Grand Slam French Open 2021 - May 24 to June 13

Who will win the French Open (Mens/Women)

  • Barty

    Votes: 6 54.5%
  • Muguruza

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Sabalenka

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Swiatek

    Votes: 5 45.5%
  • Other(Women)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Nadal

    Votes: 10 90.9%
  • Djokovic

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Tsitsipas

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Thiem

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Other(Men)

    Votes: 1 9.1%

  • Total voters
    11
  • Poll closed .

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May 4, 2009
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Well, it barely feels like a year since the last French Open. That time, Nadal schooled Novak while we witnessed a Pole go through to her first winning grand slam without dropping a set.

This year, we have 2 returning defending champions in the girls while Osaka has won the last 2 grand slam titles she has competed in. Looks good on paper.

Ash Barty is back at RG for the first time since her 2019 triumph as the world number 1 this year +2019/20* and is playing ripping tennis. Won in Stuttgart, the best non-1000 event on WTA tour, and she lost in the final in Madrid. This outstanding clay form coming on top of her win in Miami. She retired in Rome with an arm injury, but she would have 2 weeks off since then and should be rearing to go. Her record against top 10 players is scary good. It is the players outside that at slams who can cause issues.

The girl who beat her in Madrid, Sabalenka, is, outside Barty, the form player of the tour. Those 2 have played several epic matches(and a couple of finals) this year already. Sabelenka has always shown form outside of majors, especially the Asian Swing at the end of the season. She has yet to reach a quarter-final in a grand slam. For me, breaking that "curse" should be seen as a success for her. Not ruling her out by any means. anything can happen for Sab. the match is always on her racquet.

Iga Swiatek is the latest defending champ at RG. she double bagelled Pliskova in the final at Rome. It was reminiscent of her run last year at the French. Basically untouchable tennis. It was scary good. She has only had 1 loss on clay this year. that was against Barty. for me, it is these 3 players who are the most likely. Give me a Swiatek Barty final please. That would be something.

Quickly touch on other things. We are missing Halep due to injury. She was the best player on clay for the last couple of years and it will be sad to not see her name in the field. I don't think Serena will be a threat. I expect a "shock" loss there. Osaka is similar. her form on clay will make her very vulnerable to an early exit, especially if she plays an in-form player like Badosa or Gauff(who will be seeded). If she can gains confidence, perhaps, but I don't think that will happen and even if it did, I don't think her best is good enough on this surface. Svitolina and Pliskova, forget about them. We know their record at slams. Muguruza is an outside chance and a former winner. Not someone to discount out of hand unlike the other 2.

Ohh...ATP. Nadal will win. the end.

Maybe he won't....there have been small cracks. he has ONLY won 2 title this clay season. and there has been some good tennis outside of him. The (quarter) final between Tsitsipas and Novak at Barca Rome being a clear highlight and perhaps the 2 most dangerous players for Nadal. Zverev also beat him in Madrid. Still, be a brave man to bet against Nadal in Paris. Theim is struggling with motivation, which is a shame as I was really looking forward to him on his favourite surface taking it up to Nadal. Hopefully, he can find something.

on others, welcome back Federer. doubt he will stay long. hopefully comes out of Paris on 2 good legs. The #3 seed, Medvedev, hasn't won 1 match at Roland Garros yet, so there will be a weak quarter of the draw. Even longer odds than Fed to win here. No Sharapolov in the field either due to injury

My (boring) predictions
Barty over Swiatek
Nadal over Novak
 
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May 20, 2014
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One thing I forgot to mention is that all games will be available to watch via Stan Sports. Bit pricey/unusual but at least it is an option. Hopefully, nine will showcase stages on FTA. (especially the 2nd week).

Starts on the 30th of May

Stan Sports can GAGF. We are going to end up having to get 3 different subscriptions to watch sport :mad:
 
Stan Sports can GAGF. We are going to end up having to get 3 different subscriptions to watch sport :mad:

$25 per month for 2 months during Roland Garros and Wimbledon giving you access to every court. Yes, please. What's even better Nine is showing it on FTA as well all night, every day. This is an amazing deal for tennis fans.
 
May 4, 2009
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Stan Sports can GAGF. We are going to end up having to get 3 different subscriptions to watch sport :mad:
yes well. The A-league is now on Paramount+

So, lets get this right

Kayo=AFL, NRL, Cricket + Others including Bundesliga, NBA, ESPN, ATP/WTA etc
Optus= EPL , UCL and Euros
Stan= Rugby Union and Tennis(UK/French)
Paramount = A-league

Have I missed one.

