Tennis Today: A 1,000km journey, a ‘petulant’ press conference and ‘ugly’ blisters

In Tennis Today, it’s a mixed bag featuring Marco Trungelliti and Bernard Tomic.
What’s on the site
It’s all about the French Open on Tennis365 this week. On the back of Jelena Ostapenko’s exit, we look at Top 10 French Open shocks, featuring Andre Agassi’s defeat to someone who was afraid of flying and was coached by his wife.
Defending champion Rafael Nadal was held up by rain on Monday, but his coach Carlos Moya says he is in a good space mentally and physically as he goes in search of title No 11 at Roland Garros.
Results round-up:
ATP French Open report one
ATP French Open report two
WTA French Open report one
WTA French Open report two
Then do check out our gallery from day two at the French Open.
And some more news as 12-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic wants to follow in Juan Martin del Potro’s footsteps.
Then we also have the latest on Stan Wawrinka’s rankings blow following his defeat on Monday.
What’s in the news
The story of the 2018 French Open belongs to Marco Trungelliti so far after the Argentine took a nine-hour, 1000-kilometre drive from Barcelona to Paris to compete on day one. And he ended up beating Bernard Tomic.
If that doesn’t make you smile, then how about this? His brother, mother and 88-year-old grandmother took the trip with him.
“We needed grandma for sure. My grandma was actually in the shower. I told her: ‘OK, we go to Paris,'” reports The Independent.
Naturally Tomic was not in a happy mood after his defeat to lucky loser Trungelliti and the Herald Sun, via news.com.au, goes with “Bernard Tomic delivers petulant press conference after French Open exit”.
They have a full transcript of his 64-word press conference.
From petulant we go to cool and awkward. Naomi Osaka was named the “coolest thing in tennis” by GQ Magazine on the back of her success at Indian Wells earlier this year.
But when asked about it after her first-round match at the French Open, the Japanese star replied: “I think if they wanted to title it something, they should have titled it the ‘most awkward person in tennis’.”
Kateryna Kozlova made headlines on Sunday as she beat defending champion Ostapenko and she did it despite blisters. Express Sport has the story on her “gruesome” and “ugly” blisters.
Serena Williams returns to Grand Slam tennis today and debate about the French Open’s decision not to seed her continues with Victoria Azarenka insisting “the rule should be for everybody” and not just the American, reports The Metro.
What’s on social media
If you read ‘what’s in the news’, then you will know the Marco Trungelliti story, but here’s another interesting twist to the fairytale.
The story gets even crazier: there were THREE Barcelona-to-Paris flights cancelled yesterday evening. So if Trungelliti hadn’t gone by car, he probably wouldn’t have made it here. #RG18 pic.twitter.com/ca9p85IYDo
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) May 28, 2018
Just Lucas Pouille, Pablo Carreno Busta Alexander Zverev, Diego Schwartzman, Juan Martin del Potro and David Ferrer doing a commercial.
If you have 15-minutes to spare, here is Simona Halep’s The Road To Roland Garros documentary.
What’s on TV
ATP & WTA French Open
09:30-22:30
LIVE – Eurosport 1/2
Latest
-
WTA Tour
Emma Raducanu vows to only return when her ‘back is fully right’, raising questions about French Open bid
Emma Raducanu insists she will only play when her back is fully right.
-
Wimbledon
Wimbledon could be hit hard for decision to ban Russian players – reports
he Daily Telegraph and other outlets are reporting that the ATP has decided to strip all ranking points from their events in the UK.
-
Italian Open
Novak Djokovic news: Serb makes a solid start to his Italian Open campaign
He’s looking good ahead of the French Open.
-
French Open
Ons Jabeur news: Madrid Open champion turns her attention to Roland Garros
She wants to continue her clay court success.
-
WTA Tour
Emma Raducanu’s growing pains continue as she retires from clash against Bianca Andreescu
Tough day at the office for Emma Raducanu.
-
Italian Open
Cameron Norrie news: British No 1 through to second round at Italian Open
He now faces a Grand Slam champion.
-
ATP Tour
Carlos Alcaraz news: Madrid Open winner denies claims he’s the best player in the world
He thinks someone else is more deserving of the title.
-
Tennis News
Carlos Alcaraz gives Next Gen brigade a look into the future and shows there is life after the Big Three
It looks like new kid on the block Carlos Alcaraz wants all the candy.
-
ATP Tour
Novak Djokovic edging closer to his ‘desired level’ as he sets sights on ‘big goal’ at Roland Garros
Novak Djokovic heading in the right direction.