mtenis.com.pl

Mahut/Herbert beat Marach/Pavic for their first Roland Garros title
Editor's Note: But for the COVID-19 pandemic, Roland Garros would now be underway. During the next two weeks ATPTour.com will look back on memorable matches and happenings at the clay-court Grand Slam, which tournament organisers are now hoping to stage in September. This story was originally published on 9 June 2018.

Nicolas Mahut appeared to be tearing up after partnering Pierre-Hugues Herbert to their first Roland Garros title in 2018. Suddenly his six-year-old son, Natanel, sprinted across the red dirt and leapt into his father’s waiting arms as the crowd cheered him on.

Mahut said that Natanel had asked him for two days how he can get down from the stands onto the court. And while he did not know how it would play out, the Frenchman was ecstatic it happened.

“I knew that they had found a possibility. I didn't know if he was going to go through the locker room or the players' entrance. I knew he was going to find a way,” Mahut said. “These two, three minutes, when we hugged with Pierre-Hugues and then my child arrives on the court, I felt really blessed. I'm really fulfilled. I don't think I can achieve something or live something bigger.”



ATP Tour
✔
@atptour
Moments like this #RG18 …

Roland-Garros
✔
@rolandgarros
and @p2hugz @nmahut #RG18

Embedded video
250
8:04 PM - Jun 9, 2018
Twitter Ads info and privacy
32 people are talking about this
Seven years ago, Mahut came excruciatingly close to winning the Roland Garros title with Michael Llodra, leading Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan 4/2 in a third-set tie-break for the championship before falling short. But on Saturday, Mahut joined Herbert to wash away those memories, defeating Oliver Marach and Mate Pavic 6-2, 7-6(4) to become the third all-French team in the Open Era to lift the trophy on the terre battue.

Natanel got in on the celebration, leading Herbert and then his father in a ‘floss’ dance to the delight of the home crowd. It is safe to say that for everyone involved, it is a moment that will last a lifetime.

Roland-Garros
✔
@rolandgarros
.@NMahut's son knows all the right moves for the perfect celebration!@p2hugz approves.#RG18

Embedded video
1,226
7:58 PM - Jun 9, 2018
Twitter Ads info and privacy
316 people are talking about this
"Roland Garros is "the" tournament. When you're a French guy, you want to win it. You dream of winning such a tournament," Herbert said. "We were more thinking about the singles tournament. But winning the doubles title, it's as important. And winning at home, there is nothing better in terms of feelings."
Herbert and Mahut joined Henri Leconte/Yannick Noah (1984) and Julien Benneteau/Edouard Roger-Vasselin (2014), saving six of seven break points in their one-hour, 40-minute victory. The duo became the first French team to win three or more major titles together in the Open Era. Herbert and Mahut, who also won the 2015 US Open and 2016 Wimbledon, defeated the ATP Doubles Race To London leaders for the third time in as many ATP Head2Head meetings.

"It had been really painful in 2013, because I thought it was my only chance of winning Roland Garros. Thanks to Pierre-Hugues, we are here five years after. I'm smiling, and I can tell you there is a real difference between losing in the finals and winning a final," Mahut said. "We are in front of you trying to explain what we are feeling, but it's almost too late. The emotion is difficult to tell. What we lived, we won the match point, and the two, three minutes afterwards, when we try to explain it, it's already too late. It's almost indescribable. It's just utter happiness."

First ATP Head2Head meeting lasted more than five hours

After making his Grand Slam breakthrough with a semi-final run at the Australian Open earlier in the year, Stefanos Tsitsipas arrived at Roland Garros last year in top form.

The Greek entered the event with 10 wins in his past 12 matches, following a title run at the Millennium Estoril Open, a runner-up finish at the Mutua Madrid Open and a semi-final showing at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia.

Following victories against Maximilian Marterer, Hugo Dellien and Filip Krajinovic, Tsitsipas met 2015 champion Stan Wawrinka for a place in the last eight. The match lasted five hours and nine minutes — the fourth-longest match in tournament history — and was voted by ATPTour.com as the second-best Grand Slam match of the year. Only Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer’s epic Wimbledon final was ranked higher.

On the opposite side of the net, Wawrinka was aiming to reach his first Grand Slam quarter-final in two years after missing the second half of 2017 due to two surgeries on his left knee. During those two years, his opponent had risen from No. 205 in the FedEx ATP Rankings to capture three ATP Tour titles and the 2018 Next Gen ATP Finals trophy.


The pair contested a bruising, physical battle of generations on Court Suzanne-Lenglen, showcasing incredible power from the baseline. After splitting the opening two sets, Wawrinka escaped danger early in the third set and moved one set from victory. The 16-time tour-level titlist’s ability to play well under pressure was a common theme throughout the match. The Swiss saved 22 of the 27 break points he faced.

As he did after losing the first set, Tsitsipas responded to tie the match. The 20-year-old broke in the sixth game of the fourth set, before changing the pace with a forehand drop shot to push the match to a decider after three hours and 52 minutes. Under pressure throughout the fifth set, Wawrinka saved three break points at 5-5 before claiming victory three games later.

On his second consecutive match point, the 2015 champion carved a slice backhand pass while Tsitsipas approached the net. Charging forward, the Greek elected to let the ball drift past him rather than attempt a forehand volley. Tsitsipas felt his decision was a wise one, circling the mark on the court before the ball was inspected and confirmed in by the chair umpire. By the tightest of margins, the contest had its winner. Jeu, set et match Wawrinka, 7-6(6), 5-7, 6-4, 3-6, 8-6.

“I was pretty sure it was in. When I hit it, I saw it was on the line. I was just hoping that the umpire would confirm it,” said Wawrinka.

Download ATP Tour App

In a repeat of the 2015 quarter-finals, Wawrinka’s run came to an end in his next match against Roger Federer. The three-time Grand Slam champion also proved solid on break points in that match, saving 16 of Federer’s 18 opportunities, but fell in four sets after three hours and 35 minutes.

Wawrinka’s 2019 campaign at Roland Garros may not have ended with a fourth major crown, but the former World No. 3 made great progress during his visit to Paris. In front of a packed crowd, he had survived a marathon contest against one of the best talents in the sport to return to the last eight of a major championship.

“I've never experienced that kind of atmosphere here in Paris on Lenglen. I always had a lot of support, but I think today was really special,” said Wawrinka.

ATPTour.com looks back at one of the biggest upsets in history
Editor's Note: But for the COVID-19 pandemic, Roland Garros would now be in its second week. ATPTour.com is continuing to look back on memorable matches and happenings at the clay-court Grand Slam, which tournament organisers are now hoping to stage in September. This story was originally published on 31 May 2019.

Ten years ago today, Robin Soderling pulled off what remains one of the biggest upsets in tennis history. The Swede, who ascended as high as No. 4 in the ATP Rankings, handed Rafael Nadal his first loss at Roland Garros, sending shockwaves through the sports world.

Nadal was the No. 1 player in the ATP Rankings at the time, and he had won all 31 of his matches on the Parisian terre battue, and all 48 of his best-of-five-set clay-court matches. But Soderling paid the statistics no mind, crushing 61 winners en route to his four-set shocker.

Although the Swede's triumph resonated then, too, it is perhaps even more impressive today. After beating Belgian David Goffin Friday, Nadal has won 68 of his 69 matches at Roland Garros since that loss to Soderling. The 32-year-old has also added seven Coupe des Mousquetaires to his trophy cabinet, making 11 total at the clay-court Grand Slam.

The only other player to defeat Nadal at Roland Garros was Novak Djokovic in the 2015 quarter-finals. Soderling's career would be cut short due to an extended bout with mononucleosis — he last competed in 2011 — but nobody will soon forget the day he stunned Nadal where nobody had done so before.

ATPTour.com looks back at the day Soderling earned the biggest victory of his career:

- - - - -

World No. 25 Robin Soderling sent shockwaves through the tennis world on Sunday afternoon at Roland Garros as he put on a superb display to record the biggest victory of his career by sending four-time defending champion Rafael Nadal crashing out 6-2, 6-7(2), 6-4, 7-6(2) in the fourth round.

A packed Philippe Chatrier court watched on in disbelief as the Swede handed World No. 1 and reigning ATP World Tour champion Nadal his first defeat in 32 matches (31-1 record) at Roland Garros and his first-ever loss in a best-of-five-set clay-court match (48-1).

Since making his debut at Roland Garros in 2005, Nadal had lost just seven sets en route to winning four successive titles and was bidding to win an unprecedented fifth straight Coupe des Mousquetaires.

"This is not a tragedy, losing here in Paris. It had to happen one day, and this is an excellent season for me," said Nadal. "Of course it's a bit sad, but I have to overcome this as quickly as possible.

"Well, all of us athletes, we know that when we walk on the court we can either win or lose. I know it for a fact anything can happen, and I have to accept them both in the same way."

