French Open 2024 Fan Diary #5: Iga Swiatek domination, Jasmine Paolini's breakthrough and an Evening in Paris
Thursday morning in Paris, the French Open women's semi-finals are scheduled to start at 3 pm local time. Today was supposed to be the start of sightseeing in the city but that will just have to wait for now.
I catch up on some work mails and calls before heading out to Roland Garros to try and catch Rohan Bopanna's men's doubles semi-final. Bopanna and partner Matthew Ebden, who are the second seeds, are facing the 11th-seeded Italian duo of Simone Bolleli and Andrea Vavassori (a repeat of this year's Australian Open final) on Court Simonne-Mathieu.
By the time I get there, the Indo-Aussie duo have lost the first set 7-5. As I walk towards the court, I see former world No.1 Lindsay Davenport walk by with her son Jagger Leach, who is competing in the French Open juniors. I want a selfie. I hesitate but ask anyways, she says yes!!
I thank her and wish her good luck for her son's tournament. As I get seated just a couple of rows behind the players, Bopanna and Ebden are gathering steam and break twice to take the second set 6-2. Time for my chocolate eclair that I'd picked up on the way. It's absolutely delicious.. the best one I've had I think.
I'm excitedly sharing my selfie with Davenport with my tennis friends back home. I suddenly wonder if her son is still alive in the competition. I shudder in embarassment thinking he might have already lost and here I was wishing her good luck.
I hurriedly check the Internet. He had lost in the first round of the boys' singles. My heart sinks. I check the boys doubles draw at the French Open and his name - Jagger Jonathan Leach (his father is former tennis pro Jon Leach) - shows up on the upcoming quarter-final matches there. I'm relieved!!
In the third set, the Italians are the ones who break first. A few missed volleys from Bopanna/ Ebden and suddenly the Italians are serving for the match. They close it out 7-5, 2-6, 6-2 win and move on to the finals. Bopanna walks off the court to a nice applause and tennis fans back home will be following him eagerly when he returns to the French Open site for the Paris Olympics.
Iga Swiatek and Jasmine Paolini impress to reach the French Open final
It's time to head to Court Phillipe Chatrier for the first women's semi-final between world No 1 Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff, the reigning US Open champion who will rise to No.2 in the world on Monday.
Before that, I take a quick stop at the Information desk. The French Open lets you borrow a power bank free of cost in exchange for an ID card. What a wonderful facility for the fans and something I becomes more common across such big events.
I also check the tournament website for tickets to the men's semifinals tomorrow (have been doing so repeatedly through the day). I find ground passes, which enable you to enter the grounds and watch the matches on the big screen from the lawns. I pick up two - one for me and one for a friend. I'm happy I'll get another day inside Stade Roland Garros.
The semi-final begins and the first few games are close. After 20 minutes, it's 3-1 for Swiatek, who is chasing her third successive French Open crown and is building a resume at this tournament that is inviting comparisons to Rafa Nadal.
Gauff has breakpoints to get back to 2-2 in the fourth game but isn't able to convert. Suddenly, she loses three more games and it's 5-1 to her opponent. Swiatek serves out the set 6-2.
The start of the second set is close once again. This time, Gauff does get a break, cheered on by the crowd who are eager to see a three-setter. The American leads 3-1 but is unable to hold that lead for too long as Swiatek runs off with four games on the trot to lead 5-3.
Gauff saves two match points in her next service game to bridge the score to 5-4 but is unable to break her opponent's serve again. Swiatek wins 6-2, 6-4 in one hour 38 minutes and is now just one win short of a third successive French Open title. She will become only the third woman to win three consecutive titles at Roland Garros, the others being Monica Seles and Justine Henin.
I step outside to the official merchandise store and pick up some goodies. An official RG cap and a towel for me along with an official RG pen which holds some of the same clay that is used to make the courts!!
Back to the stadium and it's time for the second semi-final between 12th seed Jasmine Paolini and the 17-year-old Russian Mirra Andreeva.
Paolini is striking the ball, especially her forehand, really well and wins the first set 6-3. Andreeva tries her best to fight back in the second but Paolini gives her no room and wins it 6-1 to advance to her first Grand Slam final. A disappointing day for Andreeva but I'm pretty sure she's going to be back in the final rounds of Grand Slams pretty soon.
It's close to 7 pm as I walk outside the grounds. I finally get some time for some sightseeing in Paris. I head out to Champs Elysees and take a nice evening stroll in Paris. I indulge in some ice-cream - Jeff de Bruges - which a local friend highly recommended. It's good!!
I see the Arche de Triomphe at the end of the street and climb up to view the city from its terrace. It's really pretty and the weather is lovely. Chilly and breezy just the way I like it. I watch the sunset from there before heading back to my hostel. I'm looking forward to tomorrow and wonder who among Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Casper Ruud and Alexander Zverev will emerge triumphant to reach the French Open final!!