That just about brings things to a close for today. We’ve seen Andy Murray battle past John Isner, Stan Wawrinka tame Victor Troicki in four sets, and Richard Gasquet take down Kei Nishikori, the fifth seed. Milos Raonic, the eighth seed, was also a casualty in the men’s draw, Albert Ramos-Vinolas beating the Canadian in straight sets to reach his first grand slam quarter-final at the ripe old age of 28. What a story that is. In the women’s draw, meanwhile, Garbiñe Muguruza is through to the second week for a fourth successive year after beating Svetlana Kuznetsova, the 2009 champion, while the Romanian 25th seed Irina-Camelia Begu became the latest victim of Shelby Rogers. And the good news is that there’s still another seven glorious days to go! Our man at Roland Garros, Kevin Mitchell, has filed a report on Murray’s match which you can read by following the link below. Thanks for reading and enjoy the rest of your Sunday.
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As I write, the Polish second seed Agnieszka Radwanska is 5-2 up in the opening set against Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria. On Court 1 it’s going with serve early in the first set in the battle of the two former finalists, Simona Halep and Samantha Stosur.
“The public put all the pressure on Kei today,” says Gasquet at courtside. “I didn’t really start well in the match, but it’s very hard for Nishikori to play against the crowd – thank you for supporting me.” Cue much applause. “This is the biggest court in the world for a French player.”
Game, set and match Gasquet! He wins 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 6-1
Fourth set: Gasquet* 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 6-1 Nishikori
Make no mistake, Andy Murray will have his work cut out against Gasquet in the next round. The Frenchman serves out in style, a delicious backhand down the line sealing a love game, and you can mark that down as an upset. He made Nishikori look ordinary, especially in that fourth set – and that takes some doing. That’s 13th time lucky for the free-swinging Frenchman, who falls to the terre battue in delight.
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Fourth set: Gasquet 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 5-1 Nishikori*
It’s like an impostor has inhabited the body of Kei Nishikori, who responds with a forlorn gesture as he misses a forehand approach that would normally be meat and drink for a man of his talents. Still, he gamely hangs on to hold to 15, forcing Gasquet to serve for a place in the last eight.
Fourth set: Gasquet* 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 5-1 Nishikori
It’s strange to see the normally metronomic Nishikori breaking down from the back but, time and again, that’s what’s happening here. His strokes look ragged and so does his mind, judging from his angry response to another miss at 30-0. Truth is, though, Gasquet is simply playing too well. He misses with a haymaker of a forehand at 40-30 and Nishikori, perhaps drawing encouragement from that rare aberration, blasts a couple of massive shots to get back to deuce. But the elegant Frenchman simply redoubles his efforts, and at game point another knifing backhand draws an error from Nishikori, who must now serve to stay in the match.
Fourth set: Gasquet 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 4-1 Nishikori*
A double-fault and a forehand that’s overcooked to the point of incineration speak volumes about the pressure Nishikori is feeling against the relentless, remorseless Gasquet. The latter mistake brings up 30-40, and some irresistible hitting from the Frenchman draws another error from the Japanese. Gasquet is two games away from reaching the second week for the first time in his career.
Fourth set: Gasquet* 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 3-1 Nishikori
Playing second fiddle in so many of the rallies, Nishikori strikes a punishing blow at 30-15 on the Gasquet serve, moving up the court to pummel a two-fisted backhand winner down the line. But those moments have been too few and far between for the fifth seed. Gasquet is brimming with belief and recovers superbly, seeing out the game with some lovely serving.
Fourth set: Gasquet 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 2-1 Nishikori*
Nothing if not tenacious, Nishikori holds with aplomb to maintain a say in the proceedings. That was an important hold from the man from Matsue, because a double-break would surely have been too big a gap to bridge with Gasquet in such great form.
Fourth set: Gasquet* 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 2-0 Nishikori
It’s great to see Gasquet playing with such authority, it really is. France has too many tales of unfulfilled talent – not since Yannick Noah in 1983 has a homegrown male talent made good on this great stage – and although he has semi-final runs at Wimbledon and the US Open to his name, Gasquet has never lived up to his ability at Roland Garros. Some fluid, fluent hitting from the back consolidates the break to suggest that there could be better things ahead for the Frenchman.
Fourth set: Gasquet 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 1-0 Nishikori*
Exciting, exciting, exciting. Sunday night on the eve of the second week at Roland Garros, a Frenchman on the cusp of a memorable victory before an expectant home crowd, and two brilliant players slugging it out in a race against rain clouds and fading light. Don’t you just love this sport? You can tell it’s desperate times for Kei Nishikori, because at 30-40, with Gasquet threatening to claim an early break, he races in behind a first serve as though he were John McEnroe circa 1984. So stunned is Gasquet that he nets an easy backhand return. No matter. He quickly earns another opportunity, and converts it with some furious ball-striking from the baseline that eventually draws a forehand error from Nishikori. Beautiful stuff.
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Third set: Gasquet* 6-4, 6-2, 4-6 Nishikori
Lovely to see Garbiñe Muguruza reach the last eight for the fourth year in a row earlier this afternoon, incidentally. She beat Sveta Kuznetsova 6-3, 6-4 and faces the American giant-killer Shelby Rogers next. Meanwhile, there’s a rare old tussle developing on Chatrier. It’s a real baseline duel between Gasquet and Nishikori, with the latter winning a punishing baseline exchange at 15-30 to earn two set points. He goes wide on the first but produces a wonderful, dipping backhand on the second – not powerful enough to get past Gasquet at the net, but awkward enough for him to net a forehand volley with the court seemingly at his mercy. Game on!
