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Report: Roland Garros 2014

Old guard watch out - Tomljanovic, Muguruza, Townsend threaten Roland Garros established order

On day six of Roland Garros we learned that tennis oldies had better watch out, being a father of four is fine for Federer, Townsend would love to go to Wimbledon and Sharapova is no wilting violet.

Agnieszka Radwanska faces Ajla Tomljanovic on Friday
Agnieszka Radwanska faces Ajla Tomljanovic on Friday Reuters
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  • The old guard had better get their act together before Wimbledon. Ajla Tomljanovic defeated third seed Agnieszka Radwanska on day six. The Croatian 21-year-old hadn’t played the Pole before. But she took her cue from the players who’d toppled the top two seeds Serena Williams and Li Na. "After seeing them go out, you kind of feel, 'I can do this too.’ I grew up with these girls that are beating them.”
  • It’s shows guts to follow up a big win. All very well and good hacking up the top seed when you’ve got nothing to lose. It’s how you perform when the pressure’s on to win. Garbine Muguruza who accounted for the top seed Serena Williams followed up her day four victory with a straight sets win on day six over the Slovakian Anna Schmiedlova.
  • Four children? It’s a breeze. A couple of years back Roger Federer and his missus had twin daughters. Subsequently there were times when Federer played as if he’d been up all night. Just a few weeks ago, the twin daughters were joined by twin boys. “It’s just a different pace day to day,” said the Swiss maestro. “Spending time not only with my daughters but also with my sons so there’s a bit of a different dynamic but overall we’re clearly enjoying ourselves like never before so I’m very happy in my personal life and that is very positive for my on court performance as well.” Federer won the title at Roland Garros in 2009 after beating the Swede Robin Soderling in the final.
  • It’s good to show it when you want it. That sounds like a line from a gangsta rapper or some other purveyor of a modern musical idiom. But it ain’t. It epitomises the attitude of Taylor Townsend who reached the third round at Roland Garros before bowing out against the experienced Spaniard Carla Suarez-Navarro. Townsend is 18 and she received a wildcard (an invitation) from the French Tennis Federation to play at Roland Garros. She took the hospitality un peu too far by beating the French number one Alizé Cornet in the second round but that just exhibits how correct the federation was to offer the invitation in the first place. When Townsend was asked how she’d react if she were offered a wildcard for Wimbledon, you could virtually taste the ambition. “If I got a wildcard into Wimbledon I would pass out … honestly…that would make my day,” she gushed. “Wimbledon is my favourite tournament. I love the grass. That would mean the world to me. I’ve done well in the juniors there, I just love the atmosphere. I’d probably cry … and I’m not a crier either.” She sounds interested.
  • A woman’s seed can tell it like it is. On day five the American 15th seed Sloane Stephens was quite circumspect about the feeling in the locker room with the top two seeds gone. She recounted the usual platitudes about lots of good players etc etc. So it was refreshing to hear the Russian seventh seed Maria Sharapova talk about her chances on day six with the top three women’s seeds now dearly departed. “If I don’t have the mentality that I am a favourite inside of myself going into a tournament like this then I shouldn’t probably be in the draw,” said the 2012 Roland Garros champion. “There’s no reason why I shouldn’t be the favourite of this tournament. I’ve won four grand slams. After you’ve won grand slams you expect yourself to do well in these tournaments.”
     

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