The 24-year-old Soderling was appearing in his first Grand Slam fourth round and is the first Swedish man to reach the Roland Garros quarter-finals since his coach, Magnus Norman went on to reach the final in 2000 (l. to Kuerten). In the Open Era, 10 different Swedish men have advanced to the Roland Garros quarter-finals.

Robin Soderling celebrates his 2009 Roland Garros win against Rafael Nadal

After a low key start to the tournament, Nadal looked to have found his stride in the tournament when he dismissed Lleyton Hewitt for the loss of just five games in the third round. However, in Sunday’s encounter the Spaniard failed to reproduce the blistering form that saw off former World No. 1 Hewitt and largely struggled to impose his game at all on Soderling – who in turn played a brave match and maintained a calm demeanour until the last ball.

Aggressive play from Soderling right from the beginning kept Nadal off balance and stationed well behind the baseline as he raced to retrieve the barrage of shots struck mostly off Soderling’s firing forehand. The Swede executed to perfection and was rewarded with two breaks of serve in the first set to take it 6-2. It was the first time since the 2007 final against Federer that Nadal had lost a set at Roland Garros, and it was the second-harshest score line he had endured after the 6-1 set he lost to Federer in the 2006 final.

Nadal recovered quickly from the loss of the set and restored order early in the second set by breaking to lead 2-1 as Soderling faltered at the net. However, when the Spaniard came to serve for the set at 5-4, a forehand error granted Soderling the chance to level and he duly converted with an exquisite backhand volley. Nadal was reprieved though as Soderling could not maintain his high level in the tie-break and Nadal’s consistency prevailed to level the match at one-set all.

Where fans may have expected Soderling to be disheartened by the loss of the second set, the Swede was quick to dispel his doubters by remaining unfazed and rediscovered his top form from the first two sets. With Nadal struggling to impose his game on Soderling, the Swede stepped up to dictate play and expose the chinks in Nadal’s armour.

You May Also Like: Soderling's Secrets To Beating Rafa
A rifling backhand into the corner earned Soderling two break points in the seventh game and he clinched a crucial break of serve with a strong backhand throwing Nadal off balance and forcing the error. Soderling, who had won just 11 matches in 2009 coming into Roland Garros, kept his composure when serving for the set at 5-4 and Nadal was powerless to defend against the big-hitting that clinched a two-sets-to-one lead for Soderling.

The 22-year-old Nadal looked set to mount the inevitable fight back at the start of the fourth set as he capitalised on a loose game from Soderling to break and lead 2-0. The Swede did not panic though and quickly regained the momentum by breaking back to love, sealing the game as an under-pressure Nadal hit a forehand long. With neither player able to make further impact on the other’s serve, the set went to a must-win tie-break for Nadal.

The Mallorcan, who was 6-1 lifetime in tie-break sets at Roland Garros prior to this match, still could not find his best tennis though and a stinging backhand pass – one of 61 winners he hit in the match - earned Soderling a mini-break lead at 3-1. An uncharacteristic error from Nadal handed Soderling the 4-1 advantage and he held both his service points to earn five match points at 6-1 – stunning the Philippe Chatrier court. Nadal’s fighting spirit saw him save the first with a forehand winner, but a forehand volley wide from the left-hander brought the crowd to their feet as he finally succumbed after three hours and 30 minutes.

"He didn't surprise me because I know how he plays, how dangerous he can be," said Nadal. "I didn't play my best tennis. No, I didn't attack in no one moment. I played very short, and I made it very easy for him to play at this level.

"I never was calm; that's the truth. The match started off very badly for me. Sometimes it's not enough fighting. You have to play a good level of tennis.

"Sometimes people think I win because I'm physically fit, but, no. When I win, it's because I play well, and that wasn't the case today. I must say that at key moments I couldn't take the opportunity because I was losing my calm, and I didn't play well."


In his second-round win over Teimuraz Gabashvili, Nadal set an all-time record for consecutive match wins at Roland Garros. Had he defeated Soderling in straight sets on Sunday, he would have achieved the longest streak of consecutive sets won at any major since Borg won 41 in-a-row at Roland Garros between 1979 and 1981. His record, though, was ended at 32 – the second-longest streak in Roland Garros history behind Borg’s.

The Manacor resident had looked virtually infallible in the lead up to Roland Garros, suffering just one loss on clay to Roger Federer in the final of the Mutua Madrilena Madrid Open the day after he had saved three match points and spent four hours and three minutes on court in a dramatic semi-final win over Novak Djokovic. He had successfully defended his titles at ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Monte-Carlo (d. Djokovic) and Barcelona (d. Ferrer) and regained the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Rome title that he had won from 2005-7 with victory over Djokovic.

