woody88
Rookie
Greetings all,
A good relaxing Friday to post what I observe from the French open. And I don't think there are many good perspective from it. They are pretty much all bad.
1. No roof...yet. The last of the grand slam to build a roof. The play has been halted for plenty of times. It has often said that the surface can withstand the rain somewhat. True. But why would you make your spectators suffer and hoist their umbrellas up, or put on some rain gear to watch a match? Oh, and how about installing some lights on your **** poor stadium? The new renovation looks like it's just to please your sponsors with all of these luxury boxes it seems.
2. No shotspot/hawkeye. I get it, clay leaves a mark. But if I was to rely on either technology or an umpire walking up, to possibly point at a wrong mark, I would take my chance with the technology. All day, every day. The technology is there. Embrace it. Use it.
3. Treatment of the ladies' semifinal participants. Well, here is a first, moving the ladies' semis to second and third courts is baffling. I get it. You didn't have any marquee players in the semis draw. But that is no way of treating lesser known women's players? Can you imagine an Osaka vs Bertens, and a Halep/Pliskova being played in Suzanne Langlen, let alone Matthieu count? I can't. Or other big names like Serena/Muguruza being relinquished to those courts? yeah, me neither
4. Organizers. You have a lot of time to play this second men's semifinals. But you decided to pull the plug, with many more hours left in the daylight. Sure, it may be touch and go. But I did see peeks of sunshine here and there. Bunch of amateurs hours here.
5. Website/mobile app. Your web designers can't even design a website properly with proper margins. When I can see a person's seeding number, bled into the score line of the match, you know there is a problem. And don't get me started on that pathetic mobile app of yours.
6. No tiebreaker in final set. I know that each grand slam is trying to have their own identity, and tweaking their own final set tiebreaker rules. But the French remain the only slam that does not have a tiebreaker for final set. Chances are we won’t see a 70-68 in the fifth set, but come on, put a cap and end the players’ misery at some point.
Lastly, not related to French open, but the broadcaster that is NBC in the states.
I really hope ESPN will buy the rights out from you guys eventually. The coverage has always been lackluster. I still remember the days when you would broadcast tape delayed matches going into the final weekend. So yes, pat yourself on the back that at least you have live streaming from NBC SC. But starting your broadcast on a Friday at 11am EDT? When it's already well into the second men's semi? Why do you bother broadcast it at all? Just toss in the towel already, give up, and let someone who is more committed to this sport to broadcast it. And what is with the move from Mike Tirico to Dan Hicks all of a sudden? Did Mike have some other broadcasting duties? Way to show how much you really care about tennis broadcasting, to stick a golf guy doing your commentary.
I'm sure I can think of many other things wrong with this tournament. But that is all I can think of for now.
A good relaxing Friday to post what I observe from the French open. And I don't think there are many good perspective from it. They are pretty much all bad.
1. No roof...yet. The last of the grand slam to build a roof. The play has been halted for plenty of times. It has often said that the surface can withstand the rain somewhat. True. But why would you make your spectators suffer and hoist their umbrellas up, or put on some rain gear to watch a match? Oh, and how about installing some lights on your **** poor stadium? The new renovation looks like it's just to please your sponsors with all of these luxury boxes it seems.
2. No shotspot/hawkeye. I get it, clay leaves a mark. But if I was to rely on either technology or an umpire walking up, to possibly point at a wrong mark, I would take my chance with the technology. All day, every day. The technology is there. Embrace it. Use it.
3. Treatment of the ladies' semifinal participants. Well, here is a first, moving the ladies' semis to second and third courts is baffling. I get it. You didn't have any marquee players in the semis draw. But that is no way of treating lesser known women's players? Can you imagine an Osaka vs Bertens, and a Halep/Pliskova being played in Suzanne Langlen, let alone Matthieu count? I can't. Or other big names like Serena/Muguruza being relinquished to those courts? yeah, me neither
4. Organizers. You have a lot of time to play this second men's semifinals. But you decided to pull the plug, with many more hours left in the daylight. Sure, it may be touch and go. But I did see peeks of sunshine here and there. Bunch of amateurs hours here.
5. Website/mobile app. Your web designers can't even design a website properly with proper margins. When I can see a person's seeding number, bled into the score line of the match, you know there is a problem. And don't get me started on that pathetic mobile app of yours.
6. No tiebreaker in final set. I know that each grand slam is trying to have their own identity, and tweaking their own final set tiebreaker rules. But the French remain the only slam that does not have a tiebreaker for final set. Chances are we won’t see a 70-68 in the fifth set, but come on, put a cap and end the players’ misery at some point.
Lastly, not related to French open, but the broadcaster that is NBC in the states.
I really hope ESPN will buy the rights out from you guys eventually. The coverage has always been lackluster. I still remember the days when you would broadcast tape delayed matches going into the final weekend. So yes, pat yourself on the back that at least you have live streaming from NBC SC. But starting your broadcast on a Friday at 11am EDT? When it's already well into the second men's semi? Why do you bother broadcast it at all? Just toss in the towel already, give up, and let someone who is more committed to this sport to broadcast it. And what is with the move from Mike Tirico to Dan Hicks all of a sudden? Did Mike have some other broadcasting duties? Way to show how much you really care about tennis broadcasting, to stick a golf guy doing your commentary.
I'm sure I can think of many other things wrong with this tournament. But that is all I can think of for now.
Last edited:
