Hello world!
So, the French Open final then. Rafael Nadal goes for his ninth title here, Djokovic for his first, with the winner also getting World No1 status. Nadal has a 22-19 head-to-head advantage, but lost on clay to Djokovic in the final in Rome a couple of weeks ago. The semi-finals were both a bit disappointing, but this could be a classic. I'm excited. How are you feeling?
Updated at 1.39pm BST
We're but 10 minutes away from the start. Here's some good news for the Brits, with a Briton winning silverware at Roland Garros earlier today. Kind of.
Alison Lang of Great Britain receives her Umpire Trophy following the Ladies Doubles final at Roland Garros. Photograph: Ella Ling/BPI/REXThe weather in Paris is very pleasant indeed thankyou very much, but "a couple of thunderstorms" are predicted. They should arrive between 5-6pm, local time. That gives us at least two hours, possibly three before a stoppage, which seems like not quite enough. Of course the forecasters could be wrong, but then they so rarely are…
The players are on court. They're a punctual pair.
Before play, a minute's silence on the centenary of the First World War.
Blue is very much the colour in Paris today, with both finalists similarly clothed. The coin has been tossed, but I couldn't hear what happened because John Inverdale was loudly saying on UK TV how much he hoped we'd be able to see it, which seems ironic.
Turns out Nadal won the toss and I believe he has chosen to receive. This lot flew by a few minutes ago, at the end of that minute's silence, and very fine they looked too.
First set: Djokovic* 1-0 Nadal (* denotes player who's just served, not the player who's about to serve. Yes, I know they do it differently on on-court scoreboards. Live with it)
There's been a lot of talk about Djokovic's cross-court backhand, which he has used to good effect to pressurise Nadal's forehand, and it's already in evidence – though on one occasion when he tries it Nadal powers a winner down the line. Still, it's an easy hold, to 15.
First set: Djokovic 1-1 Nadal*
Already a great deal of pre-game, and indeed mid-game, allez whoevering from the Parisians, who seem rather fond of Nadal, given that they've already had to cheer him through eight title successes. The good news for all the big-lunged fans is that Nadal does indeed allez and wins the game to love.
First set: Djokovic* 2-1 Nadal
Djokovic nets a straightforward backhand to go 0-15 down, but an ace, a powerful crosscourt forehand from halfway down the court and then a fearsome, thunderous rally that ends with Nadal slapping a forehand into the net puts him firmly in control of the game.
First set: Djokovic 2-2 Nadal*
There is some fine hitting here from Djokovic, though one glorious crosscourt backhand from way wide at a crazy angle lands two inches wide. Which is why he screams with frustration when he slams the ball into the net when well placed at 30-30, and turns his eyes to the heavens when Nadal then holds.
So that's 1-1 on Twitter allezes (that's the plural of allez, obviously):
First set: Djokovic* 3-2 Nadal
Djokovic goes 40-15 up with a flying crosscourt forehand from deep behind the baseline that lands perfectly on the line, a shot of beauty and ferocity. "Excuse me while I pick my jaw up off the flaw," fumbles Jim Courier. An ace (he leads 2-0 on those, at this early stage) wins the game. And here's the French minister of youth, sport and women's rights, which seems quite a lot to put on one person's assiette, if you ask me.
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, French Women Rights, Youth and Sports Minister Najat Vallaud-Belkacem and French Prime Minister Manuel Valls watch the men's singles final at the French Open. Photograph: Gonzalo Fuentes/ReutersFirst set: Djokovic 3-3 Nadal*
Djokovic narrowly overhits a groundstroke and flings his arms about in a huff, complaining about something – the heat? Some wind? He then wins the next point after conjuring a perfect return from a near-perfect serve, after a drop-shot that Nadal returns with not quite enough interest, but clips the top of the net at 30-40 and the game's gone. Still, Djokovic is playing pretty well here, and Nadal's serve is coming under the greater examination so far.
