Tommy Paul (USA) def. Jacob Mensik (CZE): 6-3 6-1

TP is just too good and can do too many things on the court. He’s cementing his status as a true top 10 player, a level ahead of almost everyone on tour. He hardly has any bad losses, just beating the guys he should beat, and losing here and there all to guys better than him, for now. The story of this first set just showed how much TP can do, winning 20 points returning, to Mensiks 6. TP holding serve with easy and then being in every return game making Mensik work every game, making him feel pressure to play a great point every single point. Only faced 1 break point in the first. It’s daunting and TP is getting a reputation at this point for beating up on guys. Ruud and De Minaur were joking about TP being able to stay focused for 12 straight games, but man TP has cemented himself in their category of level of play. He’s at that tier. Mensik is sick also, but in the matchup vs Tommy there’s just really not anything he does better on the court. Tommy has solid FH BH and moves better than Mensik. Mensik might hit with more MPH on average shot, but pace isn’t going to affect Tommy. He’ll take that pace, he can play with spin, he really can do it all. Similar to Fia. Comes forward more naturally than Mensik. But he’s 9 years older so it makes sense. 

Mensik seemed to feel this, looking low on energy early in the 2nd set, and maybe even feeling like his 2024 Olympics might be ending soon. Starting to go for too much and just spraying. Looking defeated. It has been a long couple of weeks for Mensik, getting to the semis the week prior in Umag. All that tennis in the last 10 days finally caught up with him. Mensik has a future though in this sport that’s for sure. TP advances to play Moutet, who advanced by another walkover from Struff.

Taylor Fritz (USA) def. Jack Draper (GBR): 6-7 (3) 6-3 6-2

This first set ended up being close in score, but really it was Drapes controlling the score, the points, and the set. Neither player got getting broken en route to the tiebreaker, but one player struggled on their serve much more than the other. Heading into the tiebreaker Drapes had only lost 5 points in his serve, and hadn’t faced a break point all set. Only losing 5 points, Fritz never really made any traction in any return games that set which is impressive for Drapes because usually his serve isn’t as dominant as it can be for a lefty. Throughout the set, contrary to what I thought would happen, it was Drapes controlling the points. He was his normal solid self on his backhand but his forehand he was hitting much bigger than normal, particularly down the line.  I questioned if in the tiebreaker he’d be able to stick to his normal guns and continue that level of play up. But he sure did. It was Fritz who looked like he was trying to adjust. Throwing in untimely drop shots and going to the well one too many times, gifting Drapes the mini in the breaker. Boom Snapple pop set over. I think he expected to be controlling most points while Drapes was defending, pushing. But that’s not what happened. 7-6 (3) Drapes.

In the 2nd set, it started to turn how I thought it would at the end of the first. Draper relaxed a bit in his level and Fritz started controlling more points, backing up both his 1st and 2nd serve much better in the 2nd set. But he raised his 2nd serve points won by 10%, which is a huge margin. He came in to the net less that set, but picked his times better, going 5/5 on net points won. Maybe the pressure of closing the match out and being up a set in the Olympics got to the young Draper, but Fritz stepped it up and made him work for it. Fritz using his experience to his advantage, knew that keeping your level for 1 set is 1 thing, but keeping it for a whole couple of sets, and when pressure starts to mount is another thing. He just kept taking care of what he could take care of, and if Drapes played the match of his life, playing outside of his comfort zone, and was too good, then he was too good. But that wasn’t going to happen. Drapes forehand that was once godly is now starting to spray just a bit more. 

There wasn’t one thing in particular that changed this match around for Taylor, it was more of the consistent effort of breaking down Draper point by point, to where eventually he cracked. Taylor started controlling more with his forehand instead of content, staying in rallies with Drapes, underestimating what he could do with his forehand. In return that put more pressure to hit better shots from Drapes, because if he didn’t, Claylor was making him pay. Claylor moves on and plays a tough match against a clay court specialist, Musetti or Navone.

