Five things we learned from day six at Roland Garros
At 33, you are an elder statesman. Roger Federer – he of 17 grand slam titles – is clearly entering the twilight of his illustrious career. How do we know this? He is playing people who idolise him.
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A few years ago, at Roland Garros, the Belgian David Goffin was wide-eyed and awe-struck when they played. Goffin later revealed that he had posters of Federer in his bedroom (when he was growing up).
Damir Dzumhur – Federer’s victim in the third round on day six - is also into Roger reverence. So who did Federer adore? “I never got the chance to play [Boris] Becker or [Stefan] Edberg but I got to play Pete [Sampras]. Plus it was on centre court at Wimbledon. So that was big. It was just very exciting playing guys you knew from TV.
It didn’t really matter who it was. You just wondered does your game actually match up with those kind of guys. It is so surreal because you don’t think it does and then you realise it is so easy to win games against these guys. I thought it was almost the most exciting time in my playing career from juniors to the professional circuit.”
Roger, you the daddy
Novak Djokovic is the man of the moment on the tour. Roger has also been there at world number one. Djokovic has one child. Federer has four of them – two sets of twins. The first borns are now four years old and the girls come and see their dad play.
During his match on centre court against Damir Dzukhur on day six, one read a comic and the other played with a mobile phone. So are they interested in what he does? “Very happy when I’m back from matches,” confided Federer. “And they are happy when I’m back from practice because they like spending time with me rather than me being gone. That’s a good thing. I’m happy that it’s that way and not the other way that they can’t wait for me to go away and play tennis.” Give it a couple of years Rog.
Same old service then
Damir Dzumhur's surge to the French Open third round encompassed wins over experienced operators such as the Russian Mikhail Youzhny and the Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis. Roger Federer stopped the Bosnian’s advance.
Dzumhur says he doesn’t expect his successes to change the yen for tennis in his native Bosnia-Herzegovina despite widespread support for his exploits. "It's a little bit strange but a few people from Bosnia told me that today everybody was in cafes or in homes - nobody in the streets - watching me," he said.
"I am playing just third round of Grand Slam. So I'm happy that all the people were with me today." The 23-year-old from Sarajevo is just outside the top 100 and plays most of his tennis on the second-tier Challenger Tour.
He says he doesn’t see a horde following in his footsteps. "I'm afraid for the next generations that are coming in Bsonia Herzegovina. They don't have support. Even when I was a junior, I was number three in the world but I didn't have any support from federation.
"Now every time I make some good results they say it's historic result and I'm a hero and everything. But what about the next generation? They need coaches and courts and facilities. They don't have it.”
Attitude is part of the story…
Mirjana Lucic-Baroni from Croatia is on her way to the grass court season after losing her third round match in three sets to Alizé Cornet. Lucic-Baroni, 33, was once destined for big things on the circuit but was cut down by injuries and withdrew from the tour for several years. “I would say to young players that they have to keep believing. There will be ups and downs. Very few players have the success of a Roger Federer or a Serena Williams or Rafael Nadal here at the French. There will be ups and downs and you have to remain positive.”
Philippe Chatrier, mon amour
The review knew that one day that a title from an iconic film from a Nouvelle Vague director could come in useful. Et voilà, today is that day. Alizé Cornet continued her romance with Philippe Chatrier - centre court - on day six. She is into the last 16 for the first time in 11 visits to Roland Garros. Cornet came from a set down to beat Mirjana Lucic-Baroni and the French 25-year-old attributed the victory to the good vibes set out from the people in the stands on centre court.
“They helped me get through a really tough time on the court,” said the French 29thseed. “Mirjana was playing really well and I was playing with all my heart. The crowd being behind me was helping me a lot, giving me lots of energy to keep going, to not let go and, yes, I owe them a lot because I went over my limits.”
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