- French Open men’s singles final from Roland Garros
- Novak Djokovic makes case to be greatest but Tsitsipas lurks
- Feel free to email Daniel with your thoughts or tweet @unitedrewind
1.45pm BST
I don’t think it was until I started GBGing tennis that I fully grasped how brutal a game it is, constant shuttles, effort and skills without the breaks you get in other sports. When the top players get to it, the only comparable endeavours are boxing and MMA.
1.39pm BST
“I’m not the freshest guy right now,” Djokovic notes in his VT, then notes that he’s no stranger to winning epic semis and finding a way to resolve the final. “I need to lave my whole body on the court,” muses Tsitsipas.
1.35pm BST
Apparently there’s some other sport going on this afternoon. Follow it with Rob Smyth.
Related: England v Croatia: Euro 2020 – live!
1.33pm BST
The women’s final yesterday was great, and so was Barbora Krejcikova’s interview. She was coached and mentored by the late Jana Novotna who, just before she died told her to win a major, and here we are.
Related: Barbora Krejcikova beats Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova to win French Open
1.27pm BST
I mean…
1.24pm BST
On a more granular level, Calvin says: “Djokovic is so good at changing direction. He never lets a player hit two of the same shot in a row and will just do what he usually does: make a lot of balls, try a few drop shots, then be solid as granite if it gets close. Normally, players would focus on Tsitsipas’ backhand, but I don’t think Djokovic will as he likes to change direction all the time. As for Tsitsipas, it’s tough to say what he’ll do coz there are no real weaknesses to exploit. But I think you’ll see a lot of cross-court angled forehands to open the court. He’ll have to take risks. He won’t want to get into a mundane baseline battle.”
For more insight of this ilk, you can find Calvin here.
1.21pm BST
So how might this match go? Our resident coach, Calvin Betton, gets in touch: “Djokovic is the slight favourite for me, but not by as much as some people think. Djokovic has has already done it many times and Tsitsipas hasn’t, which is the main factor, but if Tistsipas plays 9/10 in the key moments, he’ll win. That’s a big if though – he’ll have to hit winners at the back end of each set, under pressure.”
2.27pm BST
It feels weird to begin a tennis report by talking about football, but nevertheless that’s where we are because what happened to Christian Eriksen yesterday had far wider resonance. In the maelstrom of love, joy and buzz that we get from watching athletes flog themselves for our delectation, it’s easy to forget the toll, sacrifice and danger that make it possible – especially when we factor in the financial factor. But the reality is that, irregardless of its rewards, sport is a phenomenally taxing endeavour, confiscating youth, anonymity and family time– a privilege, yes, but also a pain.
And few are more that way inclined than tennis, especially at Roland Garros. This afternoon, two physical and mental freaks will tear about in the heat of the summer for anything between two and six hours, then pack up their suitcases, head to the next place, and do it all over again. There are few words more misused and abused than awesome, but Novak Djokovic and Stefanos Tsitsipas are every bit of it and then some.