ROLAND GARROS SUNDAY DIARY: TRAINING CHANGE PAYS OFF SEPPI
Andreas Seppi had Novak Djokovic on
the ropes in their fourth-round clash,
but could not close it out
ATPWorldTour.com takes a look at the news and talking points at Roland Garros on Sunday.
Change In Training Works For Seppi
Andreas Seppi reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the first time at Roland Garros, and had Novak Djokovic on the ropes with a two-set lead before eventually succumbing to the World No. 1 in five sets. Speaking before the match, the Italian explained how a new training regimen has worked for him.
"With [fitness coach Dalibor Sirola, former trainer to Ivan Ljubicic], I’ve worked on moving better and getting more flexible," he said. "I move around better now and so I get less tired. I didn’t so much gain endurance but better fluidity. Today I feel really good on the court. It’s like I’ve got more gas in the tank."
The 28-year-old Seppi also revealed how a change in his coaching circumstance has benefitted him. RolandGarros.com reports, "He has also gained more self-confidence after having to travel alone without coach Massimo Sartori, who was forced to remain in Italy for several months for personal reasons. 'I actually think this time has made both of us stronger,' says the reserved Italian."
Goffin Reflects On Biggest Match Of His Life
Belgian lucky loser David Goffin made quite the impression on Sunday as he pushed Roger Federer to four sets in their fourth-round clash. The 21 year old, playing a Grand Slam main draw for the first time, admitted, "It was a great moment. I will never forget this moment. It was a great moment on this stadium. I hope I will have a lot of moments like this.
"Of course, it's the biggest match of my life, playing Roger here in Roland Garros. It was a bonus match for me, but I took a lot of pleasure on this stadium.
"This particular match is what I will remember most vividly [from Roland Garros]. But every match is different. My very first match was great, and then the second match I won in five sets, and then the third match is an unbelievable result that opens the door for me for a match against Federer. And obviously ‘the’ match was today's match against Federer. That is 'the' memory that I'm going to hold on to."
Baby Micaela’s Stock Growing
Writing in USA Today, Bob Bryan revealed that his baby daughter Micaela’s Twitter followers increased by 30 per cent after he posted a photo of her with 16-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer.
"We set up a Twitter account for my little baby, Micaela (@MicaelaBryan). We've been having a lot of fun with it posting pictures with players. We've got her with Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, Serena [Williams], Juan Martin del Potro, Janko Tipsarevic and others. We posted the one with Federer the other day and had over 75 re-tweets in first five minutes. Her followers went up by 30 per cent in two hours."
Two Cakes For Birthday Boy Rafa
Six-time Roland Garros champion Rafael Nadal would have been hard-pushed to resist a slice of the two birthday cakes he received over the weekend. The Spaniard, who turned 26 on Sunday, had been presented with a cake the evening before at a celebratory dinner with his family at Cafe de la Paix in Paris. He then received a cake onsite at Roland Garros on his birthday.