Mondays with Bob Greene
STARS
French Open
Men’s singles: Stan Wawrinka beat Novak Djokovic 4-6 6-4 6-3 6-4
Women’s singles: Serena Williams beat Lucie Safarova 6-3 6-7 (2) 6-2
Men’s doubles: Ivan Dodig and Marcelo Melo beat Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan 6-7 (5) 7-6 (5) 7-5
Women’s doubles: Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Lucie Safarova beat Casey Dellacqua and Yaroslava Shvedova 3-6 6-4 6-2
Mixed doubles: Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Mike Bryan beat Lucie Hradecka and Marcin Matkowski 7-6 (3) 6-1
Boys’ singles: Tommy Paul beat Taylor Henry Fritz 7-6 (4) 2-6 6-2
Girls’ singles: Paula Badosa Gibert beat Anna Kalinskaya 6-3 6-3
Boys’ doubles: Alvaro Lopez San Martin and Jaume Munar beat William Blumberg and Tommy Paul 6-4 6-2
Girls’ doubles: Miriam Kolodziejova and Marketa Vondrousova beat Caroline Dolehide and Katerina Stewart 6-0 6-3
Men’s Wheelchair singles: Shingo Kunieda beat Stephane Houdet 6-1 6-0
Women’s Wheelchair singles: Jiske Griffioen beat Aniek Van Koot 6-0 6-2
Men’s Wheelchair doubles: Shingo Kunieda and Gordon Reid beat Gustavo Fernandez and Nicolas Peifer 6-1 7-6 (1)
Women’s Wheelchair doubles: Jiske Griffioen and Aniek Van Koot beat Yui Kamiji and Jordanne Whiley 7-6 (1) 3-6 10-8 (match tiebreak)
OTHER
Jiri Vesely beat Laslo Djere 6-4 6-2 to win the UniCredit Czech Open in Prostejov, Czech Republic
Monica Niculescu beat Paulin Parmentier 6-2 7-5 to win the Open Féminin de Marseille in Marseille, France
SAYING
“It’s really hard to believe but it has finally happened. It was the match of my life. But bravo to Novak, it’s a great challenge, the biggest one to play him. It’s a special moment for me.” – Stan Wawrinka, after beating top-ranked Novak Djokovic to win the French Open men’s singles.
“There are more important things in life – personality and respect. I have a big respect for you. You are a great champion with a big heart. You deserve that title.” – Novak Djokovic, talking to Stan Wawrinka.
“I got a bit nervous but it’s alright, it’s a dream for me. To win it (the 20th Grand Slam title) here is special for me because I don’t always play very well here.” – Serena Williams, after winning her 29th Grand Slam tournament title and second straight this year.
“Stan is much more experienced than me in 1997. But many times that year, I had to beat players who were (considered) far better than me. Today it’s similar. Novak, as a player, is more steady, solid and experienced than anybody else. But today Stan was the best.” – Gustavo Kuerten, a three-time French Open winner, after handing Stan Wawrinka the men’s singles champion trophy.
“If Stan (Wawrinka) wins the French Open today, everyone will remember what he wore. Seriously hot pants.” – Judy Murray, Andy Murray’s mother, in a tweet before the men’s final.
“It’s just like everybody talk about that shorts. I quite like them. Apparently I’m the only one. They will be in the museum of Roland Garros. You will see my shorts every day if you want.” – Stan Wawrinka, after winning the French Open men’s singles.
“For once I can speak French. It feels good.” – Stan Wawrinka, when asked during his on-court interview if he wanted to switch to speaking English.
“Whether this be theatrical or not, it’s part of the game. The rules are clear. The one who wins is the one who wins the very last point.” – Timea Bacsinszky, when asked if she thought her semifinal opponent, Serena Williams, was acting when she appeared to be ill during their match.
“She deserved her place in the quarterfinal. I didn’t feel like the favorite. It was a great experience. You don’t get to play a Slam semifinal every day.” – Timea Bacsinszky, after beating Alison Van Uytvanck in the quarterfinals.
“The success that American juniors had across the board at Roland Garros this week has been very exciting to see and is a testament to their hard work and devotion. This week’s results are very encouraging for the future of American tennis.” – Martin Blackman, general manager of player development for the United States Tennis Federation (USTA), noting that three Americans reached the French Open Junior Boys semifinals.
“We don’t want the biggest tournament in the world, but the most beautiful.” – Gilbert Ysern, French Open tournament director, confirming that renovation work at Roland Garros will begin in the coming weeks and be completed by 2019.
