Tennis Today: End of the road for Big Four, latest on Sascha Zverev’s bromance
In Tennis Today, the Big Four is no more, says Boris Becker while Alexander Zverev’s bromance with a Yorkshire journalist continues.
What’s on the site
We continue our Legends of Roland Garros countdown and at No 2 is the great Bjorn Borg.
Rafael Nadal is the latest player to reach the 900-match win club, but where does he feature in the top 10? And what about Roger Federer?
Andy Murray’s return to tennis has been delayed as he has pulled out of the Libema Open, but he remains hopeful of competing at Wimbledon.
Staying with Murray, amid all the joy of his imminent return, are there also reasons for caution?
Results round-up:
ATP French Open: Injured Alexander Zverev bows out to Dominic Thiem
ATP French Open: Marco Cecchinato stuns Novak Djokovic
WTA French Open: Madison Keys powers into semi-final
WTA French Open: Sloane Stephens breezes past Daria Kasatkina
Gallery: The story from an eventful day ten at the 2018 French Open
What’s in the news
It’s the end of the road for the “Big Four”, according to Boris Becker.
“I think the sports media have to get used to the fact that the Big Four do not exist anymore,” he told Express Sport.
Staying with Express Sport, Eurosport commentator Mats Wilander says Novak Djokovic “needs that edge and has to be 100 percent” if he wants to start winning big titles again.
“It’s a three percent drop. He doesn’t have the serve or the Del Potro forehand or the Rafa body language.”
Alexander Zverev admitted he was close to throwing in the towel during his match against Dominic Thiem.
“How close was I to pulling out? I thought about it. I definitely thought about it,” the Daily Mail quotes the German as saying.
Thanasi Kokkinakis says “they were fearing the worst” when he injured his knee at the Monte Carlo Masters. “When they tested me for an ACL … well I thought that was me done,” he told AAP.
Eugenie Bouchard’s biggest fan, Daily Star, goes with “Tennis babe Bouchard shows off toned bum with ‘hot’ Instagram belfie”.
Of course we at Tennis Today thought they made a mistake and meant “selfie”, but we nevertheless decided to Google “belfie”.
Here you go, “Belfie Stick Helps Take Selfies of Your Butt“.
What’s on social media
Andy Murray doing his bit for World Environment Day.
The bromance between Alexander Zverev and journalist Jonathan Pinfield continues.
“I think you’re the only person who could actually make me smile right now.”
Post loss, it was Sascha Zverev’s new friend from Yorkshire who lifted his spirits. More in the RG Diary: https://t.co/oOmDrzvpfU #RG18 pic.twitter.com/DxnRjGKnXE
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 6, 2018
A little something to whet the appetites for our One-Slam Wonder feature on Martin Verkerk.
Cecchinato had not won a Grand Slam match prior to #RG18
Now he’s in SFs
Martin Verkerk (@rolandgarros 2003) the last to have such a run
— Andy Schooler (@NetTalkTennis) June 5, 2018
Say what about Americans and clay?
“Americans HATE clay.”@SloaneStephens @Madison_Keys: #RG18 pic.twitter.com/0OPkI8Dh6g
— Courtney Nguyen (@FortyDeuceTwits) June 5, 2018
Some really good pictures from Antoine Couvercelle of day nine at Roland Garros.
What’s on TV
ATP & WTA French Open
12:30-22:30
LIVE – Eurosport 1/2 and ITV4