The left-hander had given himself the chance of winning the Grand Slam after winning his sixth Grand Slam championship at the Australian Open with back-to-back five-set victories over Fernando Verdasco and Roger Federer. He also added to his collection of 36 tour-level titles with victory at ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Indian Wells (d. Murray).

Soderling vs. Nadal 2009 Roland Garros Match Statistics

Statistic Soderling Nadal
Aces 9 3
First-Serve Points Won 68% (62/91) 67% (66/99)
Second-Serve Points Won 62% (32.52) 45% (13/29)
Break Points Converted 83% (5/6) 50% (2/4)
Return Points Won 38% (49/128) 34% (49/143)
In contrast, Soderling came into Roland Garros with an 11-10 match record on the season, highlighted by a semi-final showing at Auckland (l. to del Potro) and a quarter-final exit at Brisbane (l. to Stepanek).

The Tibro native’s best previous Grand Slam performances were third-round showings at 2008 Roland Garros, 2007 Wimbledon, the 2005 US Open and 2003 Wimbledon. The last Swedish player to reach a Grand Slam final was Thomas Johansson at the 2002 Australian Open, when he defeated Marat Safin

Soderling, who reached a career-high No. 15 in the South African Airways ATP Rankings in February this year, improved to a 13-32 win-loss record against Top 10 players having now won four of his past eight such meetings.

Soderling goes on to face Russian No. 10 seed Nikolay Davydenko, who caused a slight upset as he ousted eighth-seeded Spaniard Fernando Verdasco 6-2, 6-2, 6-4. Davydenko, who reached the semi-finals at Roland Garros in 2005 (l. to Puerta) and 2007 (l. to Federer), committed just six unforced errors and hit 24 winners as he converted five of nine break points in the two-hour, 22-minute match.

The 27-year-old Davydenko, the only remaining Russian in the draw from the eight that started, has bounced back strongly from a left-heel injury that kept him sidelined for three months at the start of the season. Since returning, he has made semi-final showings at Barcelona (l. to Nadal) and Estoril (l. to Blake) and reached the quarter-finals at ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Monte-Carlo (l. to Murray).

World No. 8 Verdasco, who had not dropped a set en route to the fourth round, enjoyed a Grand Slam break through at the start of the season when he defeated World No. 4 Andy Murray and No. 7 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga en route to the Australian Open semi-finals – where he lost to eventual champion Nadal in an epic five-set match. It is the first time this season that the 25 year old has not reached at least the quarter-finals in a tournament.

In the second of a four-part series, Rod Laver looks back to 1969 Roland Garros, the second step to his historic second Grand Slam

Editor's Note: But for the COVID-19 pandemic, Roland Garros would now be underway. During the next two weeks ATPTour.com will look back on memorable matches and happenings at the clay-court Grand Slam, which tournament organisers are now hoping to stage in September. This story was originally published on 8 June 2019.

It is an examination of ability: technique, tactics, physical-conditioning, emotional and mental stamina. Roland Garros is a great advertisement for the sport, where crowds take matches, grim struggles to heart, and Rod Laver, who arrived in Paris 50 years ago, knew that he faced his toughest fortnight of the year. Every player of consequence was present in 1969, prize money was increasing, and there were new names under the heading, ‘Le comité du tournoi’ on the front page of the 1969 programme. French tennis meant business.

“I enjoyed the emotional involvement, watching matches and witnessing the crowds cheer and boo,” Laver told ATPTour.com, 50 years on. “Coming back is much more possible on clay than on grass courts. Early on, you looked forward to and dreaded every match, the low-pressure balls, but by Roland Garros in 1969, I was as fit as I’d ever been in my life. In late Spring that year, I remember that the clay was dry, dusty and, as a result, slippery."

Laver, who had beaten Andres Gimeno in January for the Australian Open crown, had played at a round-robin tournament in Amsterdam the week before and was confident after claiming the second biggest title of the year, two weeks earlier, at Madison Square Garden in New York over Roy Emerson on a slow, synthetic court. Having swept past the Japanese Koji Watanabe in the Roland Garros first round, the 30-year-old looked up to fellow Australian Dick Crealy.

“He was 6’5” and had a big forehand,” recalls Laver. “He hit the ball extremely hard and throughout the first set I was chasing balls. By the time he let up, I was two sets down, but rain stopped play, when it was dark under the lights, at two sets to one up.

