We talk all things French Open 2021 with Tumaini Carayol; share our thoughts on Naomi Osaka not doing press; give Jo-Wilfried Tsonga his flowers and much more
News round-up Naomi Osaka is not doing any press during her French Open campaign. Tumaini wrote why it’s a shame.
• Osaka (15th – $55.2m) and Serena Williams (44th – $35.5m) are the only women in Sportico’s top 100 highest paid athletes list. Six tennis players in total made the cut.
• Frances Tiafoe’s Eurosport Players’ Voice Column, a year on from George Floyd, talks about the “Rackets down, hands up” video and his dream of taking a Grand Slam trophy back to Sierra Leone.
Events round-up Coco Gauff clean swept in Parma (WTA 250); second WTA singles title (first on clay) and third doubles title overall with Caty McNally. Now at a career-high 25th in the rankings, hence the French Open seeding (24).
• Strasbourg WTA 250 – Venus Williams lost in three sets to Sorana Cirstea in round one. Was in good spirits afterwards, posting about her “cute” outfit.
• Belgrade ATP 250 – Gael Monfils lost a gruelling three-setter to Roberto Carballes Baena. Monfils broke early in the third and had a lead in the tiebreak but could not close it out.
• Parma ATP 250 – Mikael Ymer came through qualifying before losing in the first round to Jaume Munar. Match wasn’t aired even though it was played on Centre Court. Poor!
French Open Women
[2] Naomi Osaka vs. Patricia Maria Tig
[7] Serena Williams vs. Irina-Camelia Begu
[23] Madison Keys vs. Oceane Dodin
[24] Coco Gauff vs. Aleksandra Krunic
Sloane Stephens vs. Carla Suarez Navarro
Venus Williams vs. [32] Ekaterina Alexandrova
Heather Watson vs. Zarina Diyas
Jasmine Paolini vs. Stefanie Voegele
Oceane Babel vs. [5] Elina Svitolina – Babel, the 17-year-old French wildcard, is currently a top-10 junior (7th). She also won the prestigious Banana Bowl in Brazil in March.
Hailey Baptiste vs. Anna Blinkova – The 19-year-old American booked her place in the main draw after coming through qualifying!
French Open Men
[14] Gael Monfils vs. Albert Ramos-Vinolas
[20] Felix Auger-Aliassime vs. Andreas Seppi
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga vs. Yoshihito Nishioka
Frances Tiafoe vs. Steve Johnson
Mikael Ymer vs. Roberto Carballes Baena
Shout out to Arthur Fils! 16-year-old Frenchman beat Bernard Tomic in round one qualifying.
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