Rafael Nadal: The King of Clay Will Always Have Paris

“Victory belongs to the most tenacious,” are words inscribed in both English and French and appear on the upper-deck facing on either side of Court Philippe-Chatrier. They are very visible to players and fans alike. These words are attributed to French aviation and World War I hero Roland Garros, whose name is synonymous with the French Open. They serve as a reminder to those who play on the famed terre battue at Stade Roland Garros in Paris, the City of Lights.

On Sunday afternoon, Rafael Nadal, looking and playing unbeatable, won his 14th French Open title. He extended his remarkable men’s record of 22 major singles titles with 6-3, 6-3, 6-0 victory over Casper Ruud, 10 years his junior. Nadal won the last 11 games of the two hour, 18-minute title match before a sellout crowd of 15,000. 

At the end of the day, the King of Clay reigned, again, 17 years to the day he hoisted his first Coupe de Mousquetaires trophy as a long-haired, 19-year-old teenager in toreador pants, after defeating Mariano Puerta. His latest triumph was filled with emotion and it was important to him, too.

Nadal was asked by NBC’s Maria Taylor during a post-trophy ceremony interview to describe what it felt like to hold the trophy this time. He replied: “It’s amazing, much more emotional than the first time. It’s completely unexpected for me to be where I am at this age, at this stage of my career. It means everything.

“I have been going through tough times the last couple of months. To have this trophy with me here is something unbelievable.”

Like the previous 13 times, the French Open served as Nadal’s wake-up call to the rest of the tennis world. Through the latest Parisian fortnight, Nadal became the third man in the Open Era to beat four Top-10 opponents in a single major. Three days after he celebrated his 36th birthday, Nadal became the oldest man to win Roland Garros, surpassing another Spaniard, Andrés Gimeno, who set the record at age 34 half a century ago.

Nadal extended his perfect record to 14-0 in Roland Garros finals, and also extended his record of most career major titles to 22, which now puts him two ahead of his closest rivals, Novak Djokovic, whom he beat in the quarterfinals, and Roger Federer, who is still recovering from knee surgery. Nadal solidified his place in the tennis Hall of Fame and his records will certainly be unbeatable for the foreseeable future, if at all.

During the trophy ceremony that followed Nadal’s latest French triumph, he expressed his appreciation and also thanked his legions of faithful fans, many whom were holding up banners and waving Spanish flags throughout the stadium.

“I for sure never believed I would be here at 36 being competitive again, playing in the most important court of my career one more time in the final,” Nadal said. “It means a lot to me, means everything. It just means a lot of energy to try to keep going.”

Indeed, Nadal kept going and his latest French Open title was an historic run for him and for tennis. He began with a trio of straight-set wins over Jordan Thompson of Australia, wild card Corentin Moutet of France, and No. 26 seed Botic van de Zandschulp of the Netherlands. 

Then, Nadal came from behind to beat No. 9 seed Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada in five sets, and followed it with a four-hour-plus, four-set victory over the World No. 1 and top seed Djokovic in the 59th renewal of their storied rivalry. On Friday, his semifinal against No. 3 seed Alexander Zverev was cut short when the German severely rolled his ankle and suffered ligament damage to his right foot that forced him to retire in the second set. Finally, the Spaniard mastered No. 8 seed Ruud, who was making his first Grand Slam final appearance. He won the last 11 games in a row and surrendered just eight total points to Ruud in the final set.

From first ball to last ball, Nadal showed great control and tolerated frustration. By the end, he showed how special a man he is. It’s not often that you get to perform in front of tennis royalty – among those who attended the final were Billie Jean King, Stan Smith, Stefan Edberg and Gustavo Kuerten – and monarchs, too. King Felipe VI of Spain and the the crown prince of Norway had front-row seats for Nadal’s coronation. 

The 23-year-old Ruud, who made history by being the first male player from Norway to appear in a major final, has been a student at Nadal’s tennis academy in Mallorca, Spain, and Nadal has nurtured him. Ruud said in press after his semifinal victory over No. 20 seed Marin Cilic on Friday that Nadal was his childhood idol. He could even recite whom the champion beat in each of his 13 previous French Open title matches. Imagine Ruud’s surprise that the first time he would meet Nadal would be in a major final, the title match of the French Open.

Looking back on the experience, Ruud can be forgiven for struggling at times and not playing his best in the final. It’s not a surprise that trying to beat Nadal can turn dreams into nightmares. However, by the end of the match, all was good between the two competitors – both were cheerful and smiling – and Nadal had plenty of kind things to say about Ruud during the trophy ceremony after Ruud was highly complementary of Nadal.

“The most important thing is to congratulate Rafa,” Ruud said after receiving his runner-up trophy. “It is your 14th time here and 22nd [title] at Grand Slams. We all know what a champion you are and today I got to feel how it is to play against you in the final and it is not easy. I am not the first victim; I know there have been many before.

“To you Rafa, your team, your family. You have taken me into your academy with open arms. So, thank you a lot. You are a true inspiration to me and everyone who follows tennis around the world. We all hope you will continue for some more time.”

Soon, when it was Nadal’s turn to give his valedictory speech, he said: “I don’t know what can happen in the future but I’m going to keep fighting to try to keep going.” The applause that followed was deafening but sincere. Plenty of cheers of “Rafa! Rafa! Rafa!” were audible throughout Court Philippe-Chatrier. 

After, when Nadal addressed the media in his final Roland Garros news conference, he said that for him, having the Coupe de Mousquetaires next to him, again, meant everything.

“It has been an emotional victory, without a doubt,” he said. “Unexpected in some ways. I am very happy. It has been a great two weeks. I played from the beginning, improving every day. Finishing by playing a good final. I am super happy and can’t thank everybody enough for the support since the first day that I arrived here. It is very emotional.”

Additionally, Nadal said that it was not his intention to continue to play in tournaments with pain-killing injections that numbed his chronically-injured left foot, like he did in Paris to combat his condition known as Müller-Weiss syndrome. 

“Everybody knows how much this tournament means to me,” Nadal expressed. “That was the only way to give myself a chance here, no? So, I did it. And I can’t be happier and I can’t thank enough my doctor for all the things he did during all my tennis career, helping me in every tough moment. But it’s obvious that I can’t keep competing with the foot asleep.”

