Soderling crushed the French wild card 6-0 6-2 6-3. He's looking pretty damn good (in more ways than one - I love those Swedish looks); lots of good serving and big forehands. His bread and butter, as they say. Tough draw (he's in the Federer half) but I'm feeling good about his chances (until Federer that is - he says himself that he just can't beat him). He surprised everyone last year so I'm not ruling him out at all.
Gulbis is out, which is a bit of a shocker having beaten Fed himself only a few weeks ago. Another hamstring bites the dust. Benneteau is through which the French are no doubt ecstatic about. Chela and Cilic are both through in reasonably undisturbed first rounders. Tsonga had a bit of a 'mare but came through it in the end - 4-6 6-3 6-2 6-7 (2-7) 7-5. I didn't see it but it sounds like it was pretty tough going. Tsonga's not known for his clay court play but he should have beaten Daniel Brands (who, I hear you cry!) of Germany a lot easier than that. Still, I love an unexpectedly tough match. That's the good stuff.
Other winners today - Youzhny, Falla, De Bakker, Fognini (epic game), Montanes, and Garcia-Lopez.
Keothavong put up what I thought was a pretty good fight against seeded Pennetta. She was hitting some super shots. Ok, the score was 6-2 6-2, but it was better than that. They were really going at it in some rallies. I felt sorry for the balls. I like Keo, she doesn't make excuses and she's tough. Bring on the grass for her, see what she can do after a considerable time off for those pesky knees of hers.
More women winners today - Petkovic, Dulko (beat Azarenka, and then some. Did not see that one coming), Scheepers, Cibulkova, Amanmuradova (blimey - beat Martinez Sanchez which is no mean feat), Kirilenko, Lepchenko, Rezai (French hopes resting upon...), Kerber, Meusburger, Larsson, and finally Petrova.
That, people, is a lot of matches. A lot of sweating on a hot day in Paris. A lot of joy.
I'll keep you blogged...
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