French Open 2022

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Draw sections

1- Djokovic (possible R4 Schwartzmann or Dimitrov)
2 - Nadal (possible R2 - Wawrinka, possible R3 Fognini)
3 - Zverev
4 - Alcaraz (possible R4 Norrie/Thiem)
5 - Ruud
6 - Tsitsipas (possible R4 Shapovalov)
7 - Rublev
8 - Medvedev

Possible QFs
Djokovic vs Nadal (!)
Zverev vs Alcaraz
Ruud vs Tsitsipas
Rublev v Medvedev

Tough draw for everyone in the top half. Tsitsipas moves into contention a bit more after this draw.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/tennis/french-open-2022-draw-possible-routes-to-final-for-djokovic-nadal-alcaraz-swiatek-and-raducanu-explained/ar-AAXu4Mz

Djokovic breezes through Bedene 6-3 6-3 6-2, will face Schwartman in R4

Nadal powers through van de Zandschulp 6-3 6-2 6-4

After 3 completed matches, both Nadal and Djokovic, have dropped 23 games.

FAA beats Krajinovic 7-6 7-6 7-5, will face Nadal in R4.
Interestingly FAA is coached by Toni Nadal

Jeff Navarro wrote:FAA beats Krajinovic 7-6 7-6 7-5, will face Nadal in R4.
Interestingly FAA is coached by Toni Nadal

I heard he wont be in the court for the match

Sascha Zverev beats Brandon Nakashima 7-6 6-3 7-6. A close contest but a good performance by the German.

Karen Khachanov Beats Cameron Norrie 6-2 7-5 5-7 6-4. Norrie will be pretty disappointed but Khachanov is that type of streaky player

Carlitos Alcaraz takes out Seb Korda 6-4 6-4 6-2. This was a much better performance by the Spaniard

Incredible 4th round ahead

#31 consecutive win for Swiatek, but the #1 seed had to work a lot harder in this match. Kovinic managed to pick up 8 games as the Pole won 6-3 7-5

Medvedev motors past Kecmanovic 6-2 6-4 6-2, maybe the #2 isn’t as bad on clay as he claims...

Rublev beats Garin 6-4 3-6 6-2 7-6

Jannik Sinner beats Mckenzie McDonald 6-3 7-6 6-3.

That’s a very good win by Medvedev, Kecmanovic has been having a very good year. I thought that could be a potential banana skin but clearly Medvedev has upped his clay game.

Jeff Navarro wrote:#31 consecutive win for Swiatek, but the #1 seed had to work a lot harder in this match. Kovinic managed to pick up 8 games as the Pole won 6-3 7-5

Fairly bad news for the rest of the draw, in that Swiatek was probably not at her best today but still won in straight sets.

And rather than having to play a Frenchwoman (Cornet) who the crowd could get behind, Iga will now face a Chinese ranked 74.

Sabalenka, miles over ranked IMHO, has been ousted by feisty Giorgi. Gilles Simon, in his last RG, was demolished by Cilic who no comes up against Medvedev in what could be a very interesting clash. Rublev v Sinner is another intriguing match-up.

Still seems quite an unbalanced draw.

Tsitsipas mauls Ymer 6-2 6-2 6-1, the Greek finally shows his teeth.

Casper Ruud comes back from 2 sets to 1 down to break Lorenzo Sonego’s heart.
6-2 6-7 1-6 6-4 6-3

The impressive Holger Rune beats Hugo Gaston 6-3 6-3 6-3

Rune looks like another young guy to keep tabs on.

I'm expecting Schwartzman to give Djoko a reasonable match before...losing.

FAA may make it a bit closer than that against Rafa before....losing. Alcaraz faces a tough test today but you feel if he was going to lose early-ish it would have been against RV.

Martina Trevisan beats Aliaksandra Sasnovich to reach the 1/4 finals at RG for the second time in her career. Final score 7-6 7-5. The Toscana riding a WTA career best 9 match win streak.

Djokovic hammers Schwartzman 6-1 6-3 6-3 to complete his half of the deal to setup potential 1/4 final against Nadal.
Djokovic made merry against ‘“El Peque’s” 1st serve, the Argentine just couldn’t defend his serve.

FAA takes the opening set 6-3 against Nadal. The Spaniard struggling with his first serve and woeful BP conversion 1/7

Bit surprised to hear Rafa had dropped the first set. Long way to go, though.

Nadal evens up taking second set 6-3

Almost in no time Rafa is two sets to one up. Zverev close to victory too.

FAA takes the fourth set 6-3.
For just the 3rd time in 112 matches in Paris, Nadal goes to 5 sets.

Nadal wins 3-6 6-3 6-2 3-6 6-3. Pretty strange match. Nadal was vintage in set 3. But BP conversion was terrible 6/22. FAA was really solid.

Maybe partying with his Real Madrid friends wasn’t the correct preparation for this match...

Sascha Zverev says his 1/4 final is the evening match. Not sure how he knows this. But I’m sure Nadal is delighted to play the day match with Djokovic.

Djokovic will be desperate to win that one. Lose and he will most likely end up 2 GS behind Nadal.
That might work against him - wanting it too much.