SECOND FOR STAN
For the second time in his career, Stan Wawrinka pulled off the big surprise at one of the top four events in tennis. This time, he ended Novak Djokovic’s dream of a career Grand Slam by knocking off the top-ranked player and becoming the oldest winner of the French Open in 25 years. It was reminiscent of his first Grand Slam tournament title when he upset Rafael Nadal in the final of the 2014 Australian Open. “It’s a special moment for me,” said the 30-year-old Wawrinka after becoming the oldest champion in Paris since Andres Gomez in 1990. Djokovic, missing only the French Open among his Grand Slam tournament trophies, was heavily favored and appeared to be on his way as he won the opening set. After that, it was Wawrinka who dominated play. In the fourth set, Djokovic won the first three games, breaking his Swiss opponent in the second game. Then it was Wawrinka’s turn to win three straight games to pull even. After Djokovic held to 4-3, the Serb raced out to a 0-40 lead on Wawrinka’s serve, one point away from putting the set back on serve. It wasn’t to be as Wawrinka held to start another three-game spree, then raised his arms high in triumph. “It’s hard for me to speak right now,” a disappointed Djokovic said before praising his conqueror.
Wawrinka won the French Open boys’ singles title in 2003 and is the first former junior champion to capture the men’s singles since Hall of Famer Mats Wilander in 1988.
SERENA WINS 20TH
Lucie Safarova was just the latest speed bump in Serena Williams’ race to overtake Steffi Graf and Margaret Smith Court in the record books. The American fought off Safarova’s surprising challenge to win her third title on the red clay at Roland Garros and her 20th major crown. That puts Williams just two Grand Slam tournament titles behind Steffi Graf and four behind Margaret Smith Court. This one wasn’t as easy as everyone expected it to be. Williams lost the first set in four of her seven matches. And while she captured the opening set against Safarova, the Czech left-hander proved to be a worthy final day opponent. Safarova won the second-set tiebreak 7-2, then broke Williams as she took a 2-0 lead in the decisive third set. “Down a break. Down a break. Down a break. Down a break,” Williams said. “And I just kept coming back and I kept fighting. I just kept thinking, ‘I’m not going to give up. I’m not going to stop. I’m just going to do the best I can.’ And it just really kind of goes to show that old adage of ‘never give up.’” She needed that adage against Safarova. Williams led 6-3 4-1 40-15 and appeared ready to wrap up the title before Safarova began her surge. But after leading 2-0 in the third set, Safarova could not win another game. “I always say if I’m losing, I’m going out swinging. I think I play my best tennis when I am swinging,” Williams said. “It helps me. I play more aggressive. I just think that once I decided that, I start playing my game, and when I’m playing my game, it’s difficult for me to lose.”
If Williams wins the next major, Wimbledon, she would complete what she calls the “Serena Slam” – holding all four Grand Slam tournament titles at the same time – for the second time in her career, a feat she first achieved in 2003. And she is two majors away from a calendar year Grand Slam, which hasn’t been done since Steffi Graf in 1988.
SUPER USA EFFORT
Tommy Paul led an American onslaught in the junior boys draw at the French Open, capturing the first all-American final at Roland Garros by defeating Taylor Fritz. Paul is the sixth American to win the junior title in Paris, a group that includes John McEnroe in 1977. “Everyone says that US tennis is bad on clay,” Paul said. “I would have to disagree. Right now I think that obviously we’re doing pretty well on the clay.” Besides Paul and Fritz, a third American – Michael Mmoh – reached the semifinals, only to lose to Paul.
American CiCi Bellis reached the semifinals in the girls’ draw, an event won by Paula Badosa Gibert of Spain. Paul and fellow American William Blumberg lost in the boys’ doubles final, while Americans Caroline Dolehide and Katerina Stewart were girls’ doubles finalists.
STOPS BRYANS
Ivan Dodig of Croatia and Brazil’s Marcelo Melo teamed up to win their first Grand Slam tournament title, beating the top-seeded brother team of Bob and Mike Bryan. A lob over the head of the Bryans by Melo leveled the match before the Brazilian closed out the win with a volley winner. Dodig and Melo, who have played together for four years, lost to the Bryans in the Wimbledon final in 2013. This was their third ATP World Tour-level title as a team. The Bryans have won 16 major doubles titles.
In the stands watching the Brazilian-Croatian tandem win was Gustavo Kuerten. Melo became the first Brazilian champion at Roland Garros since 2001, when Kuerten won his third French Open singles title. “It wasn’t easy playing with Guga there in the stands,” Melo said during the on-court ceremony, “but thank you for coming to support us.”