First set: Djokovic*4-3 Nadal
No sooner do I write that about Nadal's serve than Djokovic finds himself at 30-30 and then at deuce – the first time we've seen one of those. Djokovic basically wins the next point at least twice with enormous, flat forehands, both of which Nadal miraculously returns, and then actually wins it, and the one after it, thanks to backhands that Nadal overhits under pressure.
First set: Djokovic 5-3 Nadal*
A break! Two unforced forehand errors put Nadal at 0-30, and though he then fluffs a return Djokovic then lands a crosscourt backhand on the very edge of the line to bring up the first break point of the match – which Nadal saves with an astonishing down-the-line forehand – and the second, which he saves with a fine serve to the body. But Djokovic wheels out a killer forehand of his own, and then a slightly wild inside-out crosscourt forehand from Nadal hands the Serb our first service break.
Novak Djokovic wins the first set!
First set: Djokovic* 6-3 Nadal
Djokovic loses the first point with an unforced error, and the second with a drop shot that Nadal reaches and sends perfectly down the line, and then the fourth with another unforced error. Thus Nadal wins his first break points of the day, wasting the first with a mistimed forehand that balloons wide, and the second, after a nervous rally, with a mistimed forehand that balloons long, and a few moments later Djokovic has the game and the set. For all their amazingness and their bulging trophy cabinets, that game was proof that his pair aren't immune to nerves.
"It's good to see Novak isn't scared to go to Rafa's forehand," writes Danny Norton on Twitter. "I think Murray was too preoccupied with avoiding it in the semi." Indeed. If you're predictable, you're toast.
Djokovic celebrates. Photograph: Matthew Stockman/Getty ImagesUpdated at 4.10pm BST
Second set: Djokovic 6-3, 1-0 Nadal* (* denotes player who's just served, not the player who's about to serve)
Nadal knows that he managed to lose that recent Rome Masters final despite winning the first set, but only one of these players' Grand Slam encounters (those that have been completed, anyway) has been won by the player who lost the first set. That's nine matches, fact-checkers. In all matches between them, the winner of the first set has won 36 of the last 41 matches, some 88%. Anyway, enough statistics. Nadal holds.
Second set: Djokovic* 6-3, 1-1 Nadal
Another fairly straightforward hold. "27 plays 28 with Murray 27, Wawrinka 29 and Federer at least 40 surely?" writes Gary Naylor. "Where are all the young dudes of men's tennis?" Up-and-coming – the top-ranked male 21-and-under is Austria's Dominic Thiem, the world No55.
Second set: Djokovic 6-3, 1-2 Nadal*
Nadal races into a 30-0 lead, rolling out his first ace of the day along the way, but then a lovely backhand winner and an overhit forehand from Nadal brings the game back into balance. At which point, a fine rally is won by Nadal with an excellent backhand down the line, who releases an extra-large grunt in celebration, and then bangs a serve into Djokovic's ribs in further celebration. Talking of up-and-coming youngsters keep an eye out for America's Jack Sock, the third best 21-and-under tennis player in the world (overall world No75), mainly because his family named after a popular layer of foot-insulation, which I find pleasing.
Second set: Djokovic* 6-3, 2-2 Nadal
Djokovic wins to 15, and it's getting to the stage where Nadal's supporters start hoping the rain comes sooner rather than later. Talking of which, here's Mummy Nadal, Daddy Nadal, Sister Nadal and Girlfriend Nadal, getting into the action.
Rafael Nadal's mother Ana Maria Parera (left), sister Maria Isabel Nadal (centre), girlfriend Xisca Perello (right) and father Sebastian Nadal (bottom right) watch his men's singles final match against Novak Djokovic at the French Open. Photograph: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images Second set: Djokovic 6-3, 2-3 Nadal*
That's a mighty service game from Nadal, in which he almost toys with Djokovic. Sure, the day's first double fault was hidden in there, but it was otherwise phenomenal. Flawless. With a fabulous topspun forehand to kill it off. The rain can hold off a while yet.
Talking of tiny airborne droplets of water, here's a phenomenal photograph of Rafael Nadal's nose-sweat.
