Roland Garros

Back with my parents on Fyn, visiting family and writing the final assignments of my fourth semester at University, I have become accustomed to the fact that not much happens. I have therefore taken a fond liking of Eurosport and the French Open in tennis in my breaks of writing.

Tennis is one of the few sports I remember a significant amount of CUHK students being passionate about, the notable other sport being football. It also appeared consistently in my Chinese class as a leisurely activity, and is therefore one of the few sports I know not only how to speak, but also how to write, in mandarin Chinese; 网球. I also have fond recollections of driving up the hill on the CUHK campus school bus, idly watching the first-year students, who chose tennis in their mandatory PE class, looking like fish out of water. There was also a significant amount of media attention in China, not least due to Li Na's success in Paris exactly a year ago.

This year will not be a repeat for the Chinese darling. In the women's tournament, several upsets has resulted in 4 of the last 8 players being ranked 15 or higher in the tournament. Highest rank remaining is Maria Sharapova (2nd seed), but I rate the fourth seeded Czech, Petra Kvitova, for her second Grand Slam title. Her only so far, last year's Wimbledon, was a straight-set victory over Sharapova, who she is set to meet in the semifinal.

The men's tournament is the exact opposite. The top 6 players in the world are still in contention, although they have been hard pressed at times, indicating the strength of what many commentators has deemed the strongest ATP tour ever. There still seems to be a slight gap up to the best, especially the top three in the world; apart from Juan Martin del Potro's US Open victory in 2009, they have won every Grand Slam between them since Marat Safin claimed the Australian Open in 2005. Furthermore, Nadal is chasing his record 7th title at Roland Garros, while Djokovic is looking to complete his career Grand Slam and be the first person to hold all 4 titles since Rod Laver in 1969. However, I personally am rooting for Federer, as he looks to beat del Porto, Djokovic, and Nadal on his way to an incredible 17th Grand Slam trophy.