Nadal ruled out taking further painkilling injections in order to play Wimbledon, which begins June 27. Instead, he will seek an alternate means to be able to play pain free. For now, Nadal declined to rule out playing Wimbledon. He still has the desire to compete, to fight. It’s in his DNA.

“It’s not about being the best [in] history. It’s not about the records,” Nadal stressed. “It’s about what I do. I like to play tennis. And I like the competition. As I said a couple of times in the past, and is not a thing that I repeat, is not the thing that I don’t feel for me, we achieved our dreams. Me, Roger, Novak, we achieved things that probably we never expected.

“For me, what drives me to keep going is not about the competition to try to be the best or win more Grand Slams than the others. What drives me to keep going is the passion for the game, live moments that stay inside me forever, and play in front of the best crowds in the world and the best stadiums.”

For now, we can appreciate the remarkable and incredible 2022 season Nadal has enjoyed thus far – a 30-3 win-loss record and four ATP Tour titles won – and hope there are more historic days ahead. After all, there were fewer finer hours than Sunday in Paris, a place that has always been unique for Nadal. This time, he ended his latest title victory by solidly hitting his 37th winner of the match, a beautiful down-the-line backhand that landed in the sunshine end of the court. It lifted Nadal’s all-time mark at Roland Garros to an astonishing 112-3. The outcome allowed him, once again, to wear his emotions on his sleeve for all of the world to bear witness. 

Indeed, the King of Clay will always have Paris.

An alternate version of this first appeared in Tennis-TourTalk.com.

Photos: Courtesy Roland-Garros video, Roland-Garros Twitter.

From tennis prodigy to cricket and back again, Ashleigh Barty is now a Grand Slam champion

Ashleigh Barty went from being a tennis prodigy who briefly traded her racquet for a cricket bat to becoming a skilled tennis professional with a solid all-court game. Only 23 years-old, the native of Ipswich, Queensland, is now the queen of the red clay and the pride of Australia.

On Saturday, the affable and talented Barty triumphed over Marketa Vondrousova, 19, from the Czech Republic, 6-1, 6-3, to win her first Grand Slam title at the French Open while playing in her first Grand Slam final. She became the first Australian woman to win the French Open since Margaret Court in 1973.

“For the last fortnight, the stars have aligned for me. I have been able to play really good tennis when I’ve needed it,” said the No. 8 seed Barty during her post-match press conference.

“This is just incredible. I never dreamt that I’d be sitting here with this trophy here at the French Open. I mean, obviously, we have dreams and goals as children, but this is incredible.

“I just kept saying to myself, I may never get this opportunity ever again, so try and grab it with both hands.”

At just 5-feet-5-inches (1.66 m), Barty possesses an abundance of natural skills, lower body strength and tremendous hand-eye coordination. Her overall game is technically sound – and she trusts it. With Barty, her game includes a dynamic kick serve, plenty of topspin forehands, lots of slice, and for an element of surprise, a few timely and well-placed drop shots.

“It’s been a natural progression of becoming stronger, not growing any taller, but getting stronger and being able to trust myself and hit my spots on my serve,” explained Barty.

“My serve is a massive part of my game, and I try and think my way around the court. I know where opponents like to return, and if they shift their position, where they return. And I try and expose those spots as best that I can.”

Ashleigh Barty reacts to winning
her first Grand Slam title.

Throughout the Paris fortnight, it became apparent how Barty developed her talent into a game that’s full of artistry as well as movement and power.

Against the left-handed Vondrousova, whom she had already beaten twice, the beguiling Barty took control of the match early by winning points with her forehand, using her sliced backhand to force her opponent into committing errors (22 unforced errors), and hitting winners (27). Her adroit volley skills enabled her to win 15 of 20 points at the net. It seemed the was little Barty could do wrong.

“I felt like for me it was the perfect tennis match, considering the situation, the conditions. It was amazing,” said Barty.

It’s a testament to what Barty’s done in just three years after taking a gap year to step away from the sport after she struggled with the expectations she had set after being a tennis prodigy and winning the Wimbledon junior girls’ title at age 15. She was ranked in the WTA Top 50 in doubles when she left the sport.

“For me, I needed time to step away, to live a normal life, because this tennis life certainly isn’t normal. I think I needed time to grow as a person, to mature,” recalled Barty.

So, Barty took up professional cricket in Australia in 2015. Then, after missing the “one-on-one battle, the ebbs and flows, the emotions you get from winning and losing matches,” she came back to tennis.

“You can only get them when you are playing and when you put yourself out on the line and you become vulnerable and try and do things that no one thinks of,” said Barty.

“I think it was just a natural progression for me coming back to tennis. Certainly, it’s alway been a big part of my life. Tennis will always be a big part of my life.”

Starting from the bottom, ranked 623rd, she had to qualify just to get into main draws. Now, with her first Grand Slam title secured, she is now ranked No. 2 in the world, behind No. 1 Naomi Osaka. This year, she’s won tournaments on both a hard court (Miami) and clay (Roland Garros), and compiled a 33-6 win-loss record in all competitions (27-5 in WTA tour events).

“It’s about creating your own path, creating your own journey, and embracing it,” expressed Barty. “There’s no formula how to, you know, become a professional tennis player. It’s your own, it’s unique, your own journey, your own path, your own experiences.

“I think the best thing to do is learn from your mistakes, learn from every single experience that you have, whether it’s good or bad. That’s the only way to go about it, only way to grow as a person and as a player.”

Ashleigh Barty shares a hug with
Marketa Vondrousova after their French Open final.

Throughout Australia and the rest of the tennis world, fellow pros offered hardy congratulations via social media for the engaging Barty soon after she won her first Grand Slam championship. She heard from Hall of Fame great Evonne Goolagong Cawley, one of her idols, who like her is an indigenous Australian and won Roland Garros in 1971. Barty was touched when she lifted the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen and saw Cawley’s name inscribed on the trophy.

“What a wonderful result for Australia and how exciting that another Aboriginal has won at the French. I’m almost scared to say it but it’s now 48 years ago since I won my first Slam there too,” Cawley expressed via Tennis Australia.

“Tennis Australia and all lovers of tennis here and around the world will be delighted by the natural skills and flair Ash possesses.”

In sharing her personal narrative during her post-match press conference, Barty admitted that there’s no way she would have won the French Open title if she hadn’t taken a sabbatical from tennis. Now that she’s back, she credits her team – coach Craig Tyzzer and mentor and performance coach Ben Crowe – for helping her thrive.

