WEEK ONE RECAP OF THE 2016 FRENCH OPEN

This Week In Tennis
Vol. 21

The first week of the 2016 French Open brought many unusual storylines for the first week of a Grand Slam tournament: withdrawals, retirements, big announcements, lots of drama, and unexpected runs by less heralded players. Through it all, both top seeds (Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic) remain on course for the title, and Stan Wawrinka remains in the hunt, along with Williams, to defend their titles from a year ago.

Week two failed to get off the ground on Monday; the rain that interrupted play regularly during the first seven days forced the abandonment of all scheduled matches. With more bad weather in the forecast for the remainder of the tournament, players will likely have to have to contend with atypical scheduling and conditions if they are to win the seven matches required for Grand Slam glory.

Let's take a look back at an eventful week one of Roland Garros: winners, notable losses, withdrawals, retirements, tennis writing, player tweets, and podcasts. 


​WTA
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​RUNDOWN

Women's Singles Draw
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• Serena Williams is yet to drop a set through three rounds in her title defence and quest for a 22nd Grand Slam singles title. After losing just five games in rounds one and two, Williams was extended against Mladenovic in the third round, winning 12-10 in the second set tiebreak. 
• Venus Williams is into the fourth round at Roland Garros for the first time since 2010. Her wins against Kontaveit, Chirico, and Cornet lead her to a round of 16 tussle with Timea Bacsinszky. The elder Williams is in a good position to return to the WTA top 10 at tournament's end.
• Shelby Rogers has been the breakout story of the tournament. With the rain affecting play in Paris, Rogers and Muguruza are the only women to have already reached the quarterfinals. To get there, the American beat three seeded players: Pliskova, Kvitova, and Begu.
• Lucie Šafářová had the tournament of her life last year in Paris; she finished runner-up to Serena Williams in singles, and won the doubles event alongside Mattek-Sands. Her early losses this year - first round in doubles and third in singles - mean her ranking will fall outside the top 25 in singles and top 10 in doubles.
• Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza entered Roland Garros gunning for a fourth successive Grand Slam doubles title, the so-called Santina Slam. The pair lost in straight sets to Krejcikova/Siniakova in the third round.
• Serena and Venus Williams reached the third round of doubles, their first Grand Slam event together since the 2014 U.S. Open. The Williams sisters are aiming for a fourth doubles gold medal at the Rio Olympic Games this summer.
• Varvara Lepchenko entered Roland Garros amidst whispers that she had served a silent ban after testing positive for Meldonium at this year's Australian Open. Lepchenko was asked about the supposed ban in her opening round press conference, but repeatedly offered no comment. 
• The second round encounter between Alizé Cornet and Tatjana Maria was the  most dramatic moment of week one. Maria accused Cornet of cheating after the Frenchwoman received attention on five successive changeovers in the third set. The two exchanged words after the match, and Maria claims she will explore legal action.
• Victoria Azarenka began the French Open as one of a handful of players favoured to win the title, boosted by her three WTA titles this year, including Indian Wells and Miami. However, her tournament ended in tears in a first round loss to Karin Knapp; she was forced to retire in the third set with a knee injury.

​WATCH: Vogue Magazine gives an inside look at the dance contest at the Williams Invitational. 
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Quarterfinals!!!!!!! @rolandgarros Thank you Paris for this moment! @ASICSTennis @WilsonTennis pic.twitter.com/46rSuMCQcw

— Shelby Rogers (@Shelby_Rogers_) May 29, 2016

Rough 1 today. I don't have many words at the moment. I want to thank every1 for coming out and supporting me and pushing me the extra mile.

— CoCo Vandeweghe (@CoCoVandey) May 25, 2016

I am really sad and i know that it will not change the result! But this story is not done! Rules are here for something right?

— Tatjana Maria (@Maria_Tatjana) May 26, 2016

Tough match and a tough year, which means I appreciate your support even more. Hoping my favourite grass will help me turn things around ❤

— Petra Kvitova (@Petra_Kvitova) May 28, 2016

Merci □ #supersuperfriend #lovetohaveyouaround #TeamCagla #CoachCan □□ & □□ □ https://t.co/xeUSkBsyUe

— Timea Bacsinszky (@TimeaOfficial) May 26, 2016

An honor to have battled with one of the greatest on one of the biggest stage! @serenawilliams is simply the best! pic.twitter.com/YNU5JTOXU2

— Kristina Mladenovic (@KikiMladenovic) May 28, 2016

Cette victoire c'est la NOTRE !!! Je n'y serais jamais arrivé sans vous! Alors juste MERCI ❤️‍ ! #RG16 #magique pic.twitter.com/4J4grXCnyr

— Alize Cornet (@alizecornet) May 26, 2016

Unbelievable, what a fight it was today,no words to describe this feeling!Thanks for the support and messages❤️rg16 pic.twitter.com/7AiyRJ4nLO

— Kiki Bertens (@kikibertens) May 28, 2016

​ON THE WEB

​Coach Patrick Mouratoglou has Methodical Plan for Serena Williams
Insider Notebook: Of Olympics and Epics
​Insider Doubles Take: French Open
​Azarenka: My special connection to Paris and journey to Roland Garros
​Tatjana Maria plans on taking legal action after “unfair” Cornet match
​Inside Serena and Venus Williams’s Secret Dance-Off
Reports of Positive Test Dog Varvara Lepchenko
Their Runs Are Over, But Turkish Pioneers Inspired A Nation
French Open Sticks With Umpire's Eyes over Hawk-eye on Clay
Films, Three Decades Apart, Show What a Sport Has Lost as it Grows
​Tignor: Cinderella Sunday
​Points and Prize Money Mean More to Olympic Tennis Holdouts
​Women’s Tennis Grapples with how to Protect its Aging Stars

