French Open 2015 – Top Five Moments
French Open 2015 – Top Five Moments
After a fortnight of enthralling action, another edition of French Open has sadly come to a close, with Stanislas Wawrinka and Serena Williams emerging victorious at the end of it all.
We have seen all sorts of thrills and spills, with no shortage of drama or quality in the French capital, but what moments really stuck out?
Here are my top five highlights from the 2015 French Open.
Drama Between Azarenka And Williams
After throwing away a seemingly insurmountable lead against the world number one in Madrid, seeing three match points pass her by before surrendering in three sets, it was clear to see that Victoria Azarenka was desperate to put that memory to the back of her mind in this match-up with Serena Williams.
The stage was the third round, and having been a set and a break up, for the second match in a row against Williams, Azarenka found herself serving to stay in an increasingly tense second set.
The American had a set point and should have relinquished it, but an incorrect line call saved her. The Belarusian caught the line with a deep forehand, causing her opponent to frame the ball into the net long before the call was made, but, somewhat unsportingly, Williams didn’t give the point to the world number 27.
The set point was replayed and the number one seed won it with a forehand winner before going on to dominate the decider and triumph in that clash, and the whole tournament.
A high quality match with high quality drama.
Roland, Je T’Aime
It has been a while since Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has progressed to the latter stages of a Grand Slam, but after a great battle with Kei Nishikori he advanced to the last four in Paris.
Having led by two sets to love, the Frenchman did extremely well to put the disappointment of being reigned in by the Japanese star, eventually winning in the fifth set to the delight of the home supporters.
The pressures of playing in front of an unforgiving and demanding French crowd for home players has been well documented and has got the better of the likes of Amelie Mauresmo and Richard Gasquet in the past.
However, Tsonga ignored the pressure and just enjoyed his tennis, and he let the fans know how much he appreciated their patience having been an underachiever in the game for so long.
When the final point was done and dusted in his nerve jangling quarter-final he wrote “Roland, Je T’aime” on the clay, expressing his love for his home tournament.
A refreshing change and a romantic moment for one of the home favourites at Roland Garros.
History Repeats Itself
In 2011 Francesca Schaivone and Svetlana Kuznetsova played out the longest Grand Slam match in the history of the Open Era in the women’s game.
The Italian emerged a 16-14 winner at the end of a gruelling contest in the Melbourne heat in 2011, and the serving they dished up at the French Open this year wasn’t far off in terms of drama and quality.
A plethora of breaks and a mammoth tie-breaker to boot, it was all happening in the second round clash as the Russian served for the match on four separate occasions, only to be denied each time.
In the end it was Schiavone who emerged as a 10-8 victor, with the 2010 champ claiming the prize of winning the best game of the women’s tournament.
The Emergence Of Lucie Safarova
The signs were there in the Australian Open last year, but no one really paid it much attention – Lucie Safarova was ready to compete at the back end of Grand Slams.
The 2014 tournament in Melbourne saw the 28-year-old go down in three sets to eventual winner Li Na, and not many would have backed the Czech to go further than the last four in another major. They were wrong.
Safarova was a joy to watch as she reached the showpiece in Paris, defeating Maria Sharapova and Ana Ivanovic in straight sets on her way to the final.
She was the heavy underdog against Serena Williams, but showed incredible battling qualities to come back from a set and a double break down to force a decider.
Despite going up a break in that final set, she was to eventually lose out, but her beaming smile at the end of the match as he made her runners up speech displayed why she is one of the most popular players in the dressing room.
An infectious personality with an entertaining style of play, it seems that the emergence of Lucie Safarova can only be good for the game.
Wawrinka’s Backhand Winner
Who else could have the last word? Stanislas Wawrinka gave us a two-week masterclass in shot making at the French Open, sweeping aside all in his path, taking down countryman Roger Federer and home favourite Tsonga on his way to his second Grand Slam final.
No one gave the Swiss superstar much of a chance, with Novak Djokovic seemingly destined to go on to collect the one title he so desperately wants to complete the career Grand Slam and join esteemed company in the history books.
Having gone a set down, it was all doom and gloom for the world number four, but he recovered in quite brilliant fashion, hitting winners from all over the court against an increasingly rattled and bewildered Djokovic.
Fittingly, his second Slam triumph was sealed with a scorching backhand up the line under the most fierce of pressure – an image that perfectly summarises his dream fortnight on the dirt.
Stan truly was the man at Roland Garros and that last shot was the perfect way to wrap up a fine tournament all round.