A final read on Osaka as I say goodbye. Thanks for your company!
Rafa speaks (after going through his time-honoured post-match routine). He explains that it was hard work up against Popyrin, who made him work hard. “He was hitting bombs. He is young and the speed of his ball is incredible. He is a fast runner and every time he went for the highest power possible. So it was a tough match. I found a way to win the third set, I don’t know how, but I’m happy.”
Rafael Nadal defeats Alexei Popyrin 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (3)
Too much experience, way too good. Jumping out to a 6-1 lead in the tie-breaker, the young Aussie dragged back a couple of match points - a reminder that he’s made of stern stuff and has a big future - but back on serve, Nadal finishes the job with one final booming forehand. It wasn’t always easy but he’s away in this campaign to win a 14th French Open, through the first round in straight sets.
Updated
Nadal, clinical. Popyrin is angry with himself at 40-0 for not being able to make a return in this crucial game. He goes on to do just that from the next point, dragging it back to 15, then 30, but it matters little... they’re going to a tie break in the third set!
Gutsy from Popyrin. Staring down the barrell of another break at 15-40, then two further break points after that, he held his nerve throughout. Sure, there were unforced errors along the way - “like a boa constrictor,” said Jim Courier when it looked like Nadal was squeezing the life out of the 21-year-old - but he won’t back down!
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Predicably, Nadal swamps Popyrin after those myriad missed opportunities in the previous game, holding to 15. It’s 5-5.
NADAL BREAKS BACK! What a wild ride that game was! Popyrin looked to be bottling it at 15-all when missing the most basic volley but bounced straight back to nail the perfect drop shot before slamming home a tough overhead. Set point... double fault! But he gets another - surely this time. A long rally, the Aussie has the Spaniad on the ropes, he only has to finish it with the easy smash but it ends up in the net. “A shot he would make 97 out of 100 times if it is not set point against Nadal,” the assessment of Jim Courier. A wild crosscourt forehand misses next, then the champion converts his break-back point. And after six minutes of chaos and drama we’re back on serve in the third with Nadal next up at 4-5.
With Nadal needing to hold serve to stay in the set, he does so to love. And what a winner to go to 40-0, hammering down the line with that famous forehand of his, followed by an even better show to take the game, a half-volley from his toes. Quite superb, the old boy. Over to Popyrin, who will serve to take the third!
Popyrin holds and holds easily. He’s serving beautifully.
Popyrin breaks! Yes, you’re reading that correctly: Nadal has dropped his serve at Roland Garros. The Australian earned himself two bites of the cherry and got there from 30-40 with Nadal missing by a long way out wide. The chat 20 minutes ago was about how many consolation games the Australian could salvage in this set. Now, if he can hold his serve twice more, he’ll snaffle a set!
Fantastic from Popyrin, holding to love with some huge first serves. This set remains on serve (3-2), but the younger of the men has earned himself a chance to pinch it... but he has to break right now.
Oh, and another seed has fallen this afternoon.
On the board 👊
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 1, 2021
In his 63rd consecutive major (❗️), @AndreasSeppi takes out No. 20 seed Auger-Aliassime 6-3, 7-6(8), 4-6, 6-4. #RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/kv6Xi6j5Iq
Fair play to the young man, he’s not going to acquiesce. This turns into his most competitive non-service game since the early stages of the opening set, twice getting Nadal to deuce. The experience ultimately shone through, the champ coming out on top of the break point rallies to take the game, but this is entertaining tennis.
A pair of aces wins Popyrin a second service game. Bang, bang. A good experience for the 21-year-old against Nadal on his court.
Interesting chat about Nadal’s longevity. Jim Courier, citing Carlos Moya (his coach), says that the way to stay in the game longer involves him playing more aggressively in his twilight years to help protect his body early in tournaments. Stands to reason. And it’s what he does here, by the way, holding to love. It’s 1-1 in the third.
In the commentary box, they are trying to guess how many further games Popyrin will win - two or three. There’s not even a consideration that he could pinch a set, such is the dominance of Nadal in situations like this. He does hold here though - nicely done.
Another seed hits the deck on day two with Ricardas Berankis from Lithuania bouncing Frenchman Ugo Humbert (29) in four sets. We also got a look at Venus Williams during the break, the 40-year-old losing the first set 6-3 to Russian 32-seed Ekaternia Alexandrova.