“I remember waking at 7 a.m. the next day, practised with Emmo before 9am for a 45-minute pre-match workout, then was ready to go for 10:30am, when it was very windy. It wasn’t a spectator’s hour, as I reckon there were four people in the stadium. I won nine of the next 11 games, but Dick recovered from 1-3 in the fifth set to lead 4-3. He missed a volley into an open court, in the ninth game at 40/30. It was the good fortune I had.”

Laver completed a 3-6, 7-9, 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 second-round victory with the wind on his back, grateful to survive. “The tournament committee were eager to get to the quarter-final stage by the end of the week, so, on the same day, after some lunch, I came out to beat Italian Pietro Marzano [6-1, 6-0, 8-6],” he said.

“I then played Stan Smith, the 6’4” big-hitter, who was rapidly improving and I had a tough match against him a month later at Wimbledon. He had a cold, it was cold and the match finished in drizzle. I didn’t want it to be carried over to the next morning [again], so I worked hard in the third set [for a 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 win].”

Laver, who first travelled to compete in Paris in 1956, had to learn to play on clay, and prior to 1962, when he won his first calendar-year Grand Slam, had a 6-5 match record at the championship. “I had to learn to play on clay,” said Laver. “I’ve always believed that the key to playing well on clay is having patience and strength in your legs. It is all about accuracy over speed as clay blunts serve power, but it’s an exciting test of your abilities. To me, the importance of getting first serves in was key, as I didn’t have a cannonball serve, but I did fire the occasional ace.”

You May Also Like: Laver's Grand Slam: 1969 Australian Open, 50 Years On
Through to the quarter-finals in 1969, Laver then waited on Gimeno, who shook off nerves to edge past 1961 and 1964 champion Manuel Santana, who had pulled a groin muscle in lunging for a ball in the fourth set. “Perhaps the victory in the previous round, helped him to win the first set against me, but I got down to work by keeping the ball low, slicing my backhand and heading to the net. Slicing was more often the best form of attack, giving you time to approach the net. You didn’t think Gimeno ever thought he could beat you, but he gave a good show and I won in four sets [3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-3].”

Laver then challenged Tom Okker, a terrifically quick Dutchman with fast reflexes and a hitter of big topspin strokes. “This was early Okker, but he won the first set and I knew that I had to dig in,” says Laver. “By then, I’d sharpened my anticipation and remember half-volleying well and taking the net away from him to win [4-6, 6-0, 6-2, 6-4]."

In a re-match of the 1968 Roland Garros final, the sport’s two best players came face-to-face once more for the 75th time – through amateur, pro tour and Open Eras. In the 11th edition of their clay-court rivalry, Laver, who had beaten Ken Rosewall two weeks earlier, 6-2, 1-6, 6-3 at the Dutch Pro Championships, was totally focused as they walked through the dark tunnel in the bowels of the stadium and out onto the main show court. Rosewall had defeated 1966 titlist Tony Roche 7-5, 6-2, 6-2 in the other semi-final.

“I played him in the final the year before, when he beat me in four sets,” says Laver. “So I just knew that I had to change my game a little bit. I decided I was going to hit my groundstrokes, heavy groundstrokes and pressure him when I could. Bill Tilden always used to say, “Never change a winning game.” I always knew that a player who played cautiously after building up a lead took a risk, so I’d tend to go hard for the first point of a game, and the first two games of every set.”

During the 1969 Roland Garros final, Laver’s groundstroke length kept 1953 champion Rosewall under pressure to force errors. Rosewall was simply unable to pounce on any short ball with his backhand and hit the net to produce crisp, well angled volleys. Laver knew, anything less than keeping his long-time rival behind the baseline and he was in trouble.

“It all worked for me,” said Laver, who collected $7,000 in prize money. “I was timing the ball perfectly that day, perfect control from game one. That’s what it takes to win any match. I led 3-1, then went 3-4 down in the first set, but came through 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 [in one hour and 33 minutes]. I think Ken felt that I played him better on instinct. My form stayed all the way through.”

Laver would later see a 4-3, 40/0 advantage evaporate in the fifth set of the Roland Garros doubles final with Emerson against John Newcombe and Roche, who won the 13 straight points for the match. But Laver was halfway to the Grand Slam, seven years on from his first in 1962, having conquered the most physically demanding championship.

"A Grand Slam year starts in January and ends in September; from the Australian Open and ends with the US Open,” said Laver. “You have to win 28 matches, not beat 128 players in every draw. While I knew Wimbledon and the US Open would be tricky, the dream was alive.”

Coming up in July 2019: Laver Reflects On 1969 Wimbledon