Marked by the anticlimactic return of Rafa Nadal to the pro circuit, this year’s version of the red clay of Stade Roland Garros, the French Open, did manage to pull off some surprises by the time the second week came to an end. Most important, is how a first time Grand Slam French Open Men’s champion was crowned on Sunday, June 9.

The Men’s Semis had Sinner of Italy and Alcaraz-Garfia of Spain on one side of draw, while Germany’s Zverev and Norway’s Ruud was on the other side. All four had never won a French Open, Ruud being the closest as a previous losing finalist. Coming back from being a set down twice, the new Spaniard reached his first French final. As for Zverev, he took sets two, three, and four from Ruud. 

A cool trivia to consider is that after factoring in Nadal’s 14 French wins, and adding the three of Djokovic, and one each for Federer and Wawrinka; you’d have to go back to the 2004 French Open to find a champion outside those four names of Rafa, Novak, Roger and Stan. This year will be the first in twenty years that we finally attach a new name to the French Open.

Nadal was knocked out in the 1st round by eventual finalist Zverev; and kudos to Zverev during the post game interview for downplaying his win, and saying the moment was more about Rafa’s comeback, in this tournament that has been Nadal’s personal hunting ground for two decades. Novak Djokovic withdrawing with a meniscus tear after two consecutive five-setters, was the other possible nail in the coffin of the Big Three era, emanating from this Slam. It left the door open for Sinner to be World’s #1, and for the aforementioned crowning of a first time French Open champion. 

Over on the Women’s Singles side of the draw, the ultimate big story would be Iga Swiatek of Poland notching her third consecutive French Open. She now has five Slam titles, with her US Open win of 2022, plus one more French - and has an excellent 5-0 record in Slam Finals. Jasmine Paolini, seeded 12, and from Italy was facing Iga in the Final; and any notion of an upset was quickly swept aside. 

A more interesting side story earlier in the week was the rise of 17 year old Mirra Andreeva, upsetting Sabalenka, and reaching her first Grand Slam semi. The last time someone this young reached the Women’s Semi stage at Paris would be 20 years ago, with then 16-year old Martina Hingis. 

I mention this accomplishment of Andreeva to serve as contrast to our own Alex Eala. At 19, Eala is no longer an up-and-coming Junior. She’s a journey woman pro who can enter tournaments on the circuit, but isn’t ranked high enough to get automatic invites to the more prestigious ones, like the Slams - there, she has to go through the qualifiers. 

I’m never going to downplay her stellar accomplishments as a doubles partner and girls champion while she was a junior; but I have been wondering if as a singles player she’s already plateaued. She may need a new coach, reassess her management - if she hopes to reach the next level. Just my thoughts, as of course I’d like to see her accomplish more as a tennis pro carrying our flag; but I don’t see that happening if things are left as they presently are. 

I remember Coco Gauff at 15, and read now about Andreeva at 17; and you know there’ll always be some young prodigy on the horizon. So I’m wondering what Eala needs, to break through the Top 100 barrier/wall that she seems to unable to surmount. We can devote headlining stories to her; but that’s because she’s Filipina, and we’re talking homegrown media platforms. In the current tennis world, she’s already a forgotten story from two years ago - and I’m praying she can still change that.

As for the Zverev/Alcaraz-Garfia Final, it was down to does Carlos annex a third Slam win on three different surfaces and achieve this at 21 - the youngest to do so? He’s won the US Open and Wimbledon. Or does the 27 year old Alexander finally fulfill his long overdue Next Gen promise, and win his first Slam title. 

Along with players like Tsitsipas, Berrettini and Ruud, Zverev was among those players who were touted as Next Gen, would make it to some of the Slam Finals, but would succumb to the mental toughness of the Big 3 - Novak, Rafa, and Roger. Of that Next Gen roster, it was only Medvedev who broke the stranglehold of said Big 3, with a US Open to his name. Then you got the much younger Alcaraz and Sinner already breaking through at Slams. 

The Final was a match of momentum and shifts of quality play. Alcaraz took the first set but then started committing errors, losing the second set and practically giving away the third - he was 5-3 ahead, only to lose it 5-7. Despite a thigh issue, he managed to right the ship, raced to an early 4th set lead (6-1), and closed out the fifth (6-2). Six time French champion Bjorn Borg handed the trophy to Carlos. 

That would be something, if one day, we have Rafa handing the trophy to Carlos - two Spaniards celebrating their historic claim on the French red clay of Paris.