Just 1000 spectators are permitted inside Centre Court, the TV tells me, and what a joy it is watching Nadal work an opponent over close up. Despite some impressive winners from the Australian over the last two games, he’s won the second set in a canter, now up 6-3, 6-2.
Popyrin is going down swinging. He might lose the set (he will lose the set) but some of those forehands thundered past Nadal, holding serve to love. “That was some awesome tennis,” says Jim Courier.
Too easy. Nadal out wide with an ace to seal his easiest service game of the match so far. Popyrin serving at 1-5 to stay in the set.
Some respite for Popyrin, Nadal taking his foot off the pedal for long enough to let the Australian win a game for the first time in half an hour or longer. Still well behind, but he needed to stop the rot.
Nadal holds. He’s in cruise control with Popyrin overwhelmed. The TV broadcast promotes Djokovic v Sandgren coming up during the night session - what I’d give to hear their locker room bantz.
Delightful from Nadal, looping the forehand winner around the net on the stretch. “He calls that the banana!” roars Jim Courier. It’s the catalyst for a brain explosion from Popyrin, attempting a low percentage drop shot from beyond the baseline, giving the Spaniad three further break points, the third converted. Nadal to serve at 3-0.
Ever so close for Popyrin. He got Nadal to deuce, then won a break point but missed the forehand winner down the line. In the long rally that followed, the younger man was worked over before the champ busted out a tidy serve-and-volley to hold. He leads 6-3, 2-0.
Updated
Here comes Rafa. Breaks Popyrin, holds, wins the set, breaks him again to begin the second - to 15, no less. This could get ugly.
Andrey Rublev is out
An upset on court 14 with the number seven seed in the men’s draw knocked off in five sets by German veteran Jan-Lennard Struff.
Nadal wins the first 6-3, the first job complete in 39 minutes. As it it were foretold after breaking Popyrin, the left-hander went boom, boom, boom to earn three set points, converting the second.
Nadal earns a break point and goes after it on the return, forcing Popyrin into a forehand that sprays off the top of his racquet. He’ll serve for the set. Meanwhile, I miss Paris in June. Don’t we all?
“Taking one set off him is an achievement,” Jim Courier says of Nadal, noting he’s only lost 27 sets in 102 matches at Roland Garros. Wild. He’s through this service game without any fuss, leading 4-3.
#EurosportTennis commentators taking slight issue with the fact that Nadal has got a time warning *early* in the match, although, surely, that's precisely the right time to do it, rather than suddenly ambush him with it in the 4th set.#FrenchOpen #RolandGarros @collinsadam
— VoiceOfTheMysterons (@Mysteron_Voice) June 1, 2021
Popyrin has already nailed four aces. The 21-year-old holds to love.
“Hello Adam.” Hello, Andrew Benton. “It’s a pity it has come to this for Naomi Osaka - I saw that the WTA provides supports to players for mental health and they must surely be able to help with dealing with press conferences, which every player of any standing will have to deal with. Feels like a failure on their part. I wonder if Osaka’s US Open press conference in 2018, when Serena Williams had had a tough time on court, might have been a particularly stressful one - I seem to remember the story was more about Williams’ issues, rather than Osaka’s amazing victory.”
Geoff Lemon, who has written extensively about depressive illnesses, wrote a couple of tweets about this earlier today.
I saw that 2018 clip of Naomi Osaka, and everything about it - posture, tone, unfiltered speech - is so familiar to someone with depression. It empties you out. Flattens. So this week she couldn’t handle repeat pressers. Said so. Got scolded and threatened instead of supported.
— Geoff Lemon Sport (@GeoffLemonSport) June 1, 2021
Nadal holds to 15 - more comfortable here. He leads 3-2 in the first.
A tour-de-force from Marina Hyde on Osaka’s withdrawal.
You do have to admire tennis’s position on health. The women’s No 2 has been pushed into withdrawing from a grand slam for having the temerity to take a small step to protect her own mental equilibrium, while the men’s No 1 has spent the past 14 months continually honking out anti-Covid vaccine messages . Novak Djokovic has not been officially censured for that, nor for the ridiculous super-spreader tournament he hosted across the Balkans last summer against all advice, which saw several players (including him) catch Covid. As for the hierarchy of the sport’s sins, how predictable that it should be “doing press conferences” that united all four slams in a joint condemnatory press release, while they remain utterly silent on world No 6 Alexander Zverev many months after he was accused in great detail of domestic violence and mental abuse by his ex-girlfriend. Zverev issued a denial; and denial in any case remains tennis’s comfort zone. For a major sport it is fundamentally incurious, testing for performance enhancing drugs, according to a 2016 investigation, at the same levels as kayaking or handball.