Rafael Nadal prepares to serve to Novak Djokovic during their men's singles final at the French Open. Photograph: Vincent Kessler/Reuters Second set: Djokovic* 6-3, 2-4 Nadal
Nadal breaks! Now Djokovic gets doublefaultitis, but makes up for it by winning a spectacular point, in which Nadal ludicrously chases down a drop volley from a standing start absolutely miles away, but leaves Djokovic to pop the ball back into an empty court. Perhaps giddy with the excitement of it all, Djokovic produces a couple of unforced errors to give Nadal a break point. Nadal sends in a looping forehand that looks to have won it, but the line judge's lack of complaint is overruled by the umpire. Unbowed, and aided by Djokovic's first serve emphatically deserting him, Nadal wins himself another break point and takes it, with his third point-winning crosscourt forehand of the game. A good stat from ITV: Novak Djokovic has won the first set in 35 finals, including eight against Nadal, and won the lot.
Updated at 3.36pm BST
Second set: Djokovic 6-3, 3-4 Nadal*
We're back on serve! What a wobble! Nadal wheels out a limp forehand and a double fault as Djokovic surges into a 15-40 lead. One is saved when a good guess about where Djokovic would send his backhand gives him control of the rally, but then he sends a forehand long to surrender his advantage.
Second set: Djokovic* 6-3, 4-4 Nadal
This is attritional stuff at the moment, with nobody enjoying any easy service games. For the third in succession there's a break point, leading to a rally during which neither player ever seems very happy and which Nadal eventually cedes with a mishit backhand, one of three unforced errors on that side in the game. Talking of Nadal, somewhat cruelly, here's a fine picture of his bald spot…
Second set: Djokovic 6-3, 4-5 Nadal*
Well that was an easy service game, won to 15 by Nadal.
Second set: Djokovic* 6-3, 5-5 Nadal
Djokovic rings a few changes, improving his first service percentage and also trying his hand a bit of serve-n-volley, which Nadal greets with a screaming backhand pass. Still, a fairly emphatic hold. These are crucial moments now, with tension rising and loud chants of allez whoeverfalling.
Second set: Djokovic 6-3, 5-6 Nadal*
An ace and a couple of overhit groundstrokes from the other side of the net hand Nadal a 40-0 lead, and he wraps up the game with an improvised forehand struck at ankle height.
Nadal breaks and wins the second set!
Second set: Djokovic* 6-3, 5-7 Nadal
Nadal breaks to take the set! A net-cord-aided double fault is a toehold in the game for Nadal, who then sees a distracted Djokovic basically hand him the next two points and a couple of chances to break. He only needs one, powering a forehand down the line to win it.
Third set: Djokovic 6-3, 5-7, 0-1 Nadal*
There's a key point here at 30-30 where Nadal does one of his miraculous fetches, and then Djokovic misses his shot by an inch, and a potential break becomes a straightforward hold.
Jim Courier shows on ITV how a cry from the crowd as he prepared to serve for the first time in that last game distracted Djokovic, and he unravelled from there. Quickly. Unable as I am to place myself in the headspace of a great athlete, that's a pretty surprising disintegration. "Sometimes the smallest little detail can change the course of history," he says, melodramatically.
@Simon_Burnton This really hasn't been a good tennis match this far. Can they step it up in the fag end of the second? #rolandgarros
— Subhro_Bluefievre (@subhro_neo) June 8, 2014
I think the first set was pretty strong, but the second was a little attritional. The only way is up (probably).
Third set: Djokovic* 6-3, 5-7, 0-2 Nadal
Nadal breaks again! There's a fabulous touch-rally at the start of the game, with Djokovic getting a great angle on his forehand with Nadal caught mid-court, the Spaniard stretching to volley the ball back, and Djokovic racing, straining, and sending it across court and onto the line for the winner. It does nothing for his apparently ruptured confidence though, and a couple of minutes later Nadal sets up break point with the longest rally of the match – 22 shots, ending with a smash – and wins it when Djokovic hits the kind of head-high backhand volley into the net that would shame a club player.