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So let’s turn our attention to Court Philippe Chatrier, where Richard Gasquet is on the brink of a big upset against Kei Nishikori, the fifth seed. That might seem a slightly odd thing to say, given that Gasquet is the ninth seed, but it would be his first quarter-final at his home tournament, and Nishikori is regarded by some observers as a dark horse for this tournament.
Andy Murray wins 7-6, 6-4, 6-3!
Third set: Isner 6-7 (9-11), 4-6, 3-5 Murray*
Andy Murray is through to his fifth quarter-final at Roland Garros! It wasn’t easy, though. At 30-15 on the Murray serve, Isner ran around a kicking second serve to slam a forehand return. That was a big mistake, because the extra movement left him off balance and Murray took full advantage, drawing his opponent into the forecourt for the umpteenth time. The inevitable error followed, but Isner hung in there long enough to secure an unlikely break point, and for a moment it looked like we might be in for another round of nail-biting. Murray had other ideas, though, a ruthless exhibition of serving taking him safely through to the second week.
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Third set: Isner* 6-7 (9-11), 4-6, 3-5 Murray
As we move beyond the two and a half hour mark, Isner steps up to keep his challenge alive. He does so with minimal fuss. The Floridian wraps things up with a booming ace, out wide to the Murray forehand. Over to you, Andy.
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Third set: Isner 6-7 (9-11), 4-6, 2-5 Murray*
Extraordinary. Serving at 30-15, Murray double-faults before missing the simplest of forehand passes. Is he annoyed? Boy, is he annoyed. Forgetting that he’s just double-faulted to the ad side, he pounds down an ace to the Isner forehand to take us back to deuce. It’s not plain sailing from there – far from it – but Murray toughs out the game to move within a service break of the quarter-finals. What a competitor he is.
Third set: Isner* 6-7 (9-11), 4-6, 2-4 Murray
Dogged stuff from Isner. Serving at 0-15, he canters forward and hits a lovely forehand winner on the slide. Much to the appreciation of the American, the crowd goes WILD! But the reaction is a measure of the mountainous challenge he faces. Perhaps feeling the after-effects of his five-set win over Teymuraz Gabashvili in the previous round, he’s even starting to look ragged on serve, pounding a couple of second deliveries low into the net. He clings on gamely, though, and a big-serve-big-overhead routine sees him over the line. He needed that, did Isner.
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Third set: Isner 6-7 (9-11), 4-6, 1-4 Murray*
Irresistible from Murray, who closes out the game to 15 with Isner looking resigned to his fate. And no wonder. Murray is full of confidence, displaying all his trademark variety from the baseline, and using that brilliant tennis brain to its best advantage. This is the Murray of Rome, not the Murray of moan.
Third set: Isner* 6-7 (9-11), 4-6, 1-3 Murray
Another break point for Murray at 30-40, another humongous first serve from Isner. And another. But with the game, and the court at his mercy, the American then fluffs a drop volley as he attempts to go behind the scrambling Scot. It looks like it might be fatal when he then stabs a two-handed drive narrowly wide, but Murray rolls a topspin lob long on the break point – he had to miss one eventually, I suppose – and Isner is back in the hunt. Murray fails to tame a backhand return, bringing up a game point for Isner, but now it’s the American’s turn to miss. He pounds a reverse cross-court forehand wide and pays dearly for it on the next point as Murray launches an all-out assault on his backhand. A meek prod is all the invitation Murray needs to crunch a lovely, deep placement and secure another chance to break. He converts it when Isner concludes a brief baseline exchange by feathering an attempted drop shot into the net. Meanwhile, over on Chatrier, Richard Gasquet is two sets to the good against Kei Nishikori, 6-4, 6-2.
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Third set: Isner 6-7 (9-11), 4-6, 1-2 Murray*
A big thank you to Justin Horton, who points out that I initially wrote “Isner snuffs it” three entries below. “Dear Les,” he writes politely, “Do you mean ‘snuffs it out’?” I do indeed, Justin: I’m delighted to confirm that John Isner is alive and well, although how long his French Open challenge will remain that way is debatable. After another smooth hold from Murray, the next game should tell us more.
Third set: Isner* 6-7 (9-11), 4-6, 1-1 Murray
So intelligent from Murray, this. He’s drawing Isner this way and that and, although the American serves out the game from 30-30, he’s having to work hard in each and every rally. Clay court tennis at it’s most patient – and, for Isner, painful.
Third set: Isner 6-7 (9-11), 4-6, 0-1 Murray*
Everything is going Murray’s way. After those awkward early rounds, who would have imagined we’d be saying that come the second Sunday? But having broken Isner to win the second set, Murray has the advantage of serving first in the third. And he makes it tell, wrapping up the game to 15 in what seems tantamount to an invitation to his opponent to start thinking about the green, green grass of England.
Murray wins the second set 6-4!
Second set: Isner* 6-7 (9-11), 4-6 Murray
Nip and tuck. Murray gets an early glimmer, Isner snuffs it out. Murray comes again, drawing an error at 30-30 to earn set point. Isner plays safe with the first serve, pounding it down at speed but comfortably in Murray’s hitting zone. Big mistake. The Scot pounces, trading a couple of shots from the back before drawing Isner in with a cross-court drop shot. Risky? Don’t you believe it. Isner, lunging low to his backhand, can only scoop the ball over the high part of the net, and Murray is waiting in the forecourt to nudge the ball away. He’s two sets to the good!
