Tennis

Roger Federer got another dream draw at a Grand Slam.

French Open 2013 Main Draw Novak Djokovic (SRB) [1] - David Goffin (BEL) Ivan Dodig (CRO) - Guido Pella (ARG) Alex Kuznetsov (USA) [WC] - Lucas Pouille (FRA) [WC] Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) [26] - Alejandro Falla (COL) Alexandr Dolgopolov (UKR) [22] - Dmitry Tursunov (RUS) Bernard Tomic (AUS) - Victor Hanescu (ROU) Simone Bolelli (ITA) - Yen-Hsun Lu (TPE) Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) [16] - Qualifier Tommy Haas (GER) [12] - Guillaume Rufin (FRA) Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP) - Qualifier Andrey Kuznetsov (RUS) - Ryan Harrison (USA) John Isner (USA) [19] - Carlos Berlocq (ARG) Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) [29] - Pablo Andujar (ESP) Federico Delbonis (ARG) - Qualifier Fernando Verdasco (ESP) - Marc Gicquel (FRA) [WC] Janko Tipsarevic (SRB) [8] - Nicolas Mahut (FRA) [WC] ---- Rafael Nadal (ESP) [3] - Daniel Brands (GER) Martin Klizan (SVK) - Michael Russell (USA) Lukas Rosol (CZE) - Qualifier Fabio Fognini (ITA) [27] - Qualifier Benoit Paire (FRA) [24] - Marcos Baghdatis (CYP) Lukasz Kubot (POL) - Qualifier Grega Zemlja (SLO) - Santiago Giraldo (COL) Kei Nishikori (JPN) [13] - Jesse Levine (CAN) Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) [9] -Thiemo De Bakker (NED) Horacio Zeballos (ARG) - Qualifier Kenny De Schepper (FRA) - Robin Haase (NED) Jerzy Janowicz (POL) [21] - Albert Ramos (ESP) Florian Mayer (GER) [28] - Denis Istomin (UZB) Florent Serra [WC] (FRA) - Nikolay Davydenko (RUS) Qualifier - Qualifier Richard Gasquet (FRA) [7] - Sergiy Stakhovsky (UKR) Tomas Berdych (CZE) [5] - Gael Monfils (FRA) [WC] Ernests Gulbis (LAT) - Rogerio Dutra Silva (BRA) Igor Sijsling (NED) - Jurgen Melzer (AUT) Tommy Robredo (ESP) [32] - Jurgen Zopp (EST) Andreas Seppi (ITA) [20] - Leonardo Mayer (ARG) Blaz Kavcic (SLO) - Qualifier Martin Alund (ARG) - Edouard Roger-Vasselin (FRA) Nicolas Almagro (ESP) [11] - Qualifier Milos Raonic (CAN) [14] - Xavier Malisse (BEL) Michael Llodra (FRA) - Qualifier Evgeny Donskoy (RUS) - Qualifier Kevin Anderson (RSA) [23] - Qualifier Marcel Granollers (ESP) [31] - Feliciano Lopez (ESP) Joao Sousa (POR) - Go Soeda (JPN) Albert Montanes (ESP) - Qualifier David Ferrer (ESP) [4] - Marinko Matosevic (AUS) ------ Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) [6] - Aljaz Bedene (SLO) Jarkko Nieminen (FIN) - Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA) Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) - Gilles Muller (LUX) Jeremy Chardy (FRA) [25] - Benjamin Becker (GER) Juan Monaco (ARG) [17] - Daniel Gimeno-Traver (ESP) Viktor Troicki (SRB) - James Blake (USA) Radek Stepanek (CZE) - Nick Kyrgios (AUS) [WC] Marin Cilic (CRO) [10] - Philipp Petzschner (GER) Gilles Simon (FRA) [15] - Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) Adrian Mannarino (FRA) [WC] - Pablo Cuevas (URU) Jan Hajek (CZE) - Qualifier Sam Querrey (USA) [18] - Lukas Lacko (SVK) Julien Benneteau (FRA) [30] - Ricardas Berankis (LTU) Tobias Kamke (GER) - Paolo Lorenzi (ITA) Qualifier - Qualifier Roger Federer (SUI) [2] - Qualifier