Third set: Djokovic 6-3, 5-7, 0-3 Nadal*
There has been an incredible double-swing in Nadal's favour in the last half-hour of this two-hour (and counting) match, from Djokovic being in some mild kind of ascendency, to the players slugging it out in some kind of equality, to Nadal streaking clear of a hapless rival. He holds to love, and Djokovic is nowhere right now.
Third set: Djokovic* 6-3, 5-7, 1-3 Nadal
Djokovic wins a game! He pummels down an ace to clinch it, with Nadal, at 15-40, deciding uncharacteristically not to bother trying to return it, even though he surely could have done.
Third set: Djokovic 6-3, 5-7, 1-4 Nadal*
There are moments, when Nadal is rocketing those forehands towards a faltering opponent, when the neutral sports fan comes as close as you can get outside, perhaps, boxing, to a feeling of pity. Even though there was a break point in this game, so it wasn't exactly one-way traffic, there were still several of those moments.
Updated at 4.30pm BST
Third set: Djokovic* 6-3, 5-7, 2-4 Nadal
A fairly straightforward hold for Djokovic, with Nadal again deciding not to bother returning a serve with the score at 40-15.
Third set: Djokovic 6-3, 5-7, 2-5 Nadal*
Djokovic lands a perfect forehand bang on the line, forcing Nadal to improvise wildly just to get the ball back over the net. Doesn't stop the Spaniard winning the point, mind. That takes it to 40-15, but a great crosscourt service return and an unforced error from Nadal later it's deuce, and Djokovic has a sniff, a chance. He fluffs it, hitting a backhand a couple of inches wide, and he throws his racket into the ground in frustration.
From that moment, though, he looks re-enthused. The rest of the game is like a throwback to set one, with both players at a similarly high level, with two fabulous winners when Nadal's on game point, and another shot of impeccable length earning break point. But he doesn't win it, and a moment later – having taken control of the rally – he nets a straightforward backhand and Nadal has held.
Meteorological update: for the first time the commentators looming clouds, and even though the players are casting strong enough shadows for me to deduce it's still quite sunny in Paris, it might not be for long.
Updated at 5.24pm BST
Nadal breaks again to win the third set!
Third set: Djokovic* 6-3, 5-7, 2-6 Nadal
There's a lovely point, at the start of the game, as Nadal drop-volleys and Djokovic races to chase it down, gets there at the very last moment, and then sends the ball delicately across court for a winner. There are also a couple of aces, as the Serb goes 40-15 up and seems on course for a straightforward hold … but he then self-destructs (again): two unforced errors, one rally in which he's outmanoeuvred, and a forehand played under little pressure that lands a foot and a half long, and the set is over.
If you like pictures of tennis, we've got a whole lot of fun for you in thisNadal v Djokovic French Open final gallery!
Fourth set: Djokovic 6-3, 5-7, 2-6, 0-1 Nadal*
"Afternoon Simon," writes Simon McMahon, as Nadal holds serve to love. Afternoon. "It may be stating the bleedin' obvious but, assuming Nadal wins today, he'll have played in 10 French Opens and won nine of them. That's really quite staggering, isn't it? He's like Bradman, Senna, Nicklaus, Pelé and Ali rolled into one on a clay court." It's a ludicrous achievement, in this era in particular. Unimaginable. Impossible.
Fourth set: Djokovic* 6-3, 5-7, 2-6, 1-1 Nadal
Djokovic thunders down an ace to hold to 15 as the players ease themselves into set four.
Rafael Nadal eyes the ball during his French Open men's final against Novak Djokovic. Photograph: Dominique Faget/AFP/Getty Images Fourth set: Djokovic 6-3, 5-7, 2-6, 1-2 Nadal*
15-30, second serve, Nadal hits a slow serve with a bit of kick, Djokovic runs round it and winds up his forehand … and … slams the ball into the net. Thus are titles won and lost. Nadal wins the next couple of points to take the game. And here's Benedict Cumberbatch, who really seems to be everywhere, most of the time, arriving for today's match.