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Second set: Isner 6-7 (9-11), 4-5 Murray*
There’s some lovely clay court tennis being played here, with both players using plenty of angles and short balls amid Isner’s power play. Murray catches Isner with a short ball, then with a deep one, and before the American knows what’s happening it’s a love game. Isner will have to serve to stay in the set.
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Second set: Isner* 6-7 (9-11), 4-4 Murray
Isner quickly finds himself in trouble at 30-0, but pounds down a 137mph ace to get a foothold in the game. Another big serve follows. 30-30. Then an ace. Again. Seriously, this is inhuman. It’s damp. It’s clay. No one should be able to hit the ball that hard. But John Isner can. He can also follow up with deftest of drop shots. Hugely impressive. Back to the drawing board, Mr Murray.
Second set: Isner 6-7 (9-11), 3-4 Murray*
Gasquet has taken the first set against Nishikori with a beautiful backhand winner (does he hit any other kind?). There’s not too much that’s beautiful about Murray right now, who’s muttering all sorts to himself. But the dark murmurings are accompanied by some fine shotmaking. He moves smoothly up the court to nail a forehand winner at 30-15, and takes the game by exposing Isner’s forward movement with a nice drop shot. An hour and 44 minutes gone, no breaks of serve, still all to play for.
Second set: Isner* 6-7 (9-11), 3-3 Murray
Over on Chatrier, Gasquet has recovered from a 4-2 deficit against Nishikori to lead 5-4. That’s nice work from the Frenchman, who has an air of determination about him this year. A bit like Isner, really, who finds himself faced with a break point and a dipping ball at 30-40, but comes through with aplomb. The American nudges a half-volley for a winner, Murray explodes in a paroxysm of expletives, and we’re all square again.
Second set: Isner 6-7 (9-11), 2-3 Murray*
I stand corrected. I was giving John Isner a hard time for looking ungainly off the ground earlier, but at 40-15 on the Murray serve he plays a lovely rally, full of lithe movement and deft footwork, to keep the game alive. Murray puts it to bed on the next point, but Isner offers an early reminder that plenty of work lies ahead for the second seed.
Second set: Isner* 6-7 (9-11), 2-2 Murray
Interesting. Perhaps a little cold of limb after that rain delay, Isner plays a shaky opening service game. That said, there’s a limit to just how shaky you can be when your serve thunders down the court at mach 2. The lofty American toughs out a break point, survives a couple more deuces, and finally seals the game when Murray goes wide with an attempted topspin lob. That should settle any nerves on the part of the big man.
Right, let’s switch our focus back to the enthralling contest between Murray and Isner, which resumes with the Scot a set and 2-1 up. It’s Isner to serve …
Reflecting on his victory over Raonic, Ramos-Vinolas said: “I don’t know why things seem to be falling into place this week. Although this is not Raonic’s favourite surface, I feel quite humbled to have won against him.” And this from a man who has a victory over Roger Federer on his CV. That humility should ensure there’ll be plenty of people rooting for him when he plays Stan Wawrinka for a place in the last four.
As Isner and Murray warm up, the freshly-swept surface looks immaculate. It’s a feast for all the senses, is Roland Garros; give me a clay court over grass any day.
Good news! Murray and John Isner are back out on Suzanne Lenglen, as are Kei Nishikori and Richard Gasquet on Chatrier. Happy days.
Forgetting Murray for a moment, however, let’s pause to reflect on the magnificent achievement of Albert Ramos-Vinolas in beating Milos Raonic, the eighth seed, to reach his first grand slam quarter-final at the age of 28. It’s a moment to savour for a player who turned pro as far back as 2004, and it’s the kind of story that Roland Garros often seems to serve up. A personal favourite came in 1990, when the stylish Ecuadorian lefty Andrés Gómez overcame the odds to beat Andre Agassi and claim the first and only major of his career. What are your favourites?
Meanwhile, Maggie asks: “Why the hostility towards Murray from the French? Are they really that sore about Mauresmo? Murray has been very gracious about why he is not working with her any more but seems to have run into a negative media ambush in Paris.” Maggie, I refer you to Marguerite de Navarre, the 16-century French princess who said: “People pretend not to like grapes when the vines are too high for them to reach.” That said, I’ve not detected too much hostility towards Murray from the crowd, and that’ll come as a big relief to the world No2. The spectators at Roland Garros are a notoriously formidable bunch when affronted, as a tearful Martina Hingis discovered to her cost in the 1999 women’s final. A contested line call saw the crowd round on Hingis, who crossed the net to show the umpire where she thought the ball had landed and, in so doing, sealed her own fate. Bayed at and berated, she finished the match a broken woman.
Only joking. Murray has real pedigree at Roland Garros, and after three semi-final appearances he may just be ready to take the final step. Having resumed normal service against Ivo Karlovic in the previous round, he’s played the big points quite brilliantly today – not least when facing set points in that opening-set tiebreaker – and his chequered start to the tournament may yet stand him in good stead. Sometimes it takes a close call to get up and running. Isner has looked increasingly uncomfortable scrambling around on the baseline, and the rain delay will give Murray plenty of time to reflect on what’s worked so far and what hasn’t. I suspect we’ve already have seen the best of Isner in that opening set.
