TENNIS: French Open 2014 Round 1 Day 2
May. 27th, 2014 08:59 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
feather_ghyllLet’s start with the commentators. I’d discovered last week that Marion Bartolli would be commentating, following ITV’s tradition of getting French players, ideally champions, to commentate, and that John Inverdale, utterer of that sexist comment, would still be presenting. Rather audacious, non?
Having listened to Bartoli be charming and leading to a sweet-toothed riff with Sam Smith, she may lead to me giggling more than I normally do when watching tennis. But with James Ward having been the first British man to get through as a qualifier to the French, it was also time to rub salt all over Jim Courier’s wounds, as Mark Petchey duly did. (I like the core team of commentators that they’ve got together for the French.)
As for the tennis, Sharapova was intense! I was pleasantly impressed that Ward won the first set, because a quality, experienced, clay-court grinder like Robredo was going to be tough. I watched a bit of Nadal, which was soothing. I always get twitchy if I don’t get to see him play early in a grand slam, especially on the clay. Speaking of, he’s the world number 1, defending champion and has the most impressive record at Roland Garros, surely he should have been on their showiest of courts? I don’t disagree that Djokovic is the likeliest player to break his hold, but I think the responsible parties made the wrong call, there. I decided not to watch the Wawrinka match, but having learned of the result, I do feel justified for having raised an eyebrow at the commentators claiming Wawrinka had a chance of beating Nadal. This wasn’t based on following the results of recent events closely, just wondering if he had the chops on clay.
I probably won’t be watching much tennis today.
Having listened to Bartoli be charming and leading to a sweet-toothed riff with Sam Smith, she may lead to me giggling more than I normally do when watching tennis. But with James Ward having been the first British man to get through as a qualifier to the French, it was also time to rub salt all over Jim Courier’s wounds, as Mark Petchey duly did. (I like the core team of commentators that they’ve got together for the French.)
As for the tennis, Sharapova was intense! I was pleasantly impressed that Ward won the first set, because a quality, experienced, clay-court grinder like Robredo was going to be tough. I watched a bit of Nadal, which was soothing. I always get twitchy if I don’t get to see him play early in a grand slam, especially on the clay. Speaking of, he’s the world number 1, defending champion and has the most impressive record at Roland Garros, surely he should have been on their showiest of courts? I don’t disagree that Djokovic is the likeliest player to break his hold, but I think the responsible parties made the wrong call, there. I decided not to watch the Wawrinka match, but having learned of the result, I do feel justified for having raised an eyebrow at the commentators claiming Wawrinka had a chance of beating Nadal. This wasn’t based on following the results of recent events closely, just wondering if he had the chops on clay.
I probably won’t be watching much tennis today.
