Posts Tagged ‘rod laver’


Kvitova looking great at the French Open

Tuesday, June 5th, 2012

Petra Kvitova (Pavel Lebeda, Wikimedia Commons)

With all the talk surrounding Maria Sharapova being the player to beat at the 2012 French Open, it was Petra Kvitova’s play in the fourth round that impressed me more.

Kvitova, the defending Wimbledon champion, only had seven winners against yesterday in an impressive 6-2, 6-1 win over unseeded American Varvara Lepchenko, who was born in Uzbekistan and only recently became an American citizen.

Kvitova is ranked fourth in the world, but everybody in the tennis world is projecting Sharapova as the clear cut favourite. I’m sorry, but the last time I checked Sharapova hasn’t won a major since 2008.

Meanwhile on the men’s side Tuesday there were two terrific five setters. Both Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer won, but were pushed to the limit.

Djokovic, the top seed, is looking to be the reigning champion in all four majors at the same time since Rod Laver of Australia accomplished the feat in 1969. Djokovic defeated Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France 6-1, 5-7, 5-7, 7-6, 6-1.

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Nadal wins French Open for the sixth time

Sunday, June 5th, 2011

Rafael Nadal (Yann Caradec, Wikimedia Commons)

Rafael Nadal has now entered double digits in Grand Slam titles.

This morning in Roland Garros, Spain, Nadal defeated Roger Federer 7-5, 7-6, 5-7, 6-1 to win his sixth French Open and tenth grand slam title.

Nadal now only trails Federer (16), Pete Sampras (14), Roy Emerson (12), Bjorn Borg (11), and Rod Laver (11) for the most grand slam championships of all time.

Nadal also tied Borg for the most French Open titles in tennis history with six.

It is also the fourth time that Nadal has beaten Federer in the final at the French Open. He also beat Federer in 2006, 2007, and 2008.

This may not have been Nadal’s best French Open of his career. He got off to a sluggish start after losing two sets in his first round match to American John Isner.

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