By Maud Watson Greener Pastures Though Roland Garros has yet to get underway, some of the game’s biggest stars are already dreaming of the green lawns of the All England Club. Both Andy Murray and Juan Martin del Potro suffered major blows when they were forced to withdraw from the French Open. The decision by both to skip the second slam of 2013, though sad, is hardly a shock. Murray had already hinted last week in Rome that due to his bad back he was more apt to be absent in Paris than present. As for del Potro, his withdrawal came courtesy of an unfortunate respiratory virus that plagued him earlier in the clay court season and developed into a nasty case of bronchitis. He’s wisely opted to listen to his medical team and skip the French Open in order to put himself in the best possible position to finish the second half of the season strongly. Both men will be missed, but both made the right decisions when it comes to the bigger picture. New Gig Andy Roddick to co-host Fox Sports show Andy Roddick hasn’t been retired for a full year, but the American is already set to trade in his racquet for a microphone as he prepares to delve into the world of sports broadcasting. Roddick won’t be covering just tennis either. He’s going to be a co-host of Fox Sports Live – Fox Sports’ answer to ESPN’s SportsCenter – which will debut on Fox Sports 1` on August 17. It will be a full-time gig for Roddick, who will appear on the show 4-5 nights a week. The American sounds excited about his new job, and he has the right attitude with his willingness to put in the hard yards and learn what it takes to become a top notch broadcaster. It’s hard to envision a scenario where this doesn’t work out well for Roddick. He’s always been a candid individual, and he’s generally been quick witted, be it at a press conference or clowning around in an exhibition. He’s bound to prove a natural and provide fans with plenty of enjoyment once again. Running Scared? It’s a dangerous business to question the legitimacy of a player’s withdrawal when he or she cites illness. It’s arguably even more dangerous when that player is Maria Sharapova, who is known for being one of the fiercest competitors on the WTA. But there’s no denying that Sharapova’s abrupt pullout from Rome last week deserved a few raised eyebrows. The Russian withdrew before her quarterfinal match against Sara Errani citing an illness she claimed she’d first had in Madrid and that suddenly reared its ugly head again Thursday night. Over the course of the two premiere events, however, Sharapova showed no signs of a physical ailment. In fact, she was all smiles as she wrote a birthday message to boyfriend Dimitrov after thrashing Stephens the evening before she withdrew. Could it be she really wanted to avoid potential meetings with nemesis Azarenka, or more likely, her personal bogeyman Serena? Based on Sharapova’s track record of competitiveness, it’s worth giving her the benefit of the doubt her withdrawal was rooted in illness and not fear. Even if it were just a hint of queasiness, with a major around the corner – one where she’s defending champion – she can be forgiven for wanting to rest. But her premature departure from Rome certainly provided food for thought and only makes the likelihood of her turning around her dismal record against Serena seem all the more remote. Off Switch Another member of the Nadal Camp made headlines this past week, as Rafael Nadal’s uncle and coach, Toni Nadal, named his favorites for the French Open. In contrast to his nephew’s absurd insistence that he’s never the favorite for anything, Toni wisely named Rafa as one of the top picks to leave with some hardware. But what had some up in arms was not only Toni Nadal’s insistence that Federer was not a favorite, but that players like Ferrer and possibly Berdych or even Dimitrov had better odds. Granted, Federer is not going to be a heavy favorite, and at this stage in his career, he’s going to be more susceptible to

Follow American Irina Falconi in this “Quest to Qualify” player blog as she competes in Europe, and now, the French Open qualifying. Currently ranked No. 135 in singles and 72 in doubles, she is now 11-2 in her career in Grand Slam qualifying and looking for another main draw berth in Paris this week. (Catch Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, and follow her on Twitter @IrinaFalconi) Lucky number blog 17 — I mean 7. I guess I’m thinking 17 because I just took my Chapter 2 test on my “Intro To Science” course, and I got a 17 out of 20. Not exactly thrilled with that result but my multitasking skills are getting a work out: I’m studying for my degree, writing blogs, and doing the tennis thing in Roland Garros. All in a day’s work. It’s been another great day in the office here in Paris, but today wasn’t actually THAT much different from yesterday strangely enough. Well, I take that back in two ways: the Paris weather was unpredictable, as was the time of our match. You just never know what time you will actually get on court to play when you are scheduled as the second match. The rule of thumb though is to typically give yourself an hour and a half. But even then, what if someone sprains their ankle in their warmup? What if someone were to retire after one game. The matches are so up-and-down and totally random, that, as a player, you have to be prepared to go on court at any moment. Given all of this, I made sure to warm up at 9 am, and anyone that has been around me when I’m not the first match on a court, knows that I like to follow LOOOOONG matches. So, today I’m chilling with my sister at 10:15 am when I realize that it’s already 3-0 in the first set of the match before mine. I’m like, “Come on (other player), get it to 7-6 in the third!” Well, suffice it to say it didn’t go to 7-6 in the third, but they did split the first two sets. They took their time, and I enjoyed mine. At around 12 pm, it was go time. But as I have been accustomed to this week in Paris, the weather decided to freak everyone out — especially the WTA and ATP staff. There were a few of them on my court already using their amateur meteorologist skills to correctly anticipate the rain that started shortly. We were all expecting a 50% chance of rain from 12 until 3 pm: it was going to be in spots, and it was going to be quick, but it was going to come no matter what. At 12:12 pm, after my opponent won the opening game, we were forced to stop. And it wasn’t because of the rain. Oh no, my friends. IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE HAIL! That was certainly a first. As I was about to serve, cold spheres start falling from the skies. I put my hand out expecting rain, but sure enough, hail starts collecting in my hand! Now you see why I just HAD to name this blog “Oh Hail Yes!?” Back on court after the, um, hail delay, there was no rest. We continued with another three or four more delays after that, but no big deal. After a long two and half hour battle, I got a spot in the last round of qualifying where I will play Zuzana Kucova. After the post-match recovery, the scouting report for me next match, and some food, it was time to simmer down and enjoy a nice cappuccino. Ah, the pleasant life. Irina Falconi enjoying her delicious cup of cappuccino Tomorrow is another battle! Alleeeeeeezzzzz!! -IF

