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Roland Garros 2017

5 things we learned on Day 2: Holy Nole Batman, what a crowd pleaser!

Fans of the 1960s American TV series will know what the review is on about. Perhaps it’s the sun.

REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes
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Fans of the 1960s American TV series will know what the review is on about. Perhaps it’s the sun. But events are already turning decidedly weird. Novak - Nole to his good mates - Djokovic is already into uberliebe with the crowd. Following his straight sets KAPOW! over Marcel Granollers, Djokovic harvested six ball boys to help him perform his β€œheart swoop”.

This is something he’s inserted into his post match celebrations lately. It’s the metadimensional happening where he puts a hand either side of his honed torso and lifts it up to the ethereal lurrve of the fans. The spectators on centre court feast viscerally on this kind of symbolism. And why not?

It’s so yummy. To a certain extent it compensated for what was a middling performance from Djokovic.

Sure, there were occasional flashes of brilliance from the defending champion, but truth be told, the ball boy jamboree was the best bit of organisational flair he’d shown all afternoon. Still, he’s into the second round on his quest to retain the trophy.

2. Nadal’s putting the ten into tennis

Rafael Nadal knows what it takes to keep hold of the Roland Garros crown. He’s done it so many times. And Djokovic has often felt Nadal’s BIFF! while he’s been on the path to glory. This year the Spaniard is seeking a 10th title at the French Open. So far this season he has won the Monte Carlo Masters and Barcelona Open for the 10th time.

They’ve even named a court after him in Barcelona. Nadal’s journey to the pinnacle started on Court Suzanne Lenglen with a 6-1 6-4 6-1 victory over Benoit Paire.

If Nadal wins for a 10th time at the French Open here, surely they’ll have to name a court after him. Or at the very least an alley in the revamped venue. It would look a tad churlish if they didn’t.

3. Muguruza loves a legend

Garbine Muguruza is a spry 23-year-old with a Roland Garros title to her credit. She was dealt a tough hand for the first round as she was drawn against the 2010 champion Francesca Schiavone.

It was all looking good at the outset as Muguruza took the opener 6-2 in 44 minutes but then the nerves came amid a Schiavone fightback. But the veteran couldn’t exploit her advantage. With a break of service and leading 3-2 in the second set, the Italian faltered. Muguruza claimed it 6-4.

Afterwards, Muguruza paid tribute to Schiavone who’s been on the circuit for 17 years. β€œI’ve been hearing her name for so long,” she said. β€œ

And I was really happy for her when she won the Roland Garros title. I think she has spectacular body to still be able to be playing. I don't see myself playing at 36. I don't know if my body could handle it with how many injuries I have – and I'm 23.”

4. The wonder of wildcards

Of course there was a big hullaballoo about the wildcard – invitation into the main draw - that the French tennis federation (FFT) didn’t give to Maria Sharapova.

The two time champion was kept at distance, the federation said, because she was returning from a doping ban. The WTA – which runs the women’s game – was not happy that she was being punished after serving her time.

Given the absence of Serena Williams – at home planning a nursery- it’s all up for grabs in the women’s event. Third seed Simona Halep says any one of 15 women can win it. Is former world number one Caroline Wozniacki part of that gang?

No, if her first round is anything to go by. She advanced to the second round on day two but was taken to three sets by the wildcard Jaimee Fourlis.

The 17-year-old was in the main draw courtesy of the exchange arrangement between the Australian and French tennis federations. The women were on court for two hours and 14 minutes. Before bowing out, Fourlis often made Wozniacki look anything but a contender.

5.The public are useful

Kristina Mladenovic is, at 13, the highest seeded Frenchwoman at the 2017 French Open. She has had quite a good prelude to the second Grand Slam event of the season. She reached the final at the clay court events in Stuttgart and Madrid. But she struggled with a back problem during her match on centre court against the unseeded American Jennifer Brady.

Mladenovic toughed it out and came from a break down in the final set to win it 9-7 after three hours. Choking back the tears before the equally emotionally exhausted partisans, she said: β€œI wanted to give myself a chance to win the match and you were really behind me right to the end." Vive la France.

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