Early Talk about Roland Garros

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

5 day forecasts are not always so reliable. forget about 10 day forecasts.

 

[Moxie]

Here's an odd factoid: This will only be the 3rd RG where Nadal goes in as the #1 seed. I believe that Roger has been #1 seed 6 times. Surprising.

 

[TsarMatt]

Wawrinka seems to be really practicing hard in the lead up to Roland Garros:

[video=youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8oTJRhV1jw[/video]

 

[Kieran]

Stan is in the "agent phase" of his career. He's probably booked up doing so much stuff he won't get time to practice...

 

[brokenshoelace]

Here's an odd factoid: This will only be the 3rd RG where Nadal goes in as the #1 seed. I believe that Roger has been #1 seed 6 times. Surprising.

Well, Rafa has captured the number 1 ranking three separate times in his career, and never really held it for more than a year so it makes perfect sense.

 

[Moxie]

Here's an odd factoid: This will only be the 3rd RG where Nadal goes in as the #1 seed. I believe that Roger has been #1 seed 6 times. Surprising.

Well, Rafa has captured the number 1 ranking three separate times in his career, and never really held it for more than a year so it makes perfect sense.

Oh, I get it, but it's still a little bit surprising how infrequently he's gone in as the #1 seed.

 

[Kieran]

It's true. If RG did their seedings the way Wimbledon did, he'd be #1 every time. I know he was #1 in 2009 when he lost, and then he was #1 in 2011, when he was hugely vulnerable, but won. Being #1 seed doesn't seem to suit Rafa on clay, somehow... :nono

 

[Garro]

I don't think it suits him in general. Each year that he's started out as number one, he's not had the same focus and intensity as the years where he obtained the ranking(08, 10, 13). He prefers to be the underdog.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

I don't think it suits him in general. Each year that he's started out as number one, he's not had the same focus and intensity as the years where he obtained the ranking(08, 10, 13). He prefers to be the underdog.

It is not a coincidence. He starts an year #1 means, he had a great year the previous year.
He has already played too many matches and won too many. He is somewhat gassed out
both mentally and physically.

 

[Kieran]

This might be the year that Rafa bucks the trend. I can't help but feel he's equidistant from both glory and gloom. A good start here in Paris would energise him greatly, but a loss could signal dark days. I'm a glass half full bloke but the reality is, he's dicing with death on clay so far, and when he wins it takes a lot out of him.

I always back Rafa because batteries are better than Duracell and I'm glad he has the boys who beat him in both MC and Barce to face in his quarter, but it's long been known, you should be careful what you wish for...

 

[brokenshoelace]

I don't think it suits him in general. Each year that he's started out as number one, he's not had the same focus and intensity as the years where he obtained the ranking(08, 10, 13). He prefers to be the underdog.

I don't buy the underdog part. GMS's explanation makes more sense. Since when is Nadal an underdog on clay anyway? Whether he's seeded 1 or 2, he's always been the favorite at Roland Garros so that number wasn't making too much of a difference. Nadal has won 5 slams while being the number 1 player in the world. Not too bad.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Men's quals are over except for one match.

Here are some folks that made it: Peter Polansky of Canada, Simon Bolleli and Potato
Starch of Italy, James Ward of GBR, James Duckworth of Australia.

 

[TennisFanatic7]

Ward has Robredo in the first round.

 

[Rose]

I just wish RG was over because I don't think the player that wins it will be named Rafa :cover