“I’m not the only person out there. I have an extraordinary group of people around me,” said Barty. “I love working with them every single day. “They’re with me at the hardest times of my life, and there with me in some of the most amazing times. I think, for us, it’s a celebration of the journey we have been on for the last three years.”

Cover photo: courtesy of rolandgarros.com. Screenshot photos: courtesy of NBC Sports images.
An original version of this story appeared in Tennis TourTalk (www.Tennis-TourTalk.com).

Admiring brilliance: Nadal wins his 11th French Open title

Rafael Nadal clutches 
the Coupe des Mousquetaires
after winning his 11th French Open title.

"We admire brilliance but will we get competition?" NBC's outstanding tennis commentator Ted Robinson asked as he readied to call Rafael Nadal's first match of the 2018 French Open against Simone Bolelli of Italy at Stade Roland Garros two weeks ago. Fast forward to the end of the Paris fortnight Sunday and the answer is yes.

Nadal captured his 11th French Open crown by defeating 24-year-old Austrian star Dominic Thiem, the only man to defeat him on clay during the past two years, 6-4, 6-3, 6-2, on Court Philippe Chatrier. In what seemed at times to resemble a blowout but was actually decided by just a few service breaks, Thiem did not play bad. Nadal just played better.

"I'm very happy right now," said Nadal during an on-court interview with French TV after his victory while awaiting the start of the trophy presentation. Nadal addressed the crowd in both French and English.

The victory solidified the King of Clay's No. 1 world ranking and it was Nadal's first major title victory with Carlos Moya as his primary coach after long being coached by his uncle Toni Nadal.

The last time that Nadal and Thiem met, last month in the ATP Masters 1000 Mutua Madrid Open, Thiem ended Nadal's 21-match and 50-set winning streaks on clay. Thus, everyone attending Sunday's French Open men's singles final in person as well as those watching on TV around the world all asked the same question: Can Thiem do it again and beat Nadal in the final at Roland Garros? As it happened, the answer was no.

Nadal, 32, who was trying to become the first player – man or woman – to win 11 titles at three different tournaments, including his 11th Couple des Mousquetaires at Roland Garros, was solid in winning 82 percent of his first-serve points. Also, he controlled the net, where he won 16 of 18 opportunities, and broke Thiem five times in 17 chances. Nadal hit 26 winners to offset his 24 unforced errors.

Thiem countered with seven service aces but also committed five double faults. Although he won 67 percent of his first-serve points, he had trouble winning points on his second serve and converted just 34 percent of his chances. Thiem broke Nadal just once in three tries. He hit 34 winners but committed 42 unforced errors. Nadal outpointed Thiem 105-79.

Throughout their two hour and 42 minute match, Nadal was cool under pressure. Playing under humid conditions, the final featured many long, grueling rallies between both Nadal and Thiem. The first seven games lasted 45 minutes – alone – and set a tone for the remainder of the afternoon.

Nadal got off to a fast start by winning the first six points of the match and broke for a quick 2-0 lead. The Spaniard hit many memorable topspin forehand winners, a tribute to his drive and determination. When Thiem was broken at love in the 10th game, it gave Nadal the first set 6-4.

Early on, BBC5 Live's David Law, co-host of The Tennis Podcast, tweeted about Thiem, "Has the basic artillery to live with Nadal. Whether that's sustainable, another matter. Might rattle Rafa, though."

Thiem knew he had to be perfect to beat Nadal for the first time in a best-of-5 set match – and after the first set, he faced the unenviable task of having to win three of the remaining four sets. Plus, in the back of his mind, he must have been aware of this stat: Nadal is 95-0 when he wins the first set in a best-of-5 set match on clay. Make that 96-0 now.

The second set began similar to the first as Nadal jumped out to a 3-0 lead. He exhibited an ability to absorb everything Thiem hit at him and not get down anytime he lost a point. Nadal would lose 79 points during the match, still knowing he would come out ahead at the end. Ahead 4-2, it prompted NBC's outspoken analyst and Hall of Famer John McEnroe to comment about Thiem for his television audience watching back in the U.S., "He's got to find a gear he's never used in order to beat Nadal. ... I just don't think he has it in him." Although Thiem fought valiantly at times, he couldn't regain the break that he surrendered to Nadal early in the set and the Spaniard won the second set 6-3.

Nadal wasted little time in breaking Thiem early to go ahead 2-1 at the start of the third set. It seemed no matter how well Thiem played, Nadal was ridiculously just a little better. The effort Nadal displayed throughout the match – as well as the entire tournament – was unbelievable. Not even a cramped left hand, which Nadal sustained after holding for 3-1, could detour him. After all, he's still a pretty lethal player with just nine functioning fingers.

As Nadal served for the match, ahead 5-2, Thiem fought off four match points before the inevitable happened. On his fifth championship point, Nadal won the game and the set 6-2 – and clinched the match for his 17th Grand Slam championship title, which moved him to within three of Roger Federer's career-leading 20 majors.

Nadal lifted his arms high in the air and raised his head toward the heavens in celebration. La Undécima was all his to savor. Then, he and Thiem arrived at the net together from opposite directions and shared a long embrace before walking off the terre battue.

Give props to Thiem for fighting hard and playing well – even in defeat. He was trying to become the first Austrian since Thomas Muster in 1995 to win the French Open. During an on-court interview, Thiem told McEnroe, "I fought for every ball, but Rafa was just too good. I have to accept it. To play here is one of the toughest challenges in all sports.

"Even when Rafa isn't 100 percent," said Thiem referring to Nadal's hand cramp late in the match, "he's still pretty amazing."

After receiving the Coupe des Mousquetaires trophy from 1968 French Open champion Ken Rosewall, Nadal lifted it three times high above his head, then accepted the thunderous applause in a very prolonged ovation from the French crowd. It brought teams to Nadal's eyes followed a few moments later by a big smile. He clutched the trophy in both arms close to his chest as the Spanish national anthem, "Marcha Real" was played.

After the trophy presentation, Nadal was asked on court by McEnroe to describe the feeling of winning his 11th French Open title. "It's impossible to describe the feeling. This is the tournament I love to win.

"I've received all this love and appreciation from the crowd and I thank everyone. The emotions are always high when you win something you think is impossible."