Hello! Les Roopanarine here, I’ll be taking over from Daniel for a while as he takes a well-earned rest. Well, rain notwithstanding, it’s certainly been an interesting day’s play so far. Andy Murray is in the process of delivering another flighty performance, and you feel he’s really beginning to understand what it takes to be a British player. Forget that Wimbledon win, and never mind those US Open, Olympic and Davis Cup victories either; his work at Roland Garros this year has revealed him to be a proper Brit, a man who understands that we like our champions to be thrillingly unpredictable, taking us by the hand on a will-he-won’t-he rollercoaster ride full of twists, turns and emotional turmoil. How else to explain Murray’s topsy-turvy progress so far? In Rome, he looked every bit the gladiator, putting Novak Djokovic to the sword with a performance full of promise for his campaign in Paris. Now, after coming within two points of defeat against Radek Stepanek in the first round before going to five against the unheralded Frenchman Mathias Bourgue, he looks a man transformed. Long may it continue.
“Watching Andy Murray play tennis, though often incredibly exciting and dramatic, not to mention exquisitely skilful, is not good for your blood pressure,” accuses Simon McMahon. “But, like watching a great actor in a bad movie, you just can’t take your eyes off him.”
You can categorise humans into two groups: those who like Andy Murray, and those to ignore.
“Expecting the MMMM(Murray’sMidMatchMeltdown) to happen in the 2nd or 3rd set you know when he starts screaming like a demented Banshee after losing 2 or 3 games,” predicts John McEnerney. Murray in 4 - too much experience but he seems to make hard work of the first week of a slam.”
It’s hard to see him not taking it from here, though the break is probably better for Isner - he’s still stinging after losing that first set, The thing with Murray is that his style is more reactive than most of the top players, which means you’re always in the game against him - if you play well.
Second set: *Isner 6-7 (9-11), 1-2 (A-40) Murray A rally gets longting and Isner realises, abruptly chucking in a drop-shot that hits the net. Umbrellas then go up, and I wonder if that’ll help Isner’s serves skid on - he needs it to, because he’s 15-30 down and looking slightly bedraggled. But Murray then takes a backhand using just one fist - he really needn’t - and Isner is there at the net to volley. He wins the next point too, but then goes long - he’s in a bind, as he can’t be getting involved in long rallies but can’t be forcing things either - unless they’re vicious serves like the one that follows. He then whinges to the umpire - “it’s a big game and you don’t care,” presumably wanting to go off, as they have on Chatrier. “It’s pouring!” he powershrugs, and he’s right - it’s absolutely caning down now. They depart, and will be back just as soon as they’re back.
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Second set: Isner 6-7 (9-11), 1-2 Murray* What a rally at 15-0; or more properly, what an Andy Murray! WHAT AN ANDY MURRAY! Isner is in total control, humping balls into corners, but Murray runs them all down along the baseline, even those ones that bounce short and low - frankly, it’s disgusting - and then, when the court finally opens, Isner goes wide! He calls the umpire to check, but more in disbelief at what’s happening to him, and spends the next little bit chuntering and headshaking. Murray, though, just gets on with it and teases him out of the next point, hitting to the corners until he fancies a winner - but Isner fights back, a serious forehand and Murray error bringing it back to deuce. Murray then serves into the body and yells in satisfaction when the response is long - like Isner! Who is unhappy with himself, all the more so when he nets to give Murray the game. Murray is wonderful.
Second set: *Isner 6-7 (9-11), 1-1 Murray And sure enough Isner’s flat to begin with, so simply reaches into his encyclopaedia of aces and flips one down the middle. But he’s still shaking his head, aghast at how thoroughly he was murrayed; what a competitor he’s up against.
Second set: Isner 6-7 (9-11), 1-0 Murray* Is the Lord Mayor’s Show any good? What if the Lord Mayor’s Show II comes after it? Murray wins the first game of the second set easily enough, and I’d expect him to take on Isner’s serve here.
My days, that’s got to sting if you’re Isner - he played more or less as well as he can, and all he has to show for it is the goodwill of a mexican waving crowd.
Murray wins an outstanding first set, 7-6 (11-9)
That was very, very handy indeed.
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First set tie-breaker: *Isner 9-11 Murray Isner’s not going to die wondering and goes for the first serve out wide - he misses! And Murray’s waiting for his second!
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First set tie-breaker: Isner 9-10 Murray* This is fantastic stuff! Murray doesn’t quite go for his first serve in the way he did last time, but goes for the forehand that’s behind it and he’s back level. The crowd respond the the drama with a mexican wave, good old them, and then Murray thumps a service winner!
First set tie-breaker: *Isner 9-8 Murray Isner serves wide and Murray steps in, fuming when it’s there for him and he finds the net. Isner then goes down the middle, Murray somehow gets it back and reads the next shot, but there’s yerman at the net to clean up.
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First set tie-breaker: Isner 7-8 Murray* Murray goes for it on serve, out wide to the backhand, and it’s far too good for Isner whose return is long. And next comes one into the body, also shovelled long - and now it’s Murray with set-point!
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First set tie-breaker: *Isner 7-6 Murray Oh my! Isner goes for his third ace in a row but Murray sees it coming, doing spectacularly well just to get it back. Isner, in behind it, volleyed to the same corner, but Murray was waiting and flowed a backhand winner down the line. A further rally follows, dictated by Isner, and when Murray goes long there’s a holler of delight.
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First set tie-breaker: Isner 6-5 Murray* Rally from the baseline before Murray loses patience and comes in, slamming long. He’s becoming “a little too predictable, in that rally at least,” we learn. So, no set for him at this visit, and Isner then comes in on a second serve to thud a forehand at Murray’s feet. Set point, on serve!
First set tie-breaker: *Isner 4-5 Murray Service winner from Isner, then an ace. He’s really tall and good at serving.