  (May 24, 2013) No. 1 seed Novak Njokovic and No. 3 seed Rafael Nadal are on a collision course to meet in the semifinals of the French Open as both men are on the same side of the draw.  Last year Nadal defeated Djokovic in the final for his seventh Roland Garros crown. On [...]

By James A. Crabtree Is Rafa not learning from his mistakes? Yes, he has been absurdly good since his return. Nobody prophesised such a success return, and in a word his reappearance been made us wonder if he made a secret deal with the tennis Gods. But has it all been too much and too soon? Has he pushed his body too far, too quickly? Let’s face it, the amount of trophies he has been chomping down on he could have metal poisoning;) Think back to the months following Wimbledon 2012, when we knew about the knee issue but we were certain it was a mental problem. Rewind back to January when everybody was asking every other Spaniard when Rafa was going to return. Think back to how we thought the King of Clay was all but done. Then he announced a return to a little 250 clay tournament after pulling out of the Australian Open. And when he did return we didn’t think he would be the same player. Sceptics thought he would need to change his tactics, finish rallies quicker to rest his knee. Naysayers believed he needed to play closer to the baseline to minimise court coverage. Doubters whispered he wouldn’t have the willpower to overcome adversaries when going the distance and he had hit his expiry date. Recall his first tournament, Vina del Mar, Chile; and that three set final loss to Horacio Zeballos. The Doubters, Sceptics and Naysayers aligned with their arms folded and smug grins across their chubby red faces. Nadal had lost, not to Djokovic or Murray or even Federer. He had lost to a mere mortal. He was indeed finished. What followed next was not only contrary to the belief of the Doubters, Sceptics and Naysayers but also contrary to rational thought. He won a tournament. True, there were bumps along the way, it was just another 250 event in Sao Paulo, and he was pushed to three sets by non-household names Carlos Berlocq and Martin Alund. Nadal followed with another tournament win, this time Acapulco which included convincing wins against Nicolas Almagro and David Ferrer. The Pessimists were still not convinced, “He can still play on clay, but the hard court is a different animal.” What better way to silence the critics than with a win? Nadal did, this time on the hard courts of Indian Wells. The journey included a tough three sets with Ernests Gulbis and a reunion with Roger Federer, Tomas Berdych and Juan Martin Del Potro. This win was subsequently a reminder to all that Nadal can still beat anyone. Nadal lost his next tournament in Monte Carlo, in the final to Djokovic, a place we all but thought he was forbidden to lose. Being a clay court tournament all the typical questions about injury, attitude and aptitude were again asked. By now Nadal had most certainly won a lot, but he had also played a lot. The questions were however shrugged off quickly thanks to more critic silencing displays in Barcelona, Madrid and Rome where Nadal had been pushed in some instances but for the most been brutal. Once again the big names were no obstacle and again included wins over David Ferrer, Tomas Berdych and Roger Federer plus Stanislas Wawrinka, Milos Raonic, Nicolas Almagro and the troublesome Gulbis. With all these conquests is there any reason to suspect that Nadal will not win his eighth Roland Garros title. Is it rude to even think otherwise? Or should he have taken it a little easier on himself. Should he have included more rest among his preparation? Or is Rafa basking in the tonic of his own victories yet to come? His season so far ‘has been dream,’ time will only tell if it will become ‘more than dream’. The 3 worrying little details…. 1. This season Nadal’s Fibonacci sequence is… Runner up, Winner, Winner, Winner, Runner up, Winner, Winner, Winner… 2. Rafa has lost to Djokovic on clay this year. 3. Is Rafa’s 2013 French Open draw too easy?

Scottish conservation groups look like throwing a spanner in the works of Andy Murray's ambitious project to turn an derelict Victorian pile into a posh hotel in his native Dunblane.

British No 1 Laura Robson has been drawn against tenth seed Caroline Wozniacki in the first round of the French Open.

German Tommy Haas is hoping to heal before his French Open start after a virus and fever forced the No. 14 to withdraw before his quarter-final match at the PowerHorse Cup in Dusseldorf.

Former player and British television commentator Greg Rusedski fears for Andy Murray's dream of reaching the No. 1 ranking after the Scot made his dramatic injury withdrawal from the French Open.