By winning, Nadal matched Margaret Court's record of claiming 11 singles titles at the same Grand Slam. It also improved his Roland Garros win-loss record to an astonishing 86-2, and he's now won 111 best-of-5 sets clay-court matches and lost only two during his remarkable career.

Nadal also became one of just four players to claim three or more major championships after turning 30, joining Federer, Rosewall and Rod Laver.

En route to his 11th Roland Garros title, Nadal dropped just one set the entire fortnight, against Diego Schwartzman in the first set of their quarterfinal match that started on Wednesday. Nadal finished by winning nine consecutive sets, which included three in his quarterfinal win over Schwartzman, three in his semifinal win over Juan Martín del Potro, and three against Thiem in the final. Nadal improved his win-loss record to 30-2 this season, and has won his last 12 matches – all on clay.

Afterward, Nadal told the media gathered for his final press conference that he believes there is room for him to improve. He said, "You can always improve something, and I think that everyone can improve. There is no limit. You never know where is the limit. If you don't have the will to improve, you don't understand the sport, because the sport is always about improving. That's the meaning of sport. It's playing with the dream of doing something better than what you're doing before. ... When you're not working with passion of doing something better, I think that sports will lose its sense."

Now, it's on to the grass-court season for Nadal with his No. 1 ranking secured for now and the start of the Wimbledon fortnight just three weeks away.

Cover photo: Courtesy of Associated Press.
Highlight video: Courtesy of YouTube.com.

The 2018 French Open: Creating beautiful poster art through capturing the simple bounce of a tennis ball

Roland Garros and modern art have enjoyed a long, steady and tasteful relationship. It's a very French thing. In a sport where a player's instinct and spontaneous movement creates beautiful art out of work during every rally – especially on a terre battue canvas – the annual French Open poster is seen as a colorful and fascinating part of the Roland Garros experience. 

Each year since 1980, the grounds at Roland Garros in the 16th arrondissement of Paris have displayed bright and imaginative posters that truly embody the spirit and excitement of the French Open. After all, if tennis is seen as art – and why not? – then, its athletes are truly artists who have traded paint brushes for tennis rackets.

In an earlier era, Les Quatre Mousquetaires (Jacques Brugnon, Jean Borotra, Henri Cochet and René Lacoste) were prestigious French tennis players who dominated the sport in the second half of the 1920s and early '30s and were known for their dashing grace and athleticism. They became national icons in France – their success in winning the 1927 Davis Cup against the United States helped lead to the building of the Roland Garros venue at Porte d'Auteuil – and the French Open men's championship trophy was named the Coupe des Mousquetaires in honor of the quartet. 

Today, one need only think of World No. 1 Rafael Nadal, the undisputed king of clay, whose Picasso-like artistry as he glides across Court Philippe Chatrier – brushing his racquet against a tennis ball – is truly a bold and dynamic thing to admire. He's won 10 French Open singles titles, most of any athlete – male or female – which has endeared him to the French and tennis fans worldwide.

The quintessential Björn Borg's hair
as captured by Eduardo Arroyo in 1981.

Among the artists who have created French Open poster art since its inception are: Eduardo Arroyo, whose 1981 Pop Art image of Björn Borg's hair captured a quintessential quality of 1980s tennis; Joan Miró, one the most prominent influences on the development of both Surrealism and 20th-century art, who created the 1991 poster; documentary filmmaker and painter Jean-Michel Meurice, whose 1996 poster was inspired by the red clay and white lines of the Roland Garros courts; jazz drummer and composer Daniel Humair, who conveyed a musical rhythm to capture the pulse of the French Open in his 2004 poster; and Du Zhenjun, who in 2015 became the first Chinese artist selected to design a French Open poster. His training in traditional Chinese painting and calligraphy is reflected in his work.

Jazz drummer and composer Daniel Humair
conveyed a musical rhythm to capture
the pulse of the French Open in 2004.

For this year's French Open, Paris-born Fabienne Verdier was commissioned to create the poster for the 2018 tournament, which begins Sunday. Born in 1962, Verdier is the fourth woman selected to design the official Roland Garros poster, following in the footsteps of Jane Hammond (2003), Kate Shepherd (2007) and Nalini Malani (2010). She's also the first French artist, too. 

"For me, Roland Garros evokes those first warm days that herald the arrival of summer in Paris, when the intense light of May and June makes the ochre day sparkle," said Verdier, in an interview recently posted on French Open website rolandgarros.com. "As the sun races across the sky, the courts turn from amber to tobacco, from saffron to sepia, from ochre to red, from sienna to brown. During every rally, the balls collect this multicolored dust and, like comets, leave enchanting lines of energy in their wake."

In creating the 2018 French Open poster, Verdier chose to focus on the simple bounce of a tennis ball. In a split-second moment, she perfectly captures "that moment of truth in which the ball, after hitting the clay, sets off on one of many possible trajectories. The ball's movement gives off incredible energy."

Verdier describes her abstract impression this way: "I tried to portray the lightning speed of the player's movements. The energy that they transmit to the ball in a movement full of spontaneity, vitality, power, precision and slide. And I imagined one of those unexpected bounces that take the opponent by surprise and force them, in the following rally, to surpass themselves once again in order to get one step closer to victory in Paris."

To view the entire collection of French Open art posters: www.rolandgarros.com
Fabienne Verdier video courtesy of YouTube.com
French Open poster art courtesy of www.rolandgarros.com

At Roland Garros, Djokovic and his quest both embraced

Novak Djokovic / Kissing the Coupe, basking in the glory of tennis history.

What more could you ask for – No. 1 playing No. 2, Novak Djokovic versus Andy Murray. At stake was an opportunity for one player to be the first in 47 years to hold all four Grand Slam titles at once, while for the other it was a chance to be the first British male player since Fred Perry in 1935 to be champion of Roland Garros. Neither had won the French Open before. On Sunday, one of them would win, and when they did, they would get to hoist the Coupe de Mousquetaires, one of the great and exciting moments in tennis.

Pour le gagnant va la Coupe. À votre santé!

At Roland Garros, the Parisian crowd
loves to embrace its winners.

As evening began to fall over Court Philippe Chatrier, it became apparent to everyone witnessing the spectacle in person as well as to a world-wide television audience that this Grand Slam was Djokovic's to win. After losing in the final three of the last four years, Djokovic finally had reason to feel joyous. He finally got to experience the thrill of victory instead of the agony of defeat when he beat Murray, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4, to win the title.