First set tie-breaker: Isner 2-5 Murray* Super serve from Murray out wide and the return is short, allowing him to skip into the net and pound a forehand winner down the line. Then, another fine service forces Isner to find the net - this has been excellent from him so far.
First set tie-breaker: *Isner 2-3 Murray Isner goes across Murray with serve and misses, but his next kicks and Murray can’t control his crosscourt return. There follows a service winner.
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First set tie-breaker: Isner 0-3 Murray* Murray cements the mini-break when Isner errs again, and an ace puts him right in command.
First set tie-breaker: *Isner 0-1 Murray Isner doesn’t commit to anything, Murray goes all-in on a forehand, and the response is long.
First set: Isner 6-6 Murray* Murray punishes a forehand down the line - in response to a useful return - to get the game underway. And more forehand power gets him to 30 before Isner nets one of his own, and a service winner gives us a breaker. Murray has played 11 this year, Isner 28.
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First set: *Isner 6-5 Murray Murray quickly takes the first point of the game and is well in the second too, but retreats in anticipation of a great, tremendous forehand only to be foxed by a drop-shot instead. Next, a delightful backhand volley down the line sets up and overhead and two thunderous serves mean Murray would happily take the aforementioned breaker.
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First set: Isner 5-5 Murray* Murray races through the first three points of the game, and then an Isner backhand is surprisingly called out on inspection. Murray will be seriously focused on breaking now, because who wants a tie-break with a monster of this ilk?
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First set: *Isner 5-4 Murray Isner comes into the net and offers Murray out - he accepts, trying the pass but getting naewhere near, and then a double-fisted backhand down the line makes it 30-0. Isner is feeling this. And he rinses through the game easily, forcing Murray to serve to stay in the set; this is a really interesting match so far and it’s telling that Isner has got closer to breaking.
First set: Isner 4-4 Murray* Murray hangs back in this game and he’s hitting more groundstrokes and fewer drop-shots. To my untrained eye, that seems about right - the drop needs to be a surprise, and he needs to take some power out of Isner’s legs and arms, both of which are relatively long. Murray holds to love.
Wawrinka beats Troicki 7-6, 6-7, 6-3, 6-2.
He is the only player in the draw to have won this title.
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First set: *Isner 4-3 Murray Isner tries a drop-shot and gets nowhere near, then scuds in a second serve and slaps an overhead volley behind it. He’s pretty tall when you think about it,and in control of the game at 40-15, sending Murray hither and yon as he tries to secure it. But the response scurrying is masterful, eventually opening up the drop-shot opportunity, and Murray makes it deuce shortly afterwards. Again, Isner uses his serve to control the rally - this time a colossal forehand sets up the winner - but then he tries a drop-shot of his own, taken from well above the level of the net, and it squirts wide. Isner keeps the head, though, a forehand and an ace securing the game.
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First set: Isner 3-3 Murray* Given Isner’s Fila uniform, it’s surely high time someone was clad in Ewing. And Champion. And BK. Meanwhile, Murray opens the game with a violent ace but Isner hangs in there and gets to 30-40 when a brilliant spinning backhand get forces the error. Isner then slams a forehand wide to Murray’s forehand and the call says out - it’s not - so Murray gets another chance to hit a first serve. This time it wins him the point and he plays a brilliant one immediately thereafter, sending Isner wide on the forehand side, resisting temptation to follow-up with a drop shot and instead sending a backhand hurtling onto the line at the other corner. He then closes out the game, and this is a really interesting affair so far.
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First set: *Isner 3-2 Murray This is lovely from Murray, walking across a backhand and wiping his racket across the ball at the same time to drill a winner down the line. This forces Isner into a service winner and Murray is long with the forehand that meets his next effort; and Murray is wide with the forehand that meets his next effort; hecky thump! And look, there’s a further missile, and Murray looks vex.
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First set: Isner 2-2 Murray* You may have heard, but it turns out that John Isner is tall. And he loses the first point of the game to another Murray drop-shot before he’s seriously murrayed: he thought a rally was done with a forehand crosscourt when Murray stumbled; there followed a whipping forehand right back at him, forcing a wide retort down the line. But despite the similarities, Isner hits the ball far better than Karlovic, and his skill off the ground is forcing Murray to actually win points rather than not lose them. And to prove it, he then outmanoeuvers Murray with his forehand to earn deuce - and a break point when Murray nets! Naturally, Murray responds well, in the process showing that his second serve appears in good order - a promising sign.
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First set: *Isner 2-1 Murray Isner has size 15 feet, we learn - I wonder how many different illustrations we’ll be given to explain the essential fact: he is tall. This is an excellent service game from him, too, won to love with ease.
Meanwhile, on Chatrier, Wawrinka has taken the third set 6-3, giving him a 2-1 lead over Troicki.
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First set: Isner 1-1 Murray* Murray does as Murray does, a serve out wide then a drop-shot with slice. Then another that clips the top of the net, as Mats tells us the tactic has never been more popular. Tangentially, he really is one of the most likeable and insightful commentators in sport, ridiculously comfortable in his own skin. Murray then clinches the game with a delicious backhand drop from the baseline, right at Isner’s feet; he can expect a few more of those chaps.
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First set: *Isner 1-0 Murray Isner starts well, big serves giving him the first two points, but then he’s forced to play a shot and hits a backhand into the top of the net. Murray then comes back into the game at 30-all, before another big serve and an absolutely murderous ace make it 1-0.
Isner is head-to-toe-to-wrist in Fila, as though it’s good old 1990. He will serve.
Back to the game in progress, Wawrinka is 5-2 up in the third set.