Big backhand, some tidy serve and volley.... nice work, young man. Nadal responds by turning the pressure up and getting to deuce, but Popyrin holds with an ace down the middle and an outstanding crosscourt forehand winner. 2-2 in the first. Entertaining so far.
From a couple of points to deuce. Two good non-service games for Popyrin, more than keeping Nadal honest in these early exchanges.
Popyrin has a giant serve. We saw that at the Aussie Open in 2019 when he knocked off Dominic Thiem in the third round in front of a massive Saturday TV local TV audience. Two aces; nice start. 1-1.
Nadal holds, but Popyrin wins a couple of points. Good for nerves.
Nadal v Popyrin. The champion to serve. Go!
Monfils defeats Albert Ramos-Vinolas 1-6, 7-6(6), 6-4, 6-4
He does it! WHAT A RESPONSE FROM THE CROWD! Beautiful!
Updated
Nadal is ready to roll on centre court, but we’ll stick with Monfils. I remember fondly his arrival in Melbourne in 2007 and what excitement he brought with those crazy-brave crosscourt forehands. It was tough to watch him play in February at the same tournament, brought to tears after capitulating in the opening round. Come on!
STIRRING STUFF from Gael Monfils! The Paris crowd go WILD for their man as he breaks Ramos-Vinolas, the catalyst one of those sliding forehands we’ve known and loved from the Frenchman over the last 15 years. He’ll now go on to serve for the match.
This means so much to Monfils. He’s been so badly out of sorts, not winning a match on tour this year, and the crowd have his back. He repays the faith with a scorching winner - classic Monfils - then wins an error to hold serve. Go you good thing. It’s 4-4 in the fourth.
On court 14, Andrey Rublev, the seventh seed from Russia, has pulled level with journeyman Jan-Lennard Struff at two sets each.
Back to Monfils v Ramos-Vinolas. It’s the fourth set with the Frenchman serving at 3-4. Well, he was about to after this time out - Monfils is, according to the broadcast, is asking for some salt. He adds to that by pouring a bottle of water over his head. Same, same.
Up next on Court Suzanne Philippe-Chatrier... it’s the greatest to ever roam the Parisian surface, the 13-time winner, Rafael Nadal. He’s up against Australian Alexei Popyrin, who has a bit about him.
ITV’s main advertiser is using one of the best tracks of the 1980s, which means we get to hear the chorus every ten minutes.
You’re welcome.
Barty speaks. “This court is very close to my heart. It’s so nice to play here in front of fans, you make it enjoyable for players. Thank you very much.” She is asked about her decision to go on the road during the Covid and stands by it, speaking with family every day.
Ash Barty defeats Bernada Pera 6-4, 3-6, 6-2
It wasn’t always pretty, but Barty is through. Pera was broken once again to finish, not helped by the No1’s massive backhand return. But she done well, definitely looks like a player on the rise.
Updated
Barty can see the finish line. Pera, who has done so little wrong until the last five minutes, miscues her forehand again, which is all the number one seed requires to press the advantage. A wild backhand error finishes the game, Pera now serving to stay in the match at 2-5.
Barty breaks! Pera’s serve has been in good shape but the 2019 winner hung in there and opened up an opportunity of her own, the American whack a rudimentary forehand into the net. It’s 4-2.
Barty is building, holding to love. A handy time for an easy game, built on the back of a fantastic rally at 15-0, followed in with her fourth ace of the match. Big game experience helps her here.
It’s 2-2 in the third. Pera bangs a forehand winner down the line, holding from 40-30. Back to you, Ash Barty.
A tough hold for Barty, getting through two break points. On both occasions, she was saved by her big serve. Between times, Pera continues to create opportunities with her dynamic backhand, beating the Australan down the line with a beauty. Meanwhile, on Court Suzanne-Lenglen, Monfils has won the the third set 6-4.
