French Open '09: Point by point coverage

[breezybee]

There is already footage of the looney tune that ran out on the court.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJ7cg-THyGY

I'm surprised Roger remained so composed.

ETA - Was Roger's Father in the stands? I didn't see him today which is a shame because that man is absolutely adorable.

[tikigirl]

I meant to say earlier, thanks to everyone who watched RG with me. Tennis wasn't half as much fun before this board.

[lt]

I say thanks as well--so nice for me to have an outlet for my tennis passion.

Watching last year's Wimbledon final makes me think Tursunov is even more of an ass than I thought of him yesterday (and I thought he was an ass yesterday). I'm remembering how even non-tennis fans were talking about this match and how it, more than all their previous meetings, made Americans aware of Roger and Rafa and how great they are. Sports coverage in the US for tennis picked up, even as fewer and fewer American men were able to do anything in tournaments. Damn, this match was important.

[lizm]

Yeah, definite kudos all round - when I can't watch at work, I keep an eye on these forums to keep me in the loop in a non-numeric, human kinda way.

[lt]

The news conference has begun on ESPNews.

Also, Bud Collins is an IDIOT. Just because American men aren't at the top of the game doesn't mean the competition was harder for Pete.

eta: "I'm so sorry, I have to do this" heh, Roger, making excuses for assholes.

[sexylibrarian]

It's official - I hate Bud Collins. To start yapping about Sampras was ridiculous, especially when he never even reached the FO finals once in his whole career, while this was Roger's fourth straight FO final.

[lt]

He and Tursunov are currently holding the same position in my head. I've watched tennis on and off since the 70s but the two generations that I watched every match I could and paid close attention was this one and the one previous--the one with Pete. While tennis was more popular in the US during the Pete/Andre/Jim/Michael years, they did not have the worldwide competition that is going on right now. There were many great players at that point, but nothing like what we're seeing now. To put forth that Roger has had an easier time of it makes me see red. Bud. You are an ass.

[acre]

Whew - I wasn't here during the match cause I'm much too nervous to watch live these days. I've lost my tennis nerve and have to check the results first. Someone asked a while back if they were crazy for not watching live and I'm ashamed to admit I've now been like this for years. Well, only for Slam finals pretty much, and only when it's someone I truly care about. But I started watching tape-delayed all the way back during the Edberg-Becker Wimbledon's!

Of course now I'm so excited, and giddy, and still in the stage of obsessively reading all the coverage I can find. I do have lots I want to say about the French in general this year, and Roger and history and all that, but I need to settle down some first.

Yay and so glad this board is here: I may not post much but I check it all the time. And I'm trying to become better about contributing. Aww, I was watcing the ESPNews presser with Roger and caught the part where he said something about his personal and professional lives being 2 separate things but - thank God Mirka is involved in both. Love these guys who love their wives, so sweet. (And vice versa, wives loving husbands: Steffi-Andre)

[lt]

personal and professional lives being 2 separate things but - thank God Mirka is involved in both.

Wasn't that the sweetest? I've been wondering as commentators keep talking about Mirka being due in August. What does that mean for Roger's tennis summer? What does that mean for the US Open? I want him with his wife and newborn, but I don't want him missing out on the US Open. I'd be okay with him missing the summer hardcourt swing, but then he'd be pretty cold for the Open. Of course, all that said, I just hope everything goes well and Mirka and the baby are in perfect health.

Hee to the fact that there is going to be a Russian paper that will report on this match by talking about how Roger is happy for Sveta and glad to see women's tennis in Russia doing so well.

Dang. I just recorded the entire press conference and when I went back to check it my DVD is skipping. I seem to have all of the match, and most of the post match ceremonies, but everything else is not working.

[jimena]

Oh, I wish I could've watched his press conference.

[falafaclese]

These majors keep getting better and better for me, and I think a big part of it is this board. Thanks guys. It has been another fun fortnight. I missed most of the post-match stuff because i got a phone call that I had to take, but I will be scouring the internet for footage.

I got to see a lot of the last year's Wimby final, and all I can think is that Tursunov was making a ham-fisted attempt at being provocative, because otherwise he's the dumbest ass in captivity, because that match was phenomenal.

I have a nerdy love for all Wimbledon promos they always have as soon as RG is done. I'm excited alrady, and at this point, I'm always glad it's only two weeks away.