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It’s fairly hard to see a way for Isner, especially on a court that’s slow even by the standards of clay. But then, Murray knows how to conjure unnecessary difficulty, so you never know.
Murray is out, so too Isner, who dealt with Tsonga in the last round.
David Keech is unhappy: “Not sure what is going on with the French but why half empty stadiums for one of the world’s premier tennis tournaments? It’s a disgrace! I expect they are sold out just like Wimbledon but it seems the most expensive court side seats are empty. It creates a terrible atmosphere. If these well healed bums can’t be bothered to turn up on time why not let the ground pass public sit there until they show up? Maybe just charge a small amount to go to charity on the condition that they need to leave or move when people arrive to claim the seats.”
I’m not sure, though agree this does not look at all great. Unfortunately, tennis is tennis - even more so than other sports, it’s dominated by corporates because there are no teams and it doesn’t have a great following outside of the slams.
But Troicki then fights back to 30-all from 0-30 down, and to deuce from 40-30 down, as we see jiujitsu ace Bixente Lizarazu in the crowd. Wawrinka ups it again, though, quickly making it 4-1.
And that, you think, will be the way of things. Troicki is good, but he can’t turn it up with quite the same ease and ferocity.
Stan takes control. The serving this set has been excellent and the points accordantly short, but as soon as Troicki’s level drops he’s on him, breaking to 15 with a clinching shot of rare brilliance. Meeting a service that’s wide out to the backhand, he leaps to poweglide a winner down the line.
This also means that Andy Murray is on shortly.
Game, set and match! Rogers beats Begu 6-3, 6-4
She’ll play Garbine Muguruza in the quarter-finals.
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Rogers has two match points on the Begu serve...
Wawrinka cleans up easily though - rallies have been short as so far this set.
Troicki has never made the quarters of a slam, though he’s mainly lost to the big boys at the 4th round stage. He’s on the board in this set thanks to a comfortable service game, and Wawrinka then chucks in a double-fauly at 30-0.
Begu has broken back again - she’s serving at 4-5, 0-1.
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Wawrinka takes the first game of the third set on serve, in a high-quality game. The court’s been swept and both guys are grooved.
Umbrellas have gone down. Excellent.
Fru reckons Troicki was a “deserved winner of the second set”, which begs the question: is it possible to win a set undeservedly? I vote no.
Troicki wins the second set, 7-6.
The champ is in a fight!
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And back up it goes, when Wawrinka, on the backhand - that backhand - goes crosscourt before trying down the line and straying wide. Set point, on the Troicki serve!
Another set point for Troicki, but on the Wawrinka serve, and he sends a forehand long. His sense of self is fluctuating in front of our very eyes.
Back on Lenglen, Rogers has, after a protracted struggle, broken again.
And Wawrinka, who needed seven goes to win the first set saves his third of the second, ramping up the pressure and enticing Troicki to go long!
Wawrinka then slams a backhand from middle to backhand side, making it 6-5....
But Troicki’s forehand is right there, earning him three set points! Wawrinks saves the first with a serve down the middle...
The mechanics of Troicki’s serve are working really well, and a serve out wide earns him the chance to volley. But he somehow sends it long! 5-3.
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Troicki is making Wawrinka think now, teeing him up for a risky backhand down the line that goes long. He’s 5-2 ahead and favourite for the set - as he has been for most of its duration.
Troicki slides when there was no need and loses control of his forehand; that’s now 3-2 to him.
An ace each makes it 1-1, and then Troicki zetzes a forehand crosscourt. Wawrinka has lots of aim at, but goes long, and there’s the mini-break, immediately cemented.
Oh I say! This is lovely from Wawrinka, a gentle crosscourt chop, disguised of course, earns him a tiebreak; Troicki will be wanting to start this one rather better than he started the last.
Rogers has broken back and 30-0 up at 2-2 in the second set.
The weather forecast is not good for the early part of this week - they’re already thinking about running over into next.
Begu is a break up on Rogers now, though still a set down.
Lovely from Troicki, onto a forehand cross court with a stop-volley drop-shot. That gives him 30-0 as we see the sisters Williams shaking hands - they’ve won their doubles match in three sets. Meanwhile, both players miss chances to win a faintly absurd rally at 40-15, Wawrinka in particular - he dominates it, then as soon as Troicki is back in the point, an unforced error loses it for him. But he wins the next to make it 6-5.
Umbrellas go up as Troicki plays an excellent point to claw back to 30-15. He then pounces on an overhit drop-shot, doesn’t do enough, and Wawrinka punishes the pass. Another forehand winner gives him the game, and that’s 5-5 - but judging by the brollies, they might not be out there for much longer.
And here it is: it’s raining, though not heavily. That’s being saved for later.
Andy Murray is in the locker room reading the paper. More news as I get it.
Troicki is now 5-4 up, so Wawrinka must serve to stay in the set.
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Incidentally, there’s a further upset brewing on Lenglen, where Rogers has taken the first set from Begu.
Well hello there. Troicki is going to finish up here with a heartful of regret if he doesn’t at least rustle this set.
A tight, back and forth game on Wawrinka’s serve ends with the Swiss closing out on deuce and from 4-1 down he is back to 4-4 in this second set. He has found his touch again – finishing with a delightful drop shot. Time to hand back over to Daniel …
In the words of football commentating legend Andy Townsend: better from Wawrinka, who earns himself a pair of break points. He cannot take the first but the second goes in his favour. And he is back in this having looked desperate only five minutes previous. Troicki leads 4-3.