“Not saying in any way that Barty’s problem wasn’t genuine,” I’m tweeted, “but perhaps they should abolish the medical time out and replace it with a five minute break between sets, which is then fair to both players.” I don’t mind the status quo. All part of the theatre.
A game apiece in the third on Court Philippe-Chartier, both Barty and Pera holding from 40-30. On Barty’s injury, it was her left glute being worked on, strapping now visible down her thigh.
Boris Becker has weighed in with Osaka, this report via Reuters.
“I heard her first response a couple of days ago about this media boycott and that is something to be always taken seriously, especially from such a young woman,” Becker told Eurosport for whom he works as an analyst.
“She couldn’t cope with the pressures of facing the media after she loses a match, but that happens frequently and you have to deal with it.
“If she can’t cope with the media in Paris, she can’t cope with the media in Wimbledon or the U.S. Open. So I almost feel like her career is in danger due to mental health issues.”
That doesn’t strike me as particularly helpful commentary from Boom Boom. On this, Jonathan Liew’s piece is worth a read.
Monfils holds; he’s up 5-3 in the third. Barty is back on her feet too, serving in the first game of the third and deciding set.
Ash Barty has taken an injury time out. They are working on the top of her thigh between sets. Testing times for the top seed.
Updated
Around the courts, Gael Monfils, the 14th seed, has pulled level at one set apiece after dropping the first to Albert Ramos-Vinolas. The Frenchman was gutted after losing on the opening day at Melbourne Park - he’ll be desperate to clear that bar at his home Grand Slam. Indeed, he now has a break in the third, serving at 4-3. Going well.
Bernarda Pera wins the second set 6-3! Barty is going to have to do it the hard way with the 70th ranked player in the world holding her nerve when it mattered most. She had to get through a break point after missing a backhand volley, but repsonded with a couple of big serves before closing out the set. They’re one set all.
Barty holds after giving Pera a set point when swinging wildly at 30-all. The Australian responds with a pair of forehand winners - crosscourt with power then a classy topspin effort - to shift the game back in her favour. Over to Pera, serving for the second set.
Afternoon, all. Barty away well in the first, under pressure now. Reminds me of how she was bundled out of the Australian Open January. I was there at the time and, needless to say, it didn’t go over well with the locals. She gets a look at a 15-30 here but her floating forehand is long. Pera responds with a crunching down-the-line winner at 30-all then holds. Barty will serve to stay in the set at 2-5.
Ok, time now to hand over to the excellent Adam Collins for the afternoon’s play.
À bientôt.
Barty not having it so easy, with Pera 4-1 up in the second set, and her second serve not doing its job. She’s back at 2-4 now but needs to find a way through her opponent’s serve.
Updated
Struff and Rublev is really turning into quite the slugfest, with each man threatening the other’s serve. But no break as yet in the third set, with the Russian in peril.
Cheers can be heard across Roland Garros as Monfils takes a second set tie-break 8-6 against Albert Ramos Viñolas to level the sets at 1-1. Some recovery after losing the first 6-1.
Barty has taken the first set against Pera 6-4, and has found her groove after those attritional first few games.
Updated
Rublev, with some vocal support from some Russian-sounding rowdies in the crowd, turns around the tie-break to go 4-3 up. Then it goes to 4-4. Then 5-5, it’s a very tight match. Struff serves a very timely ace and he has set point. Rublev saves that with an ace of his own. Then Rublev rages as his volley gives Struff chance to claim another set point. And Struff booms a wonderful serve to lead the seventh seed 2-0.
Rublev v Struff has gone to a tie-break in the second set, with Struff already a set up.
And here’s Tumaini Carayol on the Osaka question.
Simon Baker, the four-time Olympian walker for Australia, has got in touch on the subject of Naomi Osaka: “Workplace bullying is alive and well in tennis world. Treatment of Ms Osaka highlights hypocrisy of sports run by old male pale bean counters.”
And Barty gets the break again, she’s 3-2 up on Pera. Meanwhile, Gaël Monfils, the local lad, is in a bit of trouble, losing the first set 6-1 to Albert Ramos Viñolas. It’s 4-4 in the second set.
It’s 2-2 between Barty and Pera. They seem evenly matched at present, with both breaking the other.
Updated
Andrey Rublev, the seventh men’s seed is having a ding dong with Jan-Lennard Struff but is 5-2 up in the second set, Struff having won the first set 6-3.