Fourth set: Djokovic* 6-3, 5-7, 2-6, 2-2 Nadal
15-30, second serve, Nadal under no pressure hits the ball into the net. Djokovic wins the next couple of points to take the game. ITV tell me that Nadal's record from two sets to one up in five-set matches is 39-2. Either this or the overwhelmingly convincing earlier Djokovic stat has got to take a hit today.
Fourth set: Djokovic 6-3, 5-7, 2-6, 2-3 Nadal*
Nadal holds to love. Here's a picture of a man looking a bit desperate.
Novak Djokovic returns to Rafael Nadal in the men's final of the French Open. Photograph: Etienne Laurent/EPANadal goes a break up in set four!
Fourth set: Djokovic* 6-3, 5-7, 2-6, 2-4 Nadal
There are a couple of brilliant, savage Nadal forehands at 15-30, which Djokovic survives only to send a forehand of his own inexplicably long. Nadal's too tired for backhands now, the heat taking its toll. He's running round everything that's runaroundable, and hunching over between points. Djokovic is hiding his problems better, but they're still visible in his tennis, as he parlays advantage into break point with a couple of unforced errors before lashing a crosscourt backhand wide – way wide – to relinquish control of the set and match. "It's now become purely a mental game," writes Michael from California, but there are physical issues here too. Djokovic's problems seem mainly head-based, but Nadal's not exactly issue-free either.
Fourth set: Djokovic 6-3, 5-7, 2-6, 3-4 Nadal*
Djokovic breaks right back! Nadal goes 15-30 down with a double fault, and then his first serve flies insanely wide. Still, his second serve seems to have done the job, and after his return is thrashed back at him Djokovic does brilliantly just to hoist up a defensive lob – but it lands on the line, and Nadal's overhead from way behind the line hits the net. Nadal saves one, but an excellent crosscourt backhand return is too good and we're back on serve.
Fourth set: Djokovic* 6-3, 5-7, 2-6, 4-4 Nadal
A good, dominant service game from Djokovic, with the point that takes it to 40-15 – won by an excellent crosscourt forehand and then a wrong-footing down-the-line follow-up, particularly enjoyable. This match is full of drama and intrigue, if not a lot of consistent excellence. "Tennis is not the only sport having a No1 v No2 face off today," reports Krishnan Patel. "I'm simultaneously keeping up with the game between world chess champion and No1 Magnus Carlsen and the world No2 Levon Aronian. Interestingly enough, that game is swinging like a pendulum too. First Aronian was better, then Carlsen struck back and now Aronian has equalised. A great day for sport."
Fourth set: Djokovic 6-3, 5-7, 2-6, 4-5 Nadal*
At 15-15, Nadal sends a winner down the line and Djokovic beats his head with his palm, and then beats it with the strings of his racket for good measure. There are some good rallies here, though they're more about two players stubbornly refusing to yield than about the exhibition of wonderful tennis shots. The star shot of the game was another inside-out crosscourt forehand from Nadal that almost took Djokovic off his feet as he gamely attempted to return it, and the Spaniard eventually holds after a single deuce.
Rafael Nadal is French Open champion for the ninth time!
Fourth set: Djokovic* 6-3, 5-7, 2-6, 4-6 Nadal
Djokovic serves to stay in the match, and strolls into a 30-0 lead. But an unforced error sees Nadal edge into the game, and then Djokovic comes to the net on the back of a backhand that was perfectly placed down the line, but not deep enough. Nadal whips it across court and wide of his flailing racket. One further error later, Nadal has championship point … and Djokovic surrenders the final with a double fault!
Nadal clambers up to the players' box to do some huggin', then pops back down and does a bit of bonus handshaking along the front row, seeking out Bjorn Borg – who's about to hand him the Musketeers' Cup – and some Spanish royals.
That's all for me. It's been … intense. Nadal says he "played to his limit". "He deserves to win this tournament, and I'm sure he will do it in the future," he says of his beaten rival. Well, it's easy for him to say. Djokovic is sitting on his chair, red-faced but calm – Nadal in fact looks closer to tears. They're both holding it together well, in the circumstances. Cheers for your eyes and your emails. Until next time, ta-ra!
0 comments:
Post a Comment