stephens

Lucky matchups *
Iga vs. LL
Gauff vs. LL
Jabeur vs. (W)
Navarro vs. LL

* As if these players need a little luck to get by their 1st round match.

 

[coolcamden]

Iga’s quarter looks to have many great players. Potential NO in the 2nd round is no joke.

 

[NaomiKonjuhPotapova]

Collins look so good in Strasbourg. Anyone think she has chance to beat mighty Iga in QF?

 

[Mark-Touch]

Collins look so good in Strasbourg. Anyone think she has chance to beat mighty Iga in QF?

If Collins continues with her current form I think she stands a good chance of knocking out Iga.
It would be a tall order indeed, but I think a lot would depend on what was going on between their ears.

 

[flyingboris]

Nasty/Tough matchups
Boulter vs. Badosa
Sab vs. Andreeva Erika

Isn't Badosa going to steamroll Boulter? Also, were you thinking of Mirra Andreeva? I don't think Erika is a threat to Sabalenka.

 

[HarveyPitnik]

At this point anyone who casually wanders into this thread will nope right out. Maybe a fresh start is in order?

The French open is a great tournament, let's not have a tournament thread that's all arguments back and forth even before a single match has been played.

I visit ATP-threads only now and then and I practically never read them from the start but from the newest/last page and I would assume this is the way of most non active followers?! So, no for any useless fresh start.

Totally agree on French Open being great tournament, for me it's maybe THE tournament of them all. But I disagree that "no single match has been yet played" and so disagrees the French crowds as well. There has been quite impressive number of spectators in the qualies and anytime a Frenchie is playing you wouldn't guess it's still "only" qualification! Great atmosphere even though rain was trying to ruin earlier. At the moment I'm watching Rebeca Sramkova of Slovakia against Panna Udvardy of Hungary and in many WTA-tournaments the number of spectators would be something that organizers would be glad about. Udvardy tied the match to one set all about minute ago, so this battle will go on for some more time...

 

[spystud]

I don't think Erika is a threat to Sabalenka.

Of course she isn’t. That’s embarrassing.

 

[spystud]

Imagine how confused Mark will be when he sees Avdeeva in the main draw.

Fortunately Volynets is also in.

 

[HarveyPitnik]

Imagine how confused Mark will be when he sees Avdeeva in the main draw.

Fortunately Volynets is also in.

Everybody is confused as Avdeeva somehow made it to the main draw!

Gotta agree on Volynets. It was quite a surprise too see she had to qualify while somebody like M. Timofeeva had straight main draw place.

At the moment I'm watching "the mighty spectacle" between E-G. Ruse and S. Errani and Ruse is still suffering of over-confidence and it also seems like the loud and active supporters of Errani (I hopea AD has nitro to take quickly!? ) somewhat disturbs her playing. Ruse blew the 5-3 lead and now the first set seems seems to be going to tie-break. I still believe Ruse will start to totally mill at some point and 'good old Sara' will drop from the train completely...

 

[Mark-Touch]

Imagine how confused Mark will be when he sees Avdeeva in the main draw.

Fortunately Volynets is also in.

Isn't Badosa going to steamroll Boulter? Also, were you thinking of Mirra Andreeva? I don't think Erika is a threat to Sabalenka.

Allow me to explain.
My post was ready to go initially as follows:

Nasty matchups
Osaka vs. Bronzetti
Svito vs. Pliskova
Boulter vs. Badosa
Sab vs. Andreeva Erika

Tough matchups
Vekic vs. Tsurenko
Yastremska vs. Tomljan
Samson vs. Linette
Ostapenko vs. Christian
Cirstea vs. Blinkova
Putin vs. Stephens

Lucky matchups
Iga vs. LL
Gauff vs. LL
Jabeur vs. (W)
Navarro vs. LL

But then I was thinking about the Svito / Pliskova and Boulter / Badosa matches a bit,
and that they could actually turn out to be tough for either player.
So that's when I decided to combine the Nasty and Tough matches.

But definitely nasty for Bronzetti and Andreeva.
Erika has improved over the past year but she should still be
totally steamrolled by Sab unfortunately.

 

[ScentOfDefeat]

Gotta love Errani still bringing it in qualifying.
Currently leading by one set against the tricky Ruse.