Updated
Pera serves out the first game against Barty, but with some difficulty, as it takes in several deuces. She has trouble with her first serve all game yet wins it with an ace.
Ashleigh Barty is imminent on Philippe-Chatrier, taking on Bernarda Pera. Barty did not defend her 2019 title, deciding not to travel in October last year in the wake of Covid-19.
Updated
The fifth seed is through in the women’s singles, nice and easy for Elina Svitolina against the qualifier, Française Océane Babel.
➡️ 2e tour
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 1, 2021
Menée 2-5 dans le 2e set, la 5e tête de série @ElinaSvitolina a remonté la pente pour éliminer la jeune Française Océane Babel 6-2, 7-5.#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/P0JrWcYL0k
De Minaur beats Travaglia 6-2 6-4 7-6
De Minaur delivers a handy service hold to take the third set to a tie-breaker. Travaglia is going down fighting, that’s for sure. De Minaur goes 2-0 up, then it goes to 2-1, then 3-1 when Travaglia crashes into the net. Next, the Italian goes far too long for 4-1. And again for 5-1, his grip ever loosening. Next, De Minaur is sent skidding as it goes to 5-2. When it goes to 5-3 there’s a wobble in the offing. Next comes 5-4. De Minaur has two serves to go through. Then match point is reached when Travaglia wallops one long once again. Then Travaglia nets and the Australian is through.
Updated
But no, Travaglia has broken back for 3-3 and it’s back with serve against De Minaur. And he serves out to love to go 4-3 up. This ain’t over.
De Minaur is now 3-2 up, two sets up and a break up against Travaglia. He’s looking good for the win now.
Updated
A couple more results from today’s early matches.
France’s Fiona Ferro is through, having beaten Liang En-shuo.
Après son 8e de finale en 2020, @fioferro s'impose au premier tour de Roland-Garros face à Liang 6-1, 6-4. 🇫🇷💪#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/snkjdzxTRV
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 1, 2021
And Ons Jabeur beat Yulia Putintseva 7-5 6-2.
Game face 😤@Ons_Jabeur is onto the second-round, sailing past Putintseva 7-5, 6-2. #RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/86guAvevel
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 1, 2021
Another result in. Per AP
Australian Open runner-up Jennifer Brady breezed past Anastasija Sevastova to reach the second round and match her best performance at the French Open.
The 13th-seeded American, who has never reached the third round at Roland Garros, won 6-3, 6-3 after breaking Sevastova at love in the final game.
Brady is not a clay specialist. She played only one tournament on the surface last year, losing her opening match at Roland Garros. She achieved her best result on clay earlier this season when she made it to the third round in Madrid in the buildup to the French Open.
De Minaur is now two sets up on Travaglia, having won the second 6-4. He’s looking good for the win. Another Australian, Astra Sharma, won in the women’s singles, having beaten Irina Bara 7-6 6-2.
Updated
Colin Watts gets in touch.
As somebody who regularly faces disability-discrimination (rather than mental health) I can understand her plight; particularly when LBGT and racial issues are now (hopefully) becoming socially unacceptable.
Much has already been said in the excellent blog by Jonathan Liew; the intolerance shewn by to Ms Osaka in respect of her health and well being beggars belief. Indeed I would suggest the French Tennis Federation’s actions could be tantamount to bullying with the ‘excuse of player contractual obligations’ being morally repugnant.
If this was (say) a disability ‘contractual obligations’ would ultimately not be accepted.
PS - I note the French Tennis Federation read a prepared statement Osaka their support but declined to accept questions from the media!
With a typically crushing shot, Sakkari beats Zavatska 6-4 6-1, having really stepped it up in that second set.
Businesslike 💼
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 1, 2021
🇬🇷 No.17 seed @mariasakkari dispatches Zavatska 6-4, 6-1 to book her spot in R2. #RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/Kp3S1lBKvI
Updated
Sakkari is cruising into the second round, having twice broken Zavatska, she is serving at 4-0 up in the second set.
Carla Suárez Navarro will return to the Roland Garros court today, having been forced to retire because of Hodgkin’s lymphoma, before making her comeback. She plays Sloane Stephens this afternoon.
A story of positivity, strength and resilience.
