2025 ATP General News

[MargaretMcAleer]

Mens and Womens singles qualifying round will commence on Monday 19th May and concluding on Friday 23rd May
I now have the full list of mens main draw wild cards for Roland Garros,

Ternence Atmane FRA
Arthur Cazzux FRA
Richard Gasquet FRA remembering he is retiring after Roland Garros this year
Pierre-Hughues Herbert FRA
Emilo Nava USA reciprocal wild card
Valentin Royer FRA
Tristan Schoolkate AUS reciprocal wild card
Stan Wawrinka SUI

 

[El Dude]

Here's a random question. Are players allowed to play with a second ball in their hand? Meaning, if they didn't pocket the second ball before serving but kept it in their hand while serving? I'm pretty sure no, but am not sure. And obviously no player would do that, or at least quickly pocket it after serving.

 

[mrzz]

Here's a random question. Are players allowed to play with a second ball in their hand? Meaning, if they didn't pocket the second ball before serving but kept it in their hand while serving? I'm pretty sure no, but am not sure. And obviously no player would do that, or at least quickly pocket it after serving.

I would guess they are allowed, because I don't think rules mention it. It could be deemed a distraction to the other player though.

 

[Fiero425]

You noticed! I looked at the seeds a few days ago & instantly thought, "these are killers! This w/b some draw for a 250 level event!"

Wow! I feel prophetic! It's Sunday & Geneva's already lost its #7 Seed, Michelsen! Not sure how long Djokovic can hang in there! Tough draw!

 

[don_fabio]

Here's a random question. Are players allowed to play with a second ball in their hand? Meaning, if they didn't pocket the second ball before serving but kept it in their hand while serving? I'm pretty sure no, but am not sure. And obviously no player would do that, or at least quickly pocket it after serving.

I think Steffi Graf served with 2 balls in hand.

 

[El Dude]

I think Steffi Graf served with 2 balls in hand.

She did, did she?

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Just looking at the playing schedule tomorrow in Hamburg,
The Excuse Merchant starts his campaign against a Q Kovacevic
Rublev (3) vs Dzumhur, Rublev really needs to get back to winning ways

They are the 2 most interesting match ups
Today Cerundolo d Martinez 62 63 we need him to keep winning he is our hope to defeat the Excuse Merchant

 

[El Dude]

Did anyone catch Andy Roddick talking about the rumors that Alcaraz is a bit of a party boy? I mean, he is just 21/22...but it might explain some of the inconsistency. It is a scary thought: if he settles in fully to tennis. I mean, obviously he is - but we've been talking about what Carlos would be like if he took it up a notch, as is expected for someone at his age and experience (think Rafa in 2008).

Anyhow, for me the match I'm most hoping to see is an Alcaraz-Sinner final at Wimbledon. It is Alcaraz's turf, but I'm guessing Sinner wants Wimbledon more than anything at this point, and his game suits it a bit more than RG.

 

[Moxie]

Did anyone catch Andy Roddick talking about the rumors that Alcaraz is a bit of a party boy? I mean, he is just 21/22...but it might explain some of the inconsistency. It is a scary thought: if he settles in fully to tennis. I mean, obviously he is - but we've been talking about what Carlos would be like if he took it up a notch, as is expected for someone at his age and experience (think Rafa in 2008).

Anyhow, for me the match I'm most hoping to see is an Alcaraz-Sinner final at Wimbledon. It is Alcaraz's turf, but I'm guessing Sinner wants Wimbledon more than anything at this point, and his game suits it a bit more than RG.

Not even a rumor. A friend of mine watched the Netflix "documentary" on Alcaraz, and she says he goes off for 5 days of partying in Ibiza. The coaches complain, and he says that if he's not happy in his life, he won't be happy playing tennis.

So, you're right...just wait until he gets some of this out of his system and settles down to being more serious about his tennis. I actually do think he was very serious and methodical, and resisting of the hot shot (at least in the first set, when he needed to be,) yesterday, because he respects the threat that is Sinner. Also, because it was a final.

 

[El Dude]

Not even a rumor. A friend of mine watched the Netflix "documentary" on Alcaraz, and she says he goes off for 5 days of partying in Ibiza. The coaches complain, and he says that if he's not happy in his life, he won't be happy playing tennis.

So, you're right...just wait until he gets some of this out of his system and settles down to being more serious about his tennis. I actually do think he was very serious and methodical, and resisting of the hot shot (at least in the first set, when he needed to be,) yesterday, because he respects the threat that is Sinner. Also, because it was a final.

I don't know if it is a Spanish cultural thing, or something he learned from Rafa's academy, or just a similarity in personality, but his humbleness reminds me a bit of Rafa. I never got the sense that Rafa underestimated his opponents or lacked respect for them. Carlos seems a bit that way, or at least with Sinner and top players.

Carlos seemed more measured and steady in the final which, I think, bodes well for consistency going forward. I mentioned Roger's 2004 season, when he won 11 titles but went out early in the rest. In 2005, he won just as many, but didn't go out early in any of the tournaments he lost. I wonder if we can see a similar shift for Carlos. In truth, that second layer of consistency--how deep you go in tournaments you don't win--is nearly as important for rankings as the tournaments you win.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Actually Andre Agassi made some very good comments regarding Alcaraz, which I totally agree with, he said the one thing that impresses him with Alcaraz is that on slippery clay or slippery grass, his diminished speed, diminshes less than other fast players, eg Tommy Paul who is one of the fastest out there along with de Minaur, when you watch those players more to grass court or move to clay, you notice the diminish of confidence in their balance and movement.They cant quite do as much.
Regarding Wimbledon I agree with El Dude comments I have always thought the grass suits Sinner's game better than clay, I guess we shall see how that pans out after Roland Garros, when we move to the grass.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Fabio Fognini's last Roland Garros comes to an end as he falls to Nicolas Moreno De Alboran 63 62 in a qualifying round 1 on Lenglen
Fabio was playing Roland Garros for the 18th time!