Wawrinka continues to struggle on his own serve at 15-15 but pulls himself together to take a game, stop the rot and keep just about in touch in this set. Troicki leads 4-2.
What has happened to Wawrinka? He needs to tune in sharpish. Troicki strengthens his control of the second set by holding serve with no major issue. The Serbian looks a level above in these past four games and it would take quite a spectacular collapse for him to relinquish his grip of this second set now.
With the new balls, Troicki wins the first point but Wawrinka steadies … or does he? From 15-15, Troicki ups a gear, earns a pair of break points and – in the match’s longest rally of 20 shots – forces Wawrinka into another error. And Troicki breaks for the second time in a row to lead 3-1. The Swiss slams his racket on the clay out of frustration.
After two quickfire breaks, the third game of the second set between Troicki and Wawrinka has returned to the tight form of the opening set. Troicki gets advantage – isn’t it difficult during Roland Garros to pronounce that word in anything but a French accent? – once, twice on three occasions before closing by forcing Wawrinka into an error down the right channel. Having fallen to an early break, Troicki is back on course – leading 2-1 (the first set, in case you are just joining, went to Wawrinka on a tiebreak).
The Williams sisters: are there a better set of siblings in sport than Venus and Serena?
Williams + Williams = all the high fives. #RG16 pic.twitter.com/Q65Brj6fLD
— Roland Garros (@rolandgarros) May 29, 2016
But Wawrinka has got a tad overconfident and blows the advantage by allowing Troicki to break back immediately. That was unusually sloppy from the Swiss, who spurns the first two points and, despite getting back to 15-30, is unable to halt Troicki’s resurgence. We are now 1-1 in the second.
Hello. Alan Smith here while Daniel gets fed and watered. That was as tight a set as they come but Wawrinka is into his stride immediately in the second set – breaking Troicki to love with a powerful, ferocious game that does not give the No22 side a chance on his own serve.
Wawrinka wins the first set, 7-6
A brutal serve gets the job down, and Troicki must be aggravated with the manner in which he began that breaker.
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And a service down the middle forces Wawrinka to spoon a return, cleared up with an overhead - and another return means that only one set-point remains!
A service winner for Troicki, but Wawrinka is right into this and a jarring forehand gives him plenty of set points. But Troicki suddenly springs into a return, a forehand winner reducing the deficit to 3-6.
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But he’s soon regrooved, fixing a backhand winner onto the end of Troicki’s cross-court teaser. 5-1.
And it’s soon 4-0, before Wawrinka goes marginally long with one of those flicked backhands.
Wawrinka is immediately into his stride, nailing the first two points - and a third, when Troicki is wide with a forehand down the line. Double-mini-break to Stan, which, by complete coincidence, sounds like a type of chocolate bar.
Then a service winner gives him advantage, he forces Wawrinka wide, and, on the run, he can’t curl a backhand back into court. Here comes trouble, here comes the breaker.
And Troicki responds with an ace!
But a drop-shot from Wawrinka earns a further set point!
And then works Wawrinka along the baseline before guiding a backhand down the line. Deuce!
Troicki saves two!
And an overhead then picks out the line! Three set points!
A punishing forehand from Wawrinka gives him 0-15, and then he picks a second serve to pound a further winner. Troicki is in danger of wasting his last half-hour’s work.
Wawrinka wins the game to reach 6-5 and Troicki will serve for a breaker.
Lovely drop shot from Wawrinka to reach 15 on his serve - it’s now 5-5 - and he’s looking dead relaxed.
Does Wawrinka write in backhand?
On Chatrier it’s 5-4 Wawrinka, on serve. The court appears to be filling up too, even the president’s box. Apparently people don’t mind watching elite level sport of a Sunday afternoon, which is good of them.
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Next on Lenglen we have Irina-Camelia Begu (25) against Shelby Rogers.
Ramos-Vinolas is enticed to say that the slow court helped him - he concedes it did “a bit”. But he was by far the better man today.
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AND THERE IT IS! Ramos-Vinolas beats Raonic, 6-2, 6-4, 6-4.
The third overhead of the point, and the number eight seed goes! Ramos-Vinolas will play Wawrinka or Troicki in the next round.
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Mistake by Ramos-Vinolas gives Raonic a break point, but he makes a hash of a second-serve return and that’s the end of that, another cracking forehand with leaping top spin giving him deuce - followed by an ace, his second of the game. Match point again!
By the way, Wawrinka and Troicki are 3-3.
But a succession of murderous forehands set up an eventual winner ... but superb defence from Raonic entices a wild one that’s miles long. Deuce!
Ramos-Vinolas slices a backhand into the net, nerves a-janglin’.
And drama at 30-15, as Raonic is certain a ball’s gone wide, calling the umpire from her chair. She’s less convinced, and that’s matchpoint!
Raonic is dancing around on the baseline and takes the first point of the game. But a serve that’s wide to the backhand - the lefty’s privilege - clears the way for a booming forehand into the opposite corner. 15-all.
It’s 2-2 on Chatrier as Ramos-Vinolas serves for the match on Lenglen.
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Break to Ramos-Vinolas! He outlasts Raonic, who eventually nets a backhand crosscourt, and he’ll shortly serve for the match!
But Raonic saves both! Ramos-Vinolas was right in the second point, but went long with a swinging forehand. But there he is again! Another break point!
And whaddaya know! Ramos-Vinolas runs down a drops shot and gently coaxes a winner down the line! Two break points!
Ramos-Vinolas is showing nae signs of slowing down - it’s 4-4 there, and with that awkward serve and commanding lead, you’d have to fancy him in a breaker.