[Mpol]

I am still in tears. I cannot believe it. I think I will be pinching myself tomorrow.

I am still very drunk. Having said that, the place I was at HAD THE FINAL ON LIVE! I was SO happy. I was almost inconsolable for two hours. The entire match, I was tense... and then Federer came out and brought his best. I was drunk and didn't catch all of it but I will see it all tomorrow.

This place I was at was full of drunkards like myself, ALL rooting for Federer. We were all shedding some tears when we won on match point (and my mates were all wanting him to win so we could all leave and move on into the clubs in the city! Heh!) I couldn't hear anything but I still watched the ceremony and shed even a few more tears when I saw Feds shed a few. He is SUCH a cry baby and I cried with him evry step of the way. He composed himself very well and yet really was so aware of how amazing this occasion truley was.

The first set, Roger just owned. Serve was held until 6-6 in the second. He won the tiebraker very nicely. And then he got the brake straight away in the third. What a DREAM final it was. When he was shedding a few tears at the end, I wanted to give the guy a hug. What a champ.

And what a shamp Soderling was. Good on you mate. I hope you continue your form and improve your ranking. You rock.

I am still SO very drunk and I'm still rambling. I'll post a more coherent post in the morning. But as of now I am the happiest tennis fan ever. My dream year would be for Roger to win his 15th at Wimbledon, and for Rafa to win the US and complete his career slam. then for Roger to go on in 2010 and win more majors. But again as of now I could not be happier. Sampras was never able to win on clay. Roger did. The best came to this tournament and they lost, fair and square. Roger came and he won, fair and square.

[roseha]

Don't feel bad acre - I am just jumping in now because I have found my own subconscious sneaky way to deal - I oversleep! I woke up at 10:45 am and turned to NBC on the radio (they clearly have not made the digital only switch yet) and they were discussing how well Roger was serving and that it was the third set - so I turned it on as soon as I could and was delighted that he was so far ahead. I wasn't even *that* nervous when he was down break point in the final game, because I was sure he'd pull it out. But then when he won it! A dream come true!

So I have just spent the last couple of hours watching on DVR. What did we do in the old days?

And I can only imagine the relief for Mirka!

I really could have lived with Roger not ever winning this, but I knew how much it meant to him, and I was so sick of the criticism. To achieve all this in this relentless media/internet age, and to do it so beautifully - how about that forehand drop shot he unveiled?

I have to say I didn't expect Soderling's speech to be so funny - "No one beats me 11 times in a row."

Congrats Roger. I think it's a great thing for anyone who ever had to keep trying for something to see.

ETA: Thanks to everyone on the board also! It's so great to have a place to discuss!

[lt]

When he was shedding a few tears at the end, I wanted to give the guy a hug.

Funny you should say that. One of the US commentators, Ted Robinson, was trying to convince John McEnroe to give Roger a hug when John went down to do the postmatch interview. John said no way but when he came back up to the booth he told Ted he had come pretty close to giving Roger that hug. Guess Roger was giving off the give-me-a-hug vibe.

[oopssorry]

I don't know how I'd make it through these tourneys without you guys. And I have to say while I am inconsistent and emotional about when I watch and when I don't, I am much more committed to this thread - I check it frequently and without fail. It's like the support group for my addiction, I s'pose.

I'm going to keep that idea about the YEC on the front burner, LT - I'm sad that I wasn't there today, but really relieved at how everything has panned out. I'm wondering about NYC, also - and starting to plan things.

On another note, I will be watching the sports press like a hawk to see what they do with this. They've been on my shit-list for a while now, and I'm curious/nervous to see what they have to say - both for themselves and about tennis.

I really feel that the crowd support for Roger this tournament meant a great deal to him. I don't mean to overstate anything, but I think the press's quick turn on him really affected him/his play for a while. I could almost see relief as he spoke with JMac (which is an odd emotion when speaking to him).

And I will never be worried about stating my abhorrence for that idiotic little possum Bud Collins. Bite me. And then die already (I don't mean that, I guess, but it does seem to be the only way we'll ever be liberated.) --

Last comment, sorry: if I could have figured out how to do the little avatar thing, I was going to put my Roger-Andre picture up --- (of them laughing at a benefit). I love those two.