Lorenzo Musetti (ITA) def Mariano Navone (ARG)

Round of applause for Lorenzo Musetti. The man has had himself a year, and in particularly a past few months. He became a father off the court and the results started pouring in for him. He’s always had the flashy shot making and now he is starting to do it on a consistent basis. Attacking the backhand way more than he used to, almost like Dominic Thiem. He plays with a certain flare that fans seem to love too. You know that flare, that Italian flare. That Fabio Fognini flare. He even walks around with a similar walk to the legend Fabio. It is flashy and easy for people to get behind. He makes it look effortless the way he knives back chip returns and switches up his grips and spin beautifully. He even has the tattoo of his heartbeat with a tennis racquet in the middle. His heart just pumps tennis. 

This match really could’ve been all Setti the whole way, and similar to the Novak/Rafa match, it was one sided the majority of it. Musetti  was in firm control of both sets, getting early breaks each set. The first set he went up 4-1 double break, and the second set he went up 4-1, 1 break. Navone picked his level up in the first set and went in lock down mode, picking his forehand inside out every chance he got. He wasn’t necessarily able to do that in the second set, as Musetti ran with his lead. Musetti is used to playing clay court guys, as he grew up predominantly on clay in Italy, so that style is nothing new to him. Next up for Zo is Claylor Fritz. This is tougher match for him because Claylor has a bigger game than Navone so he can hurt Zo more. Zo knows he’s in for a battle, but he’s liking his chances for sure.

Donna Vekic (CRO) def. Coco Gauff (USA) : 7-6(7) 6-2

What an up and down 1st set, that featured both players having set points. It seemed like it was going all Coco’s way, getting an early break to start the match and having chances to go up 5-1. However in typical tennis fashion, she didn’t get the 2nd break, and before you knew it the set was 5-5. Both players hold and they’re headed to a tiebreaker. In the tiebreaker, once again topsy turvy. Coco takes the 4-2 lead and gets the mini, before giving it back 4-4. Trading 2 points at a time, it is now Coco’s turn to take the next 2 points and go up 6-4. At 5-4 the crowd started changing “USA! USA! USA” which got Coco going, but she was unable to hang on. Up 6-4 in the tiebreaker, then taken to 7-6 due to Vekic just hitting some thundering forehands every chance she got. Could’ve been first serve return or middle of rally if the fear hand was there she was cranking it to Coco’s forehand. Especially deep down the middle to set up a high ball to crank. She didn’t take her first set point, providing more momentum swings and things for the players to think about, but she eventually took the set 9-7, hitting more big FH. Total shocker and what a comeback. Even when Vekic was on defense, she was winning a lot of points. Coco was 0/7 at the net, just totally shocking, and Vekic was showing off some impressive drop shots, contrary to her normal game.

Was up break in 2nd. Then Vekic won 5 games in a row to win the match. Coco disagreed with a call on break point for Coco to go down 4-2. A return by Vekic hit the line and was called out and then overruled, meanwhile Coco missed the following forehand. The call came very close to when she hit the ball and unfortunately it is a judgement call that can’t be overruled. Did I think Coco was right? Yes. But unfortunately that doesn’t matter. She let the call get to her and argued her point very intensely, to the point of tears. And she never really mentally recovered after that even though she won a few points. The same thing happened earlier this year, and it was the exact same thing. These are moments that happen in tennis and have happened and although it’s very hard to do at the time, the best players in the world always recover. Because these things happen to everyone at time, but Coco was the better player, just stay composed, and find a way to get the break back. But clearly it is not easy to do in the moment, especially for a 20 year old . You could tell the moment had gotten to her. At that point, it’s tough. It seemed she was more upset with how the match was going, her level of play, Vekic high level of play, and then this set her over the edge. All credit to Vekic, she stayed in the match and could’ve let Coco back in at 0-40 the next game but won 5 straight points, sticking to her guns. Vekic moves on and keeps her great season going.

