Djokovic creates history at Roland Garros 2021

It is getting closer to 11 pm – feeling sleepy – but the match is very interesting ! Stefanos Tsitsipas playing veteran Novak Djokovic.

Just as we adored MS Dhoni for his calm demeanour and ice-cool approach under testing times, during our school days, it was Bjorn Borg in Tennis – especially his game against Jimmy Connors and John Mcenroe who would throw tantrums .. .. … Björn Rune Borg  ruled the Tennis World - between 1974 and 1981, he became the first man in the Open Era to win 11 Grand Slam singles titles (six at the French Open and five consecutive at Wimbledon), though  he was never able to win the US Open in four finals appearances. .. .. the French Open played on clay court is always a different ball game, with many games and mostly the finals extending to five sets.

Today too – though it appeared that it would not be so at the start – it is  gladiatorial - Every point is a mini-marathon at this stage as the Philippe Chatrier crowd cheers like it's Wembley! Djokovic holds serve and then takes  the next game to deuce. Tsitsipas hits a backhand which kisses the long line, much to Djoker's disbelief. The Greek stumbles on the court as the Serb rushes to the court and disbalances his opponent with a feigned forehand.   Now with Djokovic serving for the set at 5-4 – the game is not yet over.  A gladiator  was an armed combatant who entertained audiences in the Roman Republic and Roman Empire in violent confrontations with other gladiators, wild animals, and condemned criminals

The French Open (Internationaux de France de Tennis), also known as Roland Garros is a major tennis tournament held over two weeks at the Stade Roland-Garros in Paris, France, beginning in late May each year.  The tournament and venue are named after the French aviator Roland Garros. The French Open is the premier clay court tennis championship tournament in the world.   It is time for Men’s finas  -  Serbian Novak Djokovic vs  Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas.   

It was Tsitsipas who took the first set 7-6 (8-6) in a tie-break. Djokovic folded in the second set as Tsitsipas took the second set 6-2 in 31 minutes. At this stage it appeared as if the Greek was running away with the tropjy.  Djokovic struck back to take the 3rd set 6-3 and the fourth 6-2 to take the final into a fifth set decider.

A second French Open trophy, after his 2016 triumph, on Sunday will give the 34-year-old Serbian his 19th Grand Slam title – one short of Nadal and Roger Federer’s men’s record. His challenger is 22-year-old Tsitsipas who is bidding to become the first Greek to win a singles major.

 

 

The legend of Roland Garros goes back to 1925 – it was in that year that the Fédération Française de Tennis (FFT) decided to open the French championships to the best foreign players as well. The French Open thus began and, in 1928, the construction of the Roland Garros stadium sealed the deal for the eponymous tournament. Until 1933, four French players reigned over the tournament: Jean Borotra, Jacques Brugnon, Henri Cochet, and René Lacoste – the Four Musketeers. Just as post-war Paris was entering into a new era, the French Open became the Grand Slam circuit’s very first ‘Open’. The year was 1968, and Roland Garros became an international legend overnight.

A one time full-size replica of the Coupe des Mousquetaires was awarded to Rafael Nadal for his 10th win of the French Open in June 2017. It is the same exact made as the original trophy, with the only difference being the original trophy's marble base substituted for a simple black coloured base with a different inscription: on the base of Nadal's trophy is the title 'Decima' meaning 'Tenth' in Spanish and below it listing of all of Nadal's French Open titles up to that date (2005-08, 2010-14, 2017). Nadal went on to win an eleventh title in 2018, this marked the 50th year of the Open era in professional tennis, which started at the 1968 French Open.  

This year, in the Semis - Novak Djokovic, the world No. 1, outlasted Rafael Nadal, the “King of Clay,” in four sets, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-2, in a match that felt like it should have been a final.

.. .. .. and Novak Djokovic wins the French Open 2021 winning the 5^th set 6-4. Well played Novak !! – 19^th Major honour - Novak Djokovic is the first man to win all four Grand Slams at least twice in the Open era.  .. .. well played Tsitsipas too.

 

With regards – S. Sampathkumar
13.6.2021 @ 10:59 pm.