Roland Garros day 1 recap: fines and surprises

Roland Garros 2021 has begun, and already day 1 was full of emotions and surprises. Let's start on the court: after a balance of four wins and three defeats on clay courts this season, the two-time finalist of the tournament Dominic Thiem stops for the first time in the first round match also at Roland Garros. Pablo Andujar wins, fresh from the semifinal in Geneva and above all from the victory against Roger Federer.

This is a really dark period for the Austrian tennis player who won the US Open 2020. A crisis that involves body, technique and mind: a spiral of negative results and a drop in athletic and tactical performance. After the decision not to speak to the press during the Parisian Grand Slam, women's singles seeding number two Naomi Osaka does not shine even against Patricia Maria Tig. Rather.

The Japanese, who does not take advantage of a handful of set points in the seventh game, takes advantage of a gift in the tenth and becomes very dangerous at the foot of the tie break during the second. The final 6-4 7-6 (4) is emblematic at the threshold of two hours of play.

Roland Garros day 1 recap: fines and surprises

But what happened at the end of the match is what is discussed. Osaka granted the media only the on-court interview. In a joint statement, the boards of the four seasonal Slams not only imposed a $ 15,000 fine on the Japanese. Indeed Jayne Hrdlicka of Tennis Australia, Gilles Moretton of FFT. AELTC's Ian Hewitt and USTA's Mike McNulty have cautioned the young star with more penalties and exclusion from the Slams if she does not comply with the agreements.

And speaking of tennis stars and Roland Garros. In a recent interview, Bjorn Borg admitted that he would have liked to face Rafael Nadal at the French Open at their best, knowing that he would probably lose but still want the chance to challenge the Spaniard. He said: "I would have liked to have played with Rafa Nadal at Roland Garros. He was the best player ever on clay, and my biggest wish would have been to play him in Paris when we are both at our best. I'm sure he would have beaten me, but it would have been a great challenge."

Today the Roland Garros 2021 program will continue with some of the most anticipated tennis players of the tournament: Roger Federer, Iga Swiatek and Serena Williams, all on the Philippe Chatrier.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/34BIjOQ