ATP
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​RUNDOWN

Men's Singles Draw

• Novak Djokovic remains on course to complete his career Grand Slam at the French Open. This is Djokovic's fifth attempt at the feat, losing in the finals three of the last four years in Paris. The world #1 has yet to lose a set through three rounds.  
• Stan Wawrinka survived a five-set challenge from Rosol in the first round and now finds himself in the quarterfinals against Ramos-Vinolas. The defending champion will likely face Andy Murray in the semifinals and a possible rematch of last year's final against Djokovic, if he is to repeat at Roland Garros.
• Rafael Nadal entered this year's French Open in search of a 10th title in Paris. The Spaniard claimed titles in Monte Carlo and Barcelona earlier this spring, signifying a return of some of his legendary clay court form. However, a day after his second round win, Nadal called a press conference to announce his withdrawal from the tournament due to a wrist injury.
• Richard Gasquet is the sole French player left in either singles draw. He faces Andy Murray in the quarterfinals after already defeating Nick Kyrgios and Kei Nishikori. 
• David Ferrer and Tomáš Berdych both entered Roland Garros amidst uncertainty as to whether each could make deep runs at the year's second Slam. Ferrer missed large swaths of the season due to injury and has yet to reach a final in 2016. Meanwhile, Berdych entered the tournament fresh off the receiving end of a double bagel in Rome and the subsequent firing of his coach. Ferrer leads their head-to-head 8-6, while Berdych holds a 3-2 edge on clay.
• John McEnroe announced he will join Milos Raonic's coaching team through Wimbledon. 
• Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, semifinalist from a year ago, was forced to retire from his third round match against Ernests Gulbis with an adductor injury. His injury marked the second time last week (after Azarenka) that one of the top players was moved to tears because of injury.
• The top-seeded French pair of Herbert/Mahut remain in the hunt for the doubles crown. Other top teams have already exited the event, including: Pospisil/Sock, Murray/Soares, Rojer/Tecau, and Huey/Mirnyi.
• Ernests Gulbis entered Roland Garros ranked #80 and sporting a 4-10 win-loss record in 2016. The 2014 French Open semifinalist is now one win away from matching his output all year, and will face David Goffin in the fourth round. 

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Today is one of the toughest days. Having to withdraw from arguably the most important tournament of my career... https://t.co/ZAdS8lWmp2

— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) May 27, 2016

Great fight □□□□□□□□ great win today □□□□!!!! #rolandgarros #paris □☁️□□□□□□□□□□□!! pic.twitter.com/keYQn7omqq

— Stanislas Wawrinka (@stanwawrinka) May 29, 2016

Clay court season is over for another year. Congrats to @RichardGasquet1 on an incredible performance yesterday,... https://t.co/VRcz4crq8l

— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) May 28, 2016

Perfect practice at @rolandgarros with @milosraonic and @Charlymoya. Also unbelievable pic with a legend, McEnroe! pic.twitter.com/0A211Nj3un

— Nicola Kuhn (@NicolaKuhn1) May 28, 2016

Sad to have left Paris. I've played @rolandgarros every year since 1998 □ pic.twitter.com/uUwdCwmKgp

— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) May 24, 2016

Ive started a fundraiser for the research on kids allergies. Would be honoured if u would like to support□□ https://t.co/dDxpIQee8K

— Magnus Norman (@normansweden) May 24, 2016

Tough coming back from injury but I'm working hard to get back to my best. Bummed to leave Paris so soon, see you next year @rolandgarros!

— Kevin Anderson (@kevinanderson18) May 25, 2016

3rd anti doping in 6 days □

— Jack Sock (@JackSock) May 28, 2016

22:00hs del domingo. Silencio por una hora que arranca GAME OF THRONES □□□

— diego schwartzman (@dieschwartzman) May 30, 2016

ON THE WEB

​International Tennis Federation to change anti-doping procedures to stop the 'silent ban'
Tignor: Throwback Throwdown
Tignor: The Best Title Defense is a Good Offense
Former French Open semi-finalist Ernests Gulbis hits out at hypocrisy in tennis
Louisa Thomas: Andy Murray vs. The French
​Carole Bouchard: ​"Winning against yourself : that's the sport"​
Christopher Clarey: Ten Sets In, Andy Murray's Title Defense Is Just Beginning
Tignor: Begging To Differ
​Let Sleeping Tennis Players Lie
The Unknown Player, Fueled by Soda and Candy, Who Nearly Beat Murray​
​Rafael Nadal Pulls Out of French Open With Wrist Injury
Tignor: The Scars to Prove It
Tignor: This is Not the End
​​Tignor: Showing His Stripes
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​PODCASTS

The Body Serve - "Mid-French Open Chat: Vamos Another Day"
No Challenges Remaining - Mini episodes from Roland Garros
The Main Draw - "Game, Set, Mats"
WTA Insider - "Dropshot: Coach's Corner with Darren Cahill"
​Beyond The Baseline - "Jon Wertheim Checks in from Roland Garros"
Realz Tenis Fanz - "Is the 2016 French Open Over Yet??​"
Tennis Connected - "Week Two at the French Open without Rafa Nadal​"
The Tennis Podcast - "Marathon Man Murray Discussed; First Two Rounds Reviewed"