Grand Slam Beatdowns: French Open Edition

[BGod]

OPEN ERA

These don't have to be finals but important matches against top players.

1977 Final: 3rd seed Vilas beats 5th seed Gottfried 6-0, 6-3, 6-0
Gottfried beat 1st seed Nastase in 5 sets in the quarter and straight set Dent in the semifinal. Vilas only dropped a single set the entire tournament in the 2nd round, but Gottfrie was his best opponent.

1978 Final: 1st seed Borg beats 2nd seed Vilas 6-1, 6-1, 6-3

1978 Semi: 1st seed Borg beats 7th seed Barazzutti 6-0, 6-1, 6-0
Barazzutti had two semifinal runs in his Slam career, but he was solid on clay. He would lose another quarter match with Borg in 1980 and a Monte Carlo final.

1999 Quarter: Meligeni beats 6th seed and previous year finalist Corretja 6-2, 6-2, 6-0
Meligeni was unseeded and had finished 98 YE #57. He picked up points in Hamburg and Rome but no deep runs and came into the French without much chances. He beat Aynaoui in 5 sets in the 2nd round and took care of 3rd seed Rafter in 4, who was of course not prolific on the surface. A hard fought 4 set victory over 14th seed Mantilla came next and this was the only time Meligeni would make a Slam quarter. Corretja was "only" seeded 6th but was the previous year's finalist and would make the final again in 2001. He had only dropped a set in one of his previous 4 matches, so this was not only a massive upset but an embarrassing performance against a nobody.

2008 Final: 2nd seed Nadal beats 1st seed Federer 6-1, 6-3, 6-0

 

[MichaelNadal]

The only thing being beat down at the French Open are tennis fans who have to watch the resounding failure that is clay tennis

Too much epicness and strategy for the common payaso.

 

[Im(moral) Winner]

Too much epicness and strategy for the common payaso.

Just hit to the backhand, no?

 

[MichaelNadal]

Just hit to the backhand, no?

If he's not good enough to win a point from me hitting to it, then damn right

 

[Red Rick]

The only thing being beat down at the French Open are tennis fans who have to watch the resounding failure that is clay tennis

Then why don't all real players skip it?

 

[Keizer]

The only thing being beat down at the French Open are tennis fans who have to watch the resounding failure that is clay tennis

After having gotten rained out both times I've been, I will never go back until they have a roof on Chatrier.

 

[Im(moral) Winner]

Then why don't all real players skip it?

Dumb jocks

 

[Sudacafan]

.
2008 Final: 2nd seed Nadal beats 1st seed Federer 6-1, 6-3, 6-0

I voted this. I really hate you. Don’t do this again.

 

[BGod]

I voted this. I really hate you. Don’t do this again.

I voted Borg over Vilas in 78. I mean, Vilas was defending champion and got absolutely clobbered nearly as bad as Nadal to Roger but Vilas was better on clay at his prime in 78 whereas Roger was in decline both physically and mentally.

 

[Poisoned Slice]

Kentucky Fried Gottfried

 

[Sudacafan]

I voted Borg over Vilas in 78. I mean, Vilas was defending champion and got absolutely clobbered nearly as bad as Nadal to Roger but Vilas was better on clay at his prime in 78 whereas Roger was in decline both physically and mentally.

I first thought about choosing Vilas for the reasons you stated, but then said, Vilas is mortal, and Federer is GOAT.
Vilas probably was 1977 champion because Borg did not participate that year.
Borg was the hole in Vilas résumé.

 

[RF-18]

Too much epicness and strategy for the common payaso.

Clay might be the toughest surface to play on. As you say it takes strategy but also alot of gruelling and power of will. It's not just serve and hit a FH winner thanks to fast surfaces and the point is over.

 

[BGod]

Which was worse, Roger's 08 final or Nadal's 19 AO??? I don't want to start a poll on that separately without asking here first.

 

[Towny]

Which was worse, Roger's 08 final or Nadal's 19 AO??? I don't want to start a poll on that separately without asking here first.

RG 08 final. More drastic scoreline (in part due to the surface). Federer was also in his prime, unlike Nadal 2019. On the flipside, no one really expected Fed to win in 2008, whereas Nadal was though to have a decent chance this year. Both beatdowns all the same

 

[ForehandRF]

RG 2008.Federer forgot how to hit a backhand in that match.

 

[Sudacafan]

Which was worse, Roger's 08 final or Nadal's 19 AO??? I don't want to start a poll on that separately without asking here first.

No doubt RG08 was worse, for reasons explained above.
The only counter argument would be that Nadal was considered more as a favorite to win RG08, than Nole was to win AO19.