Paris in the Spring - RG Day 6

by Savannah

I hate to always start out bitchin' but what in the names of all the gods are they thinking over at ESPN?! I don't think they've shown one second of live tennis since they came on the air at 12 noon Eastern US time.

When they started their coverage Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, back injury and all, was battling Thiemo de Bakker who had just beaten him in Barcelona. Did United States viewers get to see any of that match? Not unless their ISP allows ESPN3 or they had access to an online live stream.

And just now, in the Match of the Day, Nadia Petrova and Arazane Rezai split the first two sets and battled to a seven all tie in the third. Both women had match points and lost them. Nadia, more animated than I've ever seen her, was screaming for play to be stopped and Aravane, stubborn woman that she is, refused to give in. Once again unless you had online access you were watching matches played and decided earlier in the day. If all ESPN is going to do is tape all of their coverage as it happens and replay it during the afternoon it should not be implied that they are providing live coverage.

I'm not quite ignorant of the fact that they feel they're going with players who will attract American viewers but way back when it was matches like the one's I've mentioned above that made me a fan. Americans may not have a clue who Aravane Rezai or Nadia Petrova are but their match would have made new tennis fans. The same with the Tsonga vs De Bakker match. Jo was grimacing after every point and didn't even do his celebratory dance when the match was over. It's just very, very frustrating to hear and read the Grand Poobah's of tennis whining about why the fan base of tennis doesn't expand when they do their best to make sure fans see the same players over and over instead of exposing them to the greatness of the game regardless of who is playing.

In Other News...

Maria Kirlenko eliminated last years Women's Champion Svetlana Kuznetsova in three sets 6-3, 2-6, 6-4. Sveta had struggled throughout the tournament coming from behind to win both of her matches leading up to today. Maria will play Francesca Schiavone in the next round.

The dream match up between Justine Henin and Maria Sharapova will take place. Sharapova won her darkness delayed match over Kirsten Flipkens and Henin won her delayed match over Klara Zakopalova. May the best woman win.

John Isner had a very good clay season. He proved that he is more mature than his peer Sam Querrey. He lost today. I for one applaud him for crossing the pond early and getting good results on red dirt. It's going to pay off for him in the long run. Of course I said the same thing about Querrey and he may still show excellent results on clay. It's whether or not he can stand up to the stresses of high level tennis that are in question.

Elena Dementieva won her match today despite the wrapping on her calf.

Alexandra Dulgheru lost her match today.

End Note


Please note the weekend television schedule!
Tennis Channel will have coverage Saturday,May 29
5:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. ET (live) R32
3:00-6:30 p.m. ET French Open Tonight
Sunday, May 30
5:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. ET (live) R16
3:00-6:30 p.m. ET French Open Tonight

NBC Sports will have coverage Saturday, May 29
12:00-3:00 p.m. ET (live) R32

Sunday, May 30
12:00-3:00 p.m. ET (live) R16

ESPN2, ESPN DEPORTES AND ESPN3.COM WILL RESUME COVERAGE ON MONDAY, MAY 31.