 

[spystud]

Mark, quit quoting me in your idiotic essays. Jesus, no one reads those.

You’re too dumb to even quote the correct post.

 

[Mark-Touch]

Mark, quit quoting me in your idiotic essays. Jesus, no one reads those.

You’re too dumb to even quote the correct post.

You can have the last word now, as you desperately are trying to have.

But I won't be able to read it because you have been placed on IGNORE once again.

I was giving you another chance, but unfortunately nothing has changed. Same old, same old.

Be mindful though that others will be reading what you write about me. Try to be on your best behavior or your reputation here may take a further dive.

 

[spystud]

Thank jesus, no more notifications for your idiot essays.

Scores will be posted.

 

[LastMile]

Gotta love Errani still bringing it in qualifying.
Currently leading by one set against the tricky Ruse.

She just doesn't quit. It's fun to follow her scorelines for all these post-prime years.

 

[Vamos Carlos Alcaraz]

Predicting Iga and I like her but I am rooting for Maria Sakkari because I feel sorry for her! (;

 

[marc45]

If Swiatek wins the title at Roland Garros in two weeks, here's how she will stack up against the greatest clay-courter of all time:

French Open titles at 23: Nadal 4, Swiatek 4
French Open record: Nadal 31-1, Swiatek 35-2
Titles at three next biggest clay-court tournaments*: Nadal 9, Swiatek 6
Career win percentage on clay: Swiatek 0.879, Nadal 0.875

(*I'm counting these as Monte Carlo, Rome and Madrid on the men's tour and Rome, Madrid and Stuttgart on the women's.)

 

[Mark-Touch]

If Swiatek wins the title at Roland Garros in two weeks, here's how she will stack up against the greatest clay-courter of all time:

French Open titles at 23: Nadal 4, Swiatek 4
French Open record: Nadal 31-1, Swiatek 35-2
Titles at three next biggest clay-court tournaments*: Nadal 9, Swiatek 6
Career win percentage on clay: Swiatek 0.879, Nadal 0.875

(*I'm counting these as Monte Carlo, Rome and Madrid on the men's tour and Rome, Madrid and Stuttgart on the women's.)

Let's try to put Iga's accomplishments into context among the WTA greats.

I like to start with the one who I consider to be the most impressive, Seles.
She had 8 slams when she was still a teenager! That is unheard of in today's tennis.
Of those 8, 3 were F.O. titles !
Seles was just getting warmed up with her slam titles (8) when she fell victim to her stabbing.

Graf in comparison had 6 slams as a teen, with 2 F.O's.

Maureen Connolly does surpass Seles with her 9 slams as a teen including a grand slam.
However she won 2 F.O.'s in total.
Unfortunately she retired after she broke her leg in a horse-riding accident and died at 34 of cancer.

Evert another WTA great won 2 slams as teen with 1 F.O.

Navratilova was 26 when she won her first F.O.

Iga had 1 slam as a teen, her first F.O. title.

 

[spystud]

Day 1 OoP

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Finally gotten some time to look at the tennis ahead of the French Open which is just about to start!

I've voted for Swiatek in the poll but had completely forgotten that Gauff was here in the French final just 2 years ago. As silly as it is to say but the US Open champ and #3 is underrated and one to watch. Obviously all eyes are rightfully on Swiatek and Sabalenka after battling in both the Madrid and Rome finals, but Coco back in Paris? One to watch.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Interested to know what you think of Tomljanovic's outfit @spystud

I kinda dig it.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Yastremska very nervy. Didn’t know she’d never gone past the 1R at the French Open.

Tomljanovic who’s only just returning to tour from injuries takes the first set over her. Let’s go Ajla, who has an amazing outfit.

 

[HarveyPitnik]

^ Sorry. Darcy, I will answer even while I was not even asked from and still with a "wrong" view. Looks gaudy. And the pattern would fit kitchen curtains...

Damn Dayana! Start playing the way you can!!! Huge talent keeps being wasted time after time. (She looks stylish by the way! )

Oh and VIVA LUCIA! VIVA ITALY! (Not going to watch the match but just to make sure that NO is still the biggest 'no' for me. )