At least with Stan, it is only for a month. I fear what next years Aus Open will be like though. I was surprised we were able to still watch all the courts on NineNow.
 
What?? Foxtel isn't showing the French open??

So now I have to get stan

You can watch it on 9GEM and Nine if you don't have Stan. Stan will have every court though.
 

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May 4, 2009
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Osaka getting ready for an early loss :p

but in all seriousness, some of the questions in the press conferences are shockingly bad. But they are a part of the cycle to pay her "wage" and increase media coverage of the event and sport.

I don't know if a trend like this will be good in the long run. But she is free to do what she wants. It's not like the fine will hurt her earnings.

I mean, without press conferences, we wouldn't hear Stefo thoughts
 


Osaka getting ready for an early loss :p

but in all seriousness, some of the questions in the press conferences are shockingly bad. But they are a part of the cycle to pay her "wage" and increase media coverage of the event and sport.

I don't know if a trend like this will be good in the long run. But she is free to do what she wants. It's not like the fine will hurt her earnings.

I mean, without press conferences, we wouldn't hear Stefo thoughts

Interesting choice but a press conference is also for the fans to hear the players after a match.

She probably doesn't want to address any early round exit defeat questions lol


Let's see if she attends the press conference at the US open
 
May 4, 2009
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I found this an interesting take. It is from twitter and Full Dissident, who works for ESPN(https://twitter.com/hbryant42) and about 12 tweets in total, unrolled.

I have thoughts re Osaka...Soooooo. My overall feeling is that since athletes have been positioning themselves as “entertainers” no different from musicians or movie stars, refusing press was inevitable. They perform. Once it’s over, they’ve fulfilled their public obligation.

2) American sports have not worked like this since before the 1920s. The press was instrumental in growing the game. It was the conduit between a nascent business and the public. In return for the free advertising for the league, the players would discuss their performance.

3) The players did this not just to satisfy the public, but also doing their part to build interest in the game, gave the sponsors a return on their investment. The press built the appetite. Paternalistically, sports/health was treated as vital, > movies, thus interviews.

3a) Talking to the press is part of the cultural tradition of live sporting events, unlike the movies or a concert. Those traditions are changing.

4) All that is different now. The sports industry is firmly established and thus interviewing is an annoyance to players unless they are selling/branding. They see movie stars free of daily media, so why must they partake in a ritual they believe no longer serves them?

5) Osaka’s statement was unsurprising, because she is part of a generation raised on two principles in this area: 1) they owe the public nothing outside of performance, and 2) the idea of a public responsibility/accountability is being destroyed in a time of privatization.

6) They’re taught there’s no value to public wealth, public good, public journalism. The assault on each over the past 50 years has defined this country. This gen ever more tightly controls their appearances, their statements. They will replace public information with propaganda.

7) They will be the executive producers of their documentaries, bankrolled by their corporate partners, and anything independent, dissenting to their narrative will be considered an attack, an intrusion. Outside of press conferences, LeBron only appears on platforms he controls.

8) Today’s public figures want to control the answers *and* the questions. There are plenty of options for players to be accessible to press after matches, but the curbing accessibility is precisely the endgame. On-court interviews are for the fans, rightsholders, tourney.


9) In tennis, the press conferences are generally the only access most reporters have to the athletes. The locker rooms aren’t open to all media. So, regardless of her intent, Osaka has cut herself off to public access, to questioning not of her liking.

10) I always took the position that if a player doesn’t want to talk, they don’t have to. I cover an industry, not them specifically. But that distance makes the industry far less interesting.

11) Is it a cop-out? Yes. Those press sessions are hardly rigorous, and accommodations can always be made for difficult circumstances. But what I heard today was part of a larger trend of control based on their wealth. It’s the future.

I hope it is not a sign for the future. I would hate it if players cared so much about PR spin and cut off the press. Like or hate them, they are a insight into the tennis world.
 
I found this an interesting take. It is from twitter and Full Dissident, who works for ESPN(https://twitter.com/hbryant42) and about 12 tweets in total, unrolled.



I hope it is not a sign for the future. I would hate it if players cared so much about PR spin and cut off the press. Like or hate them, they are a insight into the tennis world.
Good points. I couldn't imagine guys like Federer or Nadal refusing to attend a press conference.

It's part of the game and role, they have to promote the game otherwise people will lose interest. Fans want to hear their thoughts after a loss. Osaka would be happy to talk if she wins but can't take criticism if she loses?
 
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