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Wawrinka wins the first game easily, but Troicki is quickly into his stride thereafter. If he serves well, we’re in for an interesting one.
Wawrinka will serve first in the not-always-arsed derby.
And Ramos-Vinolas holds!
Superb from Ramos-Vinolas, who saves both. It’s possible that Sergio has claim on the planet’s favourite Ramos, but then he probably isn’t into mid-90s happy hardcore.
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Raonic steps away in the backhand corner to thud a forehand crosscourt, then bangs another down the line which he cleans up with a volley. That gives him two break points...
The court is damp and will be slow, says Annabel Croft, while on Suzanne-Lenglen, we’re still on serve in the third set.
Wawrinka is wearing fluorescent yellow top with matching shoes; it’s remarkably silly, defending champion or not. Pat Cash reckons he has more power than anyone else on tour.
And here they come.
Coming up: Wawrinka v Troicki.
Raonic is still struggling with Ramos-Vinolas, who’s enjoying the overcast conditions. The court and balls are playing slowly, so Raonic’s power game is even more compromised than is usual on clay. They’re on serve in the third set.
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Game, set and match! Muguruza beats Kuznetosova 6-3, 6-4
She plays Begu or Rogers in the quarters and will fancy either. Or both.
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As Muguruza brings up yet another matchpoint, Raonic saves break point. Muguruza again can’t sort it, but Raonic can, taking the game and proceding to his chair with some relief.
And again she can’t convert! A forehand cross-courter twangs the top of the net!
Muguruza finds herself break point down, so resolves the situation with a wide server followed by a hard, flat, forehand winner. She wins the next point, too, so has a furher matchpoint...
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Some heavy duty grunting going on as Muguruza gets herself to 40-0 and three match points. But Kuznetsova springs into action and saves both, the second with a fantastic forehand winner. And a double-fault follows!
And it’s there! A superb point from Ramos-Vinolas, working Raonic before unfurling a booming lefty winner from midcourt to the forehand side. The man who until this week had never reached the 4th round of a slam is now a set away from the quarters!
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Muguruza is back, cementing the break point, and will serve for a spot in the quarters.
Kuznetsova fights back to deuce, but Muguruza slams yet another backhand winner down the line for a further break point. Ramos-Vinolas leads 30-15...
Meanwhile, Ramos-Vinolas has broken Raonic at 4-4 and will serve for the second set!
Muguruza has woken back up, hitting a lob from deep on her forehand side. Kuznetsova opts not to take it out the air, and Muguruza pounces, absolutely shmicing a forehand winner on the half-volley. And Kuznetsova is suddenly tentative, finding herself break point down.
Muguruza is wide with her first serve and her second is to the backhand, initiating a rally that neither dictate. And Muguruza then goes with a forehand, and Kuznetsova, champion in 2009, breaks back!
Kuznetsova leads at 0-15 and 15-30 - and Muguruza, tightening, up, goes long off the backhand. Break point!
Game Kuznetsova hangs onto another service game, but is running out of break-back opportunities.
Kuznetsova trails 2-4 and is serving, while the commentary team are sufficiently secure in the outcome as to be discussing Maria Sharapova’s new boyfriend. He’s Kylie Minogue’s ex, apparently, and of pleasing appearance.
Kuznetsova kuznetsovas, hanging on to her serve in the vain hope that some force majeure will alter the implacable momentum of Muguruza. Good luck.
Muguruza flips on the half-turn to slam a backhand down the line, then advances to panel a crosscourt winner. And Kuznetsova is spooked, going long to lose a point she’d all but won and ceding a break point. Meanwhile, Ramos-Vinolas has consolidated the break-back.
And there’s another game whistled through for Muguruza, who now leads 6-3, 3-1. Kuznetsova is not long for this competition.
My days, women’s tennis needed Garbine Muguruza, who has just pasted a backhand winner, inside-out from the middle of the court. She’s taking the ball so early and also taking risks - well, they’d be risks if she wasn’t playing so darn well.
And it’s not just women’s tennis that needed - and needs - her. It’s been a long old while since a superstar broke through, a generation, more or less. Ten years ago, tennis was the best sport on the planet in terms of standard and competition. Now, not so much.
And well played Albert Ramos-Vinolas! He’s broken back, so is now 1-2 down having taken the first set 6-2.
Muguruza now gets that break, while, on Court Suzanne-Lenglen, Raonic is a break up in the second set.
So, things so far: Muguruza is looking fantastic - she leads Kuznetsova by a set,though Kuznetsova has just hung on to avoid being broken. Elsewhere, Albert Ramos-Vinolas has taken the first set against Milos Raonic.
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Preamble
Once upon a time the French Open was the last Slam you’d expect Andy Murray to win. On clay, the ball doesn’t bounce high enough for him to punish that backhand, it undermines a serve that when it’s on is one of the best around, and that Nadal lad is pretty nifty on it.
Once upon a time. Now, Murray scurries with greater expertise, Nadal is out, Federer is out and it’s on clay that Novak Djokovic is least impregnable - if that’s linguistically possible.
Today, Murray takes on John Isner - a man far less suited to the surface than he - and at the same time, Richard Gasquet and Kei Nishikori tire each other out competing to play the winner. And also today, Stan Wawrinka, seeded to meet Murray in the semi-final, meets the tricky Troicki in what could be an absolute jazzer.
Meanwhile, in the women’s competition, we have Svetlana Kuznetsova against Garbine Muguruza and Simone Halep versus Samantha Stosur.
It’d better not rain and they all lived happily ever after.
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