Carlitos Alcaraz beats Karen Khachanov 6-1 6-4 6-4. I really thought the Russian had fair chance to upset the Spanish matador. But Alcaraz proves to be a class above.

Djokovic vs Nadal
Alcaraz vs Zverev

All bets are off on Tuesday.

Djokovic is better than Nadal right now. Or at least that is my impression.

Jeff Navarro wrote:Nadal wins 3-6 6-3 6-2 3-6 6-3. Pretty strange match. Nadal was vintage in set 3. But BP conversion was terrible 6/22. FAA was really solid.

Maybe partying with his Real Madrid friends wasn’t the correct preparation for this match...

This seems a little bit unfair. He went to the match but there is no evidence he was partying. He says he was in bed by 12.20. Given that the match finished at 11.33pm, and the trophy was presented at midnight, it´s likely by his account that he didn´t even stay for the trophy presentation.

On Rafa-Novak, I´ve noticed over the years that the matches go with the form.

And in this case Novak has the form given his Rome victory, Rafa´s losses at Rome and Madrid, and the last one match of each at the French Open.

In their matches, physical strength and fitness, as well as mental strength (which in some months or years is higher than others), play a significant role. And each can sense across the net where the other is at.

I expect to see Novak in the final.

Not sure why some thought Alcaraz would have much difficulty in his last two matches. His big scare came in his RV match.

The Spaniard having got this far is, IMHO, favourite against Zverev.

For once I'm not backing Rafa in an RG match and his preparation wont be helped by having a 4hr 20min match last night.

Alcaraz, quite rightly, has been complaining about getting two night matches in a row - with the potential of getting a third if Rafa's preference for daylight appearances is acceded to.

Back to today and Rune could give Tsitsipas quite a match although you have to reckon the Greek will come through.

Ruud-Hurkacz and Rublev-Sinner are much harder to call. Can 19-year-old Chinese Zheng finally end Swiatek's incredible run? Probably not, although players have been impressed with the teenager.

Henman Bill wrote:

Jeff Navarro wrote:Nadal wins 3-6 6-3 6-2 3-6 6-3. Pretty strange match. Nadal was vintage in set 3. But BP conversion was terrible 6/22. FAA was really solid.

Maybe partying with his Real Madrid friends wasn’t the correct preparation for this match...

This seems a little bit unfair. He went to the match but there is no evidence he was partying. He says he was in bed by 12.20. Given that the match finished at 11.33pm, and the trophy was presented at midnight, it´s likely by his account that he didn´t even stay for the trophy presentation.

Tongue in cheek mate!
Nadal knows what to do at Roland Garros.

I think last years night session somewhat favoured Djokovic, so if they met prior to the final this year it was always going to be a day match.

Nadal doesnt want to play in the night session
Djokovic prefers night session
Alcaraz thinks it would be unfair to be scheduled again in the night session
Zverev thinks schedule is built around Alvaraz´s successful image

Now RG, deal with it.

Nadal and Djokovic are on the night session tomorrow. That match is just so hard to call. Nadal always a favourite at French open but it should be a great match

Sascha ‘irate’ over the change. Currently ranting that Alcaraz is getting ‘special favours’
Crazy.

Djokovic aparently in better form and match played in a cold night

I guess only a bad day from Novak mixed with a great day for Nadal could produce a win for Rafa

Holger Rune continues to impress, the Dane takes the opening set vs Tsitsipas 7-5

Casper Ruud overcomes a third set wobble to see off the tricky Hubert Hurkacz 6-2 6-3 3-6 6-3

Tsitsipas levels it up 6-3 second set. First set Rune has dropped all tournament.

Rune took the third set 6-3. Big upset could be happening.

Rune beats Tsitsipas in four.

What a magnificent performance by Rune, sizzling stroke play.

Some of these ‘next gen’ players might never win majors. We seem to have arrived at the ‘next next gen’ with Alcaraz, Rune, FAA, Sinner, Musetti.
Sascha and Tsitsipas might get bypassed.

I thought Rune would provide stiff opposition today but didn't think he would win.

These youngsters are really something. Both Rune (pronounced une or oon, apparently) and Alcaraz are only just 19 but already capable of beating the big boys.

Although Hurkacz did get a set today, I reckoned he would give Ruud more of a match than he did. Bit surprised Madison Keys was ousted. The two surviving Russians in the top half of the women's draw now meet in the quarters.

Chinese teenager Zheng stunningly takes opening set against Swiatek 7-5 in the tie break. Massive upset on the cards.

Swiatek cooks up a bagel. Final set decider.

Jannik Sinner withdraws against Andrey Rublev, the Russian setups potential 1/4 final with his BFF Medvedev.
Terrible shame for Sinner.
Score at the time of stoppage 1-6 6-4 2-0

#32 straight for Iga Swiatek but the Pole survived a massive scare. 6-7 6-0 6-2.
Unfortunately Zheng hurt her leg and it effectively ended her chances
Swiatek showing signs of vulnerability

Cilic takes first set 6-2 v Medvedev. Upset?