When the last point had been played, Djokovic became the eighth man to complete a career Grand Slam in tennis – and the first since the iconic Rod Laver of Australia in 1969 to hold all four of the Grand Slam singles titles at the same time – when he won the 2016 French Open. Call it a Djoker Slam, if you wish. Soon, he used his tennis racquet to create a heart in the clay, then promptly lay down inside of it spread eagle, happy, and smiling all the while.

"It's a very special day, perhaps the biggest moment of my career," Djokovic, a 29-year-old from Serbia, said in French to what New York Times tennis columnist Christopher Clarey described as "the tough-to-conquer Parisian crowd that had gradually come to embrace him and his quest."

In witnessing Djokovic's historic four-set victory over Murray, Clarey wrote of the World No. 1: "He is quite a conundrum for the opposition with his elastic ground strokes, big serve and world-class returns. He can make a tennis court look dauntingly cramped as you face him across the net."

Gracious in defeat, Murray, the No. 2 seed from Great Britain, said of Djokovic: "This is his day today. What he's achieved in the last 12 months is phenomenal. Winning all four of the Grand Slams in one year is an amazing achievement. it's something that is so rare in tennis. You know it's not happened for an extremely long time, and it's going to take a long time for it to happen again. Everyone here who came to watch is extremely lucky to see it."

The champion and the Coupe / Djokovic enjoys
the day after in Paris.

Each year in late spring, the French Open in Paris serves as a grading period – a report card if you will – for professional tennis. It's the second of the year's four Grand Slam events – the others are the Australian Open in January, Wimbledon in late June and the U.S. Open in August near the end of summer  – and all the big names in men's professional tennis except 17-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer, seeded third, who pulled out with a back injury, came to famed Roland Garros to complete for the Coupe.

Soon after, No. 4 seed Rafael Nadal, himself the owner of 14 Grand Slam titles – including nine at Roland Garros – pulled out just before his third-round match with an injury to his left wrist that he developed coming into the tournament. His status for Wimbledon remains uncertain. So, it was left to Djokovic and Murray, among the Big Four, to carry on the fight to the end while dodging many rain delays – and worthy opponents, including last year's champion Stan Wawrinka – along the way during the second week of the fortnight. To the amazement of many, both the men's final as well as the women's final the day before, won by Garbiñe Muguruza of Spain in a huge upset over Serena Williams of the U.S., went on as scheduled.

"In the beginning, I was not glad to be part of their era," Djokovic said in reference to Federer and Nadal. Now, with 12 Grand Slams to his name, tying him with Australian great Roy Emerson for fourth on the career list and putting him within of Federer and Nadal, his attitude has changed. He said: "Later on I realized that everything happens for a reason. You're put in this position with a purpose, a purpose to learn and grow and evolve."

Photos: Courtesy of Google Images, 2016; Official Roland Garros poster art by Marc Desgrandchamps, 

Roland Garros: From inside the baselines, Wawrinka's moxie and power reigned during this Parisian fortnight

2015 French Open poster art by Chinese artist Du Zhenjun / 
Drawing upon his Asian roots and from contemporary Western art.

Each year in late spring, the French Open in Paris serves as a grading period -- a report card if you will -- for professional tennis. It's the second of the year's four Grand Slam events -- the others are the Australian Open in January, Wimbledon in late June and the U.S. Open in August near the end of summer  -- and all the big names in men's professional tennis came to famed Roland Garros to complete for the Coupe des Mousquetaires, or the Cup of the Musketeers.

A funny thing happened by the end of the red clay fortnight on Sunday: None of the elite Big Four -- Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Andy Murray or Rafael Nadal -- won the Coupe. Instead, it was Stan Wawrinka, he of the funny plaid shorts and winner of one previous Grand Slam final -- the 2014 Australian Open -- who prevailed in come-from-behind fashion. At the end of the day, the Swiss raised the champion's trophy after beating Djokovic with moxie and precision power in four sets, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4. A year ago, Wawrinka was a first-round loser. What a difference a year made for Stan the Man.

In leading up to Sunday's championship finale on Court Philippe Chatrier, three of the Big Four had fallen by the wayside: Federer was sent packing for Wimbledon in straight sets by Wawrinka in the quarterfinals; and Murray, the Scot who for the past year has been coached by French darling Amelie Mauresmo, took out David Ferrer in a tension-filled quarterfinal before he was stubbornly knocked out by Djokovic in a semifinal match that required two days to complete because of rain.

Meanwhile, last Wednesday, the much-anticipated men's singles quarterfinal match-up between World No. 1 Djokovic of Serbia and nine-time defending champion Nadal of Spain, who arrived in Paris as the sixth seed and whose usually-strong game on clay showing signs of weakness and fatigue, was won convincingly by Djokovic. He stunned Nadal in straight sets -- it wasn't even close -- and, thus, ended the King of Clay's reign in Paris.

What started two weeks ago with a 128-player draw played down to two by the last day: Djokovic, who only needed to win the French Open to complete a career Grand Slam, and Wawrinka, who has spent the past decade playing in the shadows of the more famous and acclaimed Swiss player, Federer. After Djokovic won the opening set 6-4, Wawrinka took his tennis to a new level by winning the next three sets -- playing "the match of my life" -- and, with it, the championship.

Stan Wawrinka /
2015 French Open champion

When the dust had settled on the famed Roland Garros stage, it was Wawrinka who dashed Djokovic's hopes of achieving a career grand slam. Afterwards, the 30-year-old Swiss walked into the interview room inside Court Philippe Chatrier. He hung a pair of his infamous plaid shorts over a table. No explanation was provided, just a sarcastic grin on his face. Later, when he was prompted to explain, Wawrinka said: "Everybody has been talking about these shorts since I put them on. I quite like them. Apparently I'm the only one. It's quite funny that they won the French Open."

Questionable fashion choices aside, Wawrinka was rock solid when it mattered and he showed against Djokovic that he was able to produce "big time tennis" by hitting 60 winners, no easy fete against the top player in the world. Djokovic had held a 17-3 lead over Wawrinka going into the final and had dominated the spring clay-court circuit by winning titles in Monte-Carlo and Rome. Wawrinka's world ranking improved over the fortnight from No. 9 to No. 4 with his French Open triumph, and he sealed the victory with a backhand winner.