SHARES TITLES
Bethanie Mattek-Sands was the biggest winner of all at this year’s French Open. She teamed with fellow American Mike Bryan to win the mixed doubles, stopping Lucie Hradecka and Marcin Matkowski 7-6 (3) 6-1. Then she joined Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic to defeat Casey Dellacqua and Yaroslava Shvedova 3-6 6-4 6-2 in the women’s doubles final.
Mattek-Sands and Bryan hope to play together at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics next year. “She has really improved a lot,” Bryan said. “Our chemistry was great from the first point on. It was not always smooth, but she kept me in it.”
A day after losing the women’s singles final to Serena Williams, Safarova returned to the court to join Mattek-Sands. It was the second straight Grand Slam tournament title for the pair, who also won the Australian Open in January. “You’ve played almost every single day,” Mattek-Sands told her partner. “You’ve done an amazing job.” Then, reading aloud the list of winners on the women’s doubles trophy, Mattek-Sands said: “Gigi Fernandez won this, like, 75 times in a row. (Martina) Navratilova, too.”
SICK BAY
After roaring from behind to beat Timea Bacsinszky, Serena Williams said she was battling the flu as well as her opponent in the semifinals. Williams appeared distressed through most of her semifinal match and wrapped herself in ice towels during changeovers. “I have never felt so sick,” the 33-year-old American said after her 4-6 6-3 6-0 victory. “I caught the flu after my third-round match and have been struggling ever since.” Despite the illness, Williams won the final 10 games to grab a spot in the women’s singles final. “I never thought I could win and I didn’t want to go to a third set. But I thought that if I was going to lose, I had better go for winners. I was so tired and the next thing I knew I was in a third set. I don’t know what happened.”
SET FOR LONDON
Although he didn’t win his second straight Grand Slam tournament or a career Grand Slam, Novak Djokovic will try to become the first player in history to win the season-ending Barclays ATP World Finals singles title four consecutive years. The 28-year-old Serb is the first to qualify for this year’s Finals, which will be held in London in November. Djokovic has a 23-9 record at the season finale and has not been beaten in his last three appearances, capturing the trophy as the undefeated champion in 2012, 2013 and 2014. He also won the event in 2008 when it was held in Shanghai, China.
STARS ON PARADE
At least six Hall of Famers are expected to be on hand to help induct Amelie Mauresmo and two others into the Newport, Rhode Island, USA, shrine. Unfortunately, Mauresmo won’t be at the festivities as she will be in the third trimester of her pregnancy and will be unable to travel. But Billie Jean King, Stan Smith, Gigi Fernandez, Pam Shriver, Rosie Casals and Owen Davidson will be there along with 2013 Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli. Besides Mauresmo, others who will be inducted this year are six-time Paralympic champion David Hall of Australia and longtime tennis industry leader Nancy Jeffett. The induction ceremonies will be held at the International Tennis Hall of Fame on July 18. Shriver will introduce Jeffett, who is being inducted in recognition of her lifetime of contributions to grow the sport around the world, particularly in the areas of youth tennis and the early development of the WTA. Hall will be presented for induction by his longtime coach Rich Berman.
King will be honored at the ceremony with a special presentation of her official Hall of Fame ring. A 39-time major tournament champion and one of the sport’s most impactful leaders on and off the court, King was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1987.
SHARED PERFORMANCES
Marseille: Tatiana Bua and Laura Thorpe beat Nicole Melichar and Maryna Zanevska 6-3 3-6 10-6 (match tiebreak)
Prostejov: Julian Knowle and Philipp Oswald beat Mateusz Kowalczyk and Igor Zelenay 4-6 6-3 11-9 (match tiebreak)
SURFING
Caltanissetta: www.atpcaltanissetta.com/
Stuttgart: www.mercedescup.de/
‘s-Hertogenbosch: www.topshelfopen.nl/en/
Nottingham: www.lta.org.uk/major-events/aegon-open-nottingham/
Halle: http://www.gerryweber-open.de/
London: www.lta.org.uk/major-events/aegon-championships/
Birmingham: www.lta.org.uk/major-events/aegon-classic-birmingham/
TOURNAMENTS THIS WEEK
(All money in USD)
MEN
$631,760 Mercedes Cup, Stuttgart, Germany, grass
$590,100 Topshelf Open, ‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands, grass
$117,020 Caltanissetta ATP Challenger 2015, Caltanissetta, Italy, clay
WOMEN
$250,000 Topshelf Open, ‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands, grass
$250,000 Aegon Nottingham Open, Nottingham, Great Britain, grass
TOURNAMENTS NEXT WEEK
MEN
$1,749,300 Gerry Weber Open, Halle, Germany, grass
$1,749,300 Aegon Championships, London, Great Britain, grass
WOMEN
$665,900 Aegon Championships, Birmingham, Great Britain, grass
