Torch and flag bearers crumble on clay

Deborah Curtis-Setchell

ROLAND Garros, home of Olympic tennis, has not commanded full capacity crowds to the same extent as the swimming and golf arenas in Paris and some of the highly anticipated doubles match-ups have been singularly lacklustre.

However, one combination precipitating a Court Philippe Chartrier overflow, be it with a mob as uncontrollable as the one that stormed the Bastille, was that of Spanish duo, former Singles No 1s Rafa Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz, Nadal having had the honour of being selected as a none-French torch bearer, together with GOAT Serena Williams, in the opening ceremony.

In their first match against outranked Argentinians Maximo Gonzales and Andres Molteni, the Spaniards were typically imperious, winning 7-6, 6-4, with the GOAT taking the lead and Alcaraz, still finding his feet on the doubles court, obeying orders, best at net, wielding his lethal volleying skills. Yet there is no substitute for experience and next up for the Spanish Gods were the American team of 6 X major doubles champion Rajeev Ram and his Texan partner, Austin Krajicek, who demonstrated why doubles is so specialised, thrashing Spain 6-2, 6-4.

But if Nadal’s last stand was marred by that disappointment, it was his second round singles loss to his nemesis, 24 x major champion Novak Djokovic that hurt more. Nadal already has two Olympic golds in his trophy bag, while the Serbian No 1 has none and despite his recent knee surgery, is determined to get one, during arguably his last Olympic quest. Djokovic’s subsequent quarters triumph over Greek No 1, Stefanos Tsitsipas (the very man who felled both Nadal and Swiss GOAT Roger Federer in majors), in which the Serb rallied from a 1-4 second set deficit to a 6-1, 7-6 victory, illustrates his Teflon intent. Further motivation could be, he feels slighted in not being invited to carry the torch.

One player, whose spirits were soaring as high as the Eiffel Tower, was American US Open champion Coco Gauff, honoured to be chosen to hold aloft the Star Spangled Banner. The weight of expectation on her shoulders might have been heavier to bear because she crashed out prematurely, losing 6-7,2-6, to Croatian Wimbledon semi-finalist Donna Vekic.

More alarming than the loss, was Gauff’s reaction to an errant call from a linesman. When she was a set and 2-3, 30-40 on her serve, he called the return ball out before she hit it and before the umpire ruled it in. She believed she would have hit the ball, had the linesman not made the mistake.

The American had every right to make her point, but this quickly turned into an lengthy temper tantrum, with tears and accusations of cheating levelled at the umpire, reminiscent of a similar one she threw on this court during the recent French Open. For an athlete lauded for her composure and maturity, this was a demonstration of the antithesis and could have been construed as deliberately breaking her opponent’s concentration.

By fine margins are matches flipped around, but by Gauff’s own admission, it was unlikely that particular point would have changed the outcome, or that she would have made the return, with the ball skidding the line. All in all this was conduct unbecoming of a national flag bearer. The Wimbledon champion, Poland’s Iga Swiatek, demonstrated more grace in defeat when she too was unexpectedly deprived of a medal opportunity, losing 6-2, 7-5, to China’s Zheng Qinwen. Lest we forget amongst the Herculean feats we are witnessing, fortune may favour the brave, but pride comes before a fall.