"I'm very surprised at the way I finished the fourth set," admitted Wawrinka. "I was relaxed on my backhand side and I could hit some wonderful backhands. It's a rare feeling that you experience in a final against Djokovic. It's a great feeling.

"I'm still surprised that in two months I can win the French Open, because I wasn't in good shape after Monaco. It was a tough, tough moment for me. To say that now I won the French Open, it's something complete crazy."

Novak Djokovic and Stan Wawrinka / 
During the trophy presentation.

When the final ended, Djokovic showed why he is always a class act in defeat. Pushed to tears, he paid full credit to Wawrinka in accepting the runner-up trophy during the on-court ceremony. It was his third final defeat on Court Philippe Chatrier, the others against Nadal.

Djokovic refused to use his own fatigue as a reason for losing. As a result of his forthright honesty, Djokovic received a prolonged standing ovation from the French crowd that was possibly the most emotional moment seen during a fortnight of tennis.

"Obviously was not easy to stand there as a runner-up again, but I lost to a better player who played some courageous tennis and deserved to win," said Djokovic, after his 28-match winning streak was ended by Wawrinka.

"I respect the appreciation the crowd showed me, and it was more or less the same situation like last year in (the) closing ceremony (after losing to Nadal). This is something that definitely gives me even more motivation to come back and keep on trying."

Djokovic continued: "There are two players who want to win this trophy, not just me. So I think people tend to create more of a story where it's just me.

"It feels like I'm the only player who wants to win this trophy and nobody wants to win it as much as I do. This is completely untrue. Every single player who is here, especially the top players, want to win this trophy as much as I do.

"Of course the finals of a grand slam and the grand slam I never won gives a special importance to my approach to the match. But I thought I started well. As I got into the match, that was not a major issue in terms of dealing with the pressure. It's just that he was better.

"At least I'm proud of the fight that I put into this match. I tried my best. It wasn't to be."

Photos: Courtesy of Getty Images; Google Images, 2015.

Relishing a wide world of sport

The Art of Sport / London 2012 Olympic Games
This poster by British artist Rachel Whiteread
will be on display at the Tate Britain
 as part of the London 2012 festival.

It's a great time to be a sports fan.

Let's see: Between the European Championships in football, the French Open in tennis, the Stanley Cup in ice hockey and the NBA Finals in American professional basketball, there's something for every sports fan during this second week in June. Add to the mix, Major League Baseball with its inter-league play and pennant races starting to formulate, and there's just not enough hours in the day to watch everything.

* Thanks to the worldwide interest in the World Cup, America's interest in the European Championships of football has grown, too. ESPN is broadcasting all of the matches in this year's tournament which continues through July 1. It will be interesting to see if Spain can live up to its pre-tournament billing as the favorite to win the Euro 2012 championship  ~ and, to see the merger of Barcelona and Real Madrid players, despite their differences at the club level during La Liga, can provide a spark of inventiveness and create enough chances for La Furia Roja to bring home the trophy.

* History was made in Monday's French Open final as Rafa Nadal, the undisputed "King of Clay" won a record seventh Roland Garros singles title by defeating the world's No. 1 player, Novak Djokovic, in four grueling sets. En route to Lucky No. 7, Nadal surpassed the record of six that was first set by the legendary Bjorn Borg a generation ago. He began his incredible string of fortune by winning his first French Open title in 2005 and, except for losing in the 2009 final, he's won it every year since while compiling a remarkable record of 52-1 on the red clay at Roland Garros.

* On Monday night in Los Angeles, the Kings became king of ice hockey by skating to a 6-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils to win the NHL Stanley Cup for the first time in the franchise's 45-year history. It's always a thrill to see the players of the winning team kissing Lord Stanley's Cup and hoisting it above their heads as they skate around the rink in jubilation. It's an experience every hockey player wants to experience.

* Tonight, the NBA season reaches its tipping point as "The Finals" between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat begin. The best-of-seven series features two of pro basketball's biggest stars in Kevin Durant and LeBron James, neither whom have won a championship.

* With the weather heating up across America, expect the Major League Baseball pennant races to heat up, too. And, of course, there's the classic rivalries of baseball ~ Giants- Dodgers and Yankees-Red Sox come to mind ~ that make the Summer Game so enjoyable.

Lest we forget: The United States Open golf championship will be contested this week in San Francisco, and the Wimbledon Championships start in less than two weeks. Next month, it will be time for the London 2012 Olympics to romance us.

Indeed, it's a time for relishing a wide world of sport.

Roland Garros ~ Where the clay is red and the story lines are always a little unpredictable

Roland Garros 2012 poster art by Hérve Di Rosa /
 "Sensual mouthes and rebellious looks."

As world No. 1 Novak Djokovic began his quest on Monday to hold all four Grand Slam tennis titles at once by winning his first round match at the French Open ~ and Roger Federer and Andy Murray figure to advance deep into the second week of the Paris fortnight ~ Rafa Nadal entered this year's tournament as the defending champion and the favorite to make history on the red clay of Roland Garros.

Like Djokovic before him, the world No. 2 Nadal had no difficulty in defeating his first-round opponent, the 111th-ranked Simone Bolelli, on Tuesday afternoon on Philippe Chatrier Court, the main stadium at Roland Garros.

Each year in late spring, the French Open in Paris serves as a grading period ~ a report card ~ for tennis. It's the second of the year's four Grand Slam events ~ the others are the Australian Open in January, Wimbledon in June and the U.S. Open in August ~ and all the big names of tennis come to the famed Roland Garros to complete for the Coupe des Mousquetaires, or the Cup of the Musketeers.

With a 128-player singles draw for both men and women, there are plenty of interesting story lines among the top men's players emerging after just three days. Here's a few worth pointing out:

* Nadal is going after his seventh French Open singles title, which would surpass the record of six first set by the famed Bjorn Borg. The Spaniard won at Roland Garros in 2011 and is the pre-tournament pick to win it all, again. He is the undisputed "King of Clay".

* Djokovic is aiming to hold all four Grand Slam tennis titles at once. He has won the last three Grand Slams ~ Wimbledon, the U.S. Open and the Australian Open. A year ago, Djokovic reached the semifinals of the French Open before losing to world No. 3 Roger Federer en route to surpassing Nadal as the world's top-ranked player.