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 1, 2021
Welcome back, @CarlaSuarezNava! 👏👋#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/pPR6S39EzJ
Sakkari has taken the first set against Zavatska 6-4. Liang En-shuo and Fiona Ferro, on Court Suzanne-Lenglen, has gone to a third set, both winning their sets by 6-1.
Osaka has been receiving support back in Japan.
Per Reuters.
“The first thing to be considered is Ms. Osaka’s health. I wish her the earliest possible recovery,” Japan Tennis Association (JTA) Executive Director Toshihisa Tsuchihashi said in a statement.
Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato told a news conference that he would “watch over her quietly” and there was concern on the streets of Tokyo for the woman who will be one of the faces of this year’s Olympic Games in the city.
“I think she’s under a lot of pressure, more than we can imagine,” kimono dresser Tomomi Noguchi, 67, told Reuters. She got to the top when she was young so I think we can’t really imagine what she’s going through.”
Vickie Skorji, who manages a helpline at TELL, a non-profit counselling service in Japan, said society needed to be “more respectful and supportive” of mental health. “Who has asked her how she is doing? She put out a statement and said ‘I need to take care of myself,’ and she’s been punished,” Skorji said. “I think she is courageous and needs support.”
And De Minaur takes that first set 6-2, nice and easy so far for him. Japan’s Yasutaka Uchiyama has taken the first set 6-3 against the Italian, Marco Cecchinato.
Per Reuters, on Osaka.
There was some criticism of Roland Garros organisers for their handling of the matter.
French Tennis Federation President Gilles Moretton read a prepared statement on Monday offering Osaka their support but the irony of him not taking questions, given the context of the row, was not lost on some.
“So the FFT handled the Ms Osaka mental health concerns without empathy or sensitivity. Then the FFT President refuses to take questions at a presser. An own goal,” wrote former Australian tennis official Richard Ings.
Alex de Minaur, the Australian 21st seed, has got himself in a commanding position in the first set against Stefano Travaglia. He’s winning 5-1, and serving well.
It does look tres beau.
Paris perfection 🙌#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/tHRFYhXAvk
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 1, 2021
Some big names from across sport have spoken out for Osaka.
Martina Navratilova:
I am so sad about Naomi Osaka. I truly hope she will be ok. As athletes we are taught to take care of our body, and perhaps the mental and emotional aspect gets short shrift. This is about more than doing or not doing a press conference. Good luck Naomi - we are all pulling for you!
Billie-Jean King:
It’s incredibly brave that Naomi Osaka has revealed her truth about her struggle with depression. Right now, the important thing is that we give her the space and time she needs. We wish her well.
NBA legend Steph Curry:
You shouldn’t ever have to make a decision like this - but so damn impressive taking the high road when the powers that be don’t protect their own. Major respect.
Which leaves Piers Morgan.
Yes trolls, I have a real problem with female black tennis stars.... pic.twitter.com/I3AcNGxKhr
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) June 1, 2021
Updated
Far more to come on Osaka throughout the day, but we begin with some low-key stuff on the courts. Katarina Zavatska has just broken Maria Sakkari, the 17th seed, but is then immediately broken back.
A glance at the Eurosport coverage see Babsi Schett, Boris Becker and Mats Wilander skirt the Osaka issue in a very quick intro but it won’t be going away. Serena Williams, after winning her first round match yesterday, had this to say.
Serena Williams was asked about her experiences with difficult press conferences, and about Naomi Osaka.#RG21 pic.twitter.com/k0KsTUbrTm
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) May 31, 2021
Serena Williams also spoke of a need for players (and people generally) to "step forward and make an effort" when seeking help with their mental health, mentioning the help she herself has been able to receive. #RG21 pic.twitter.com/LPsSWdvRE1
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) May 31, 2021
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Preamble
Of course, the big news at Roland Garros has not yet centred on what has happened on the court. There will be fallout through the day on Naomi Osaka’s withdrawal, and the press conferences will probably revolve around what press conferences are for, and met with sidesteps as neat as anything you see on the clay.
Nevertheless, the show must - and will - go on and the return of Nadal to his kingdom will perhaps cool the unfortunate circus that has formed around l’affaire Osaka. He begins his campaign for his 14th (fourteenth) title by meeting the Australian, Alexei Popyrin, on Philippe-Chatrier.
Before that, the 2019 women’s champions and number one seed, Ashleigh Barty, takes on Bernarda Pera, the American-Croatian.