* As for Federer, he remains a very viable competitor and still possesses the talent and ability to win Grand Slams. With 16 career Grand Slams, including one French Open crown (2009), Federer would have to beat Djokovic in a potential semifinal match-up in order to meet Nadal in a dream championship final.

* Meanwhile, No. 4 Andy Murray has a new coach this year in three-time former French Open champion Ivan Lendl, who beat John McEnroe in an epic, five-set final at Roland Garros in 1984. If anyone can, perhaps Lendl can finally bring out Murray's potential and push him to loftier heights.

On the women's side of the French Open, in Tuesday's fading twilight that fell on Philippe Chatrier Court, unheralded Virginie Razzano of France, ranked 115th in the world, stunned perennial (13-time) Grand Slam champion and world No. 5 Serena Williams in a three-hour, three-set thriller that was anything but a routine first-round match ~ and it knocked the American out in the first round of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time in her professional career after winning 46 consecutive first-round Grand Slam matches. The Tennis Channel commentators, broadcasting the match back to the U.S., called the dramatic and emotional loss by Williams a "monumental" and "stunning" defeat.

In a Grand Slam event that few Americans ~ men or women ~ ever fare well in, the early farewell by Williams, who was the last American to win a French Open title in 2002 and was thought of as a "sure thing" entering this year's Roland Garros with a 17-0 record on clay this spring, took everyone by surprise. Including Razzano, who said in a post-match interview while still on court that she just simply wanted to win the match. The last game of the match, alone, lasted a quarter of an hour. "Yes, I think there were some angels watching me up above. I'm going to enjoy this for a long time."

Finally, here's a feel-good story that involves a player little known outside of his native north African country of Tunisia. His name is Malek Jaziri and he's the 94th-ranked singles player in the world. He may not be a house-hold name to most, but he's got a Facebook page devoted to him created by fans from his home country.

Jaziri, 28, hails from Bizerte, Tunisia, and he's a first-time qualifier for the French Open. On Monday, he won his first round match against Philipp Petzschner of Germany on an outer court.

Meeting the media after his victory, Jaziri said that he's been an avid viewer of the French Open for many years and has been to Roland Garros before as a hitting partner for others. "It's a tradition back home in Tunisia. We all watch Roland Garros," said Jaziri. "Everyone in north Africa knows the tournament. I've dreamt about playing here since I was a kid. It's a dream come true. What's even better is that I didn't have to go through the qualification round like I did in the U.S. Open (last year), but went straight to the main draw."

Jaziri is the top-ranked player in Tunisia and the fourth-ranked player in north Africa. As long as he stays ranked in the top 100, he should be able to gain main draw status in Grand Slam tournaments. He said his goal is to be able to some day play Roger Federer. Next up for him in this year's French Open is a second-round match against Spaniard Marcel Granollers, ranked 23rd in the world, on Thursday. It will likely be assigned to one of the outer courts away from the big crowds filling up Philippe Chatrier Court and Suzanne Lenglen Court, the two largest show courts at Roland Garros.

"I'd love to play one of the greats like Federer," said Jaziri, who could only meet Federer at Roland Garros if both reach the final.  Give Jaziri credit. He's full of heart and he's got lofty goals.

"That's why I play tennis," he said. "To play on the big courts with the legends."

Image of 2012 Roland Garros poster art by French artist Hérve Di Rosa, courtesy of Galerie Lalong FFT 2012.

Rafa Nadal: Fighting for every point

Rafael Nadal / The King of Clay

Rafael Nadal has a Curriculum Vitae that is the envy of young adults.  In an age where most 25 year-olds are still trying to find their place in the world, Nadal woke up on his 25th birthday Friday ready to go to the office.

Not just any office mind you. Nadal's office was on the terre battue of Roland Garros in Paris, where he has won five French Open singles championships. He probably had his C.V. zipped up with his Babolat tennis racquets.

While it might have been easy enough for Nadal to call in sick on his birthday, take the day off and go out sight-seeing around the City of Lights with his family, the undisputed King of Clay, as he is nicknamed, put on his kit, grabbed the tools of his craft and went to work under the watchful eye of his Uncle Toni, his coach.

Or was it play?

In front of an enthusiastic crowd of 15,000 tennis spectators in Court Philippe Chatrier at Roland Garros ~ plus a world-wide television audience numbering in the millions ~ this elite-level Spaniard from Mallorca, who is easily identifiable simply as Rafa, painstakingly plied the genius of his craft. He won his semifinal match over Britain's Andy Murray 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 to advance to the final of the 2011 French Open, where he will try to tie Bjorn Borg's record of six French Open titles.  Borg has become an ally of Nadal and is expected to be in a court side box cheering for Nadal to tie his record.

A few hours after he left the stadium court victorious, Nadal found out the identity of his next opponent for Sunday's championship match ~ and, it would be a familiar foe. Namely, Roger Federer, who broke the 43-match winning streak (41 matches to start the 2011 season) of Novak Djokovic in four sets as darkness began to set in over Paris late Friday evening.

Over the course of this French fortnight, Nadal overcame a dismal start ~ he needed five difficult sets to advance over the American John Isner in the first round ~ and his other first-week wins left him feeling in a state of resignation.  Plus, he came into the French Open having lost four consecutive finals this year to Djokovic, including two on clay, his best surface.

Had Rafa become obsessed by his defeats to Djokovic? Many of his most loyal Facebook fans recognized something was troubling Nadal, whose confidence seemed shattered.

Nadal's press conferences at Roland Garros became a kind of daily confessional.  He wasn't happy with the way he had been playing and he acknowledged that it was a matter of time before Djokovic, currently ranked No. 2 in the world, would move up to No. 1 and replace Nadal at the top. (Had Djokovic beaten Federer on Friday night, he would have surpassed Nadal in the rankings. If Federer beats Nadal in the final, Djokovic will climb to No. 1 when the new rankings are released on Monday.)

Then, a funny thing happened on the way to the final: Nadal regained his confidence and his ability as the second week of the French Open developed. The Matador, as he's been nicknamed, put together a string of impressive victories ~ including a straight-set win over Robin Soderling in the quarterfinals ~ to carry him into his semifinal against Murray. Now, with six consecutive victories at this year's Roland Garros, Nadal will go after another French Open title on Sunday afternoon against Federer, 29, who is the career leader with 16 Grand Slam titles.

Nadal and Federer share a bit of history at Roland Garros, where Nadal has never lost to Federer in three previous French Open finals (2006, 2007, 2008) and also beat Federer in a 2005 semifinal en route to winning his first French Open title. Nadal owns an impressive 44-1 career record at Roland Garros, a statistic that hasn't gone unnoticed by Federer.

"It always seems to me that Rafa needs to be in a French Open final to make it special, and I got the match I guess I was hoping for," said Federer, who won the 2009 French Open when he beat Soderling in the final, as quoted in Sunday's edition of the New York Times. "After beating Novak, in a way it's a nice gift that I get the chance, and I am looking forward to it."

I am intrigued by what it is that endures Nadal to so many of his most loyal fans, who adore him and daily post "Vamos Rafa" and pictures of their idol on Facebook profile pages across many continents and on tennis forums with much aplomb. And, it's nice to read what tennis critics have to say about the nine-time Grand Slam champion, too.

"Lately with him, it's been like being on a roller coaster ride," said John McEnroe, a tennis legend himself who is an analyst at Roland Garros for American television audiences. "Make no mistake, though, he fights for every single point."

Indeed, Rafa's fan base is tremendous.  As of Friday, there were more than 6.8 million fans of his official Facebook page.

One Facebook admirer of Rafa's penned a birthday ode to him that began:

Happy Birthday, my sparkling Rafa!
You're everything to me!
You're the god of beauty!
You're the god of tennis!

Pretty serious stuff, yet very poetic ~ and, most importantly, very sincere.

Sincerity has always been a trait that endures Rafa to his fans. After his win against Murray, Nadal downplayed Borg's record, saying: "I don't think about that. A lot of respect for the great Bjorn, but I ... focus on (trying) to play well. For me, it is much more important to win at Roland Garros than equal Bjorn."

So, we have arrived to Sunday's epic final, another classic in the Nadal-Federer rivalry. The two have met 24 times overall and Rafa holds a 16-8 advantage.

By now, at least on Facebook, everyone is on a first-name basis for the biggest stars of men's professional tennis. Nole, as Djokovic is known by his nickname, has been eliminated. And what had been, in the words of American tennis analyst Mary Carillo, a "trivalry" has been reduced simply to Rafa and Roger, following in the tradition of other great tennis rivalries like Borg and McEnroe, McEnroe and Jimmy Connors, and Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi.

As the San Francisco Chronicle's Bruce Jenkins noted for readers of his Saturday 3-Dot column about the Rafa-Roger final: "Just like old times ~ and as contemporary as it gets."

And, win or lose, Rafa will be out there on Sunday fighting for every point. He wouldn't have it any other way.

A postscript: Sunday evening, Rafa Nadal defeated Roger Federer 7-5, 7-6, 5-7, 6-1 to win his sixth French Open title.

Rafael Nadal image courtesy of Tennis Channel (c. 2011).

Thinking global, connecting through tennis

Tennis / Thinking global beyond borders.

It's been a long week with so much riveting news being made throughout the world, especially in Egypt.  Fortunately, it's rewarding to know that in these challenging times of unrest, a spirit of peace, sportsmanship and multiculturalism can exist and thrive through world sport.

Last weekend, the Australian Open crowned its 2011 champions in men's and women's singles.  The Americans didn't fare very well, while Serbia and Belgium did just the opposite.  And, when the new world rankings were announced on Monday, for the first time since the rankings began in 1975, the women's Top 10 players were from 10 different countries.  It's just another example of the global nature of tennis ~ and sport beyond borders ~ in an era when the United States is no longer a dominant force from the baseline or at the net.

Down under in Melbourne, basking in a glow of sunshine in the middle of summer, "The Grand Slam of Asia/Pacific" provided a couple of nice endings that got the 2011 tennis season off to a very promising start.  First, Kim Clijsters of Belgium proved that she is the best women's player in the world ~ bar none ~ as she defeated Li Na of China in three very competitive sets. It was the fourth career Grand Slam singles title for Clijsters, who improved her world ranking afterwards to No. 2.  Now, it's just a matter of time before she's No. 1 and, someday soon, Li will prove a worthy Grand Slam champion, too.

The following evening at Rod Laver Arena, Novak Djokovic of Serbia won his second Australian Open crown in straight sets over his boyhood friend, Great Britain's Andy Murray. Throughout the fortnight, the acrobatic Djokovic showed his shot-mastery and fortitude, dropping only one set in seven matches and dispatching defending champion Roger Federer in the semifinals.

In accepting the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup, awarded to the men's champion, Djokovic paused for reflection, choosing his words carefully, and thoughtfully projected a mature side of himself not always displayed on the court.  "There's been a tough period for our people in Serbia, but we are trying every single to day to present our country in the best possible way. So, this is for my country, Serbia," Djokovic said, clutching the trophy.

Both matches brought out a lot of great qualities in each of the finalists, and above all, there was a tremendous display of sportsmanship shown by Clijsters, Li, Djokovic and Murray. The multicultural crowds for both finals, many waving flags and holding up tasteful banners of support, applauded politely and respectfully.  After all, this was the Happy Slam.  Added up, it gives us hope for the future of the sport, even if there isn't always an American ~ or Roger Federer ~ playing on the final day of a Grand Slam.

As noted earlier in this post, the new WTA (Women's Tennis Association) rankings released this week show the Top 10 players hail from 10 different countries.  It's like a United Nations of tennis with Denmark, Belarus and Australia all having representation on the court.

"Having 10 different players represent the top 10 rankings shows how truly global tennis has become," WTA Chair and CEO Stacey Allaster said in a statement after the release of the latest rankings.

The women's Top 10:  1. Caroline Wozniacki, Denmark; 2. Kim Clijsters, Belgium; 3. Vera Zvonareva, Russia; 4. Francesca Schiavone, Italy; 5. Sam Stosur, Australia; 6. Venus Williams, U.S.; 7. Li Na, China; 8. Jelena Jankovic, Serbia; 9. Victoria Azarenka, Belarus; 10. Agnieska Radwanska, Poland.

And, the 11th ranked player, Shahar Peer, is from Israel. Thirty of the top 60 are from different nations.  Plus, Schiavone is the first Italian to break into the top five, and Li is the first Chinese player to reach No. 7.

Thinking global, connecting the world peacefully with tennis racquets instead of igniting chaos with stones.

Photograph by Michael Dickens (2004) from the Museum of the French Federation of Tennis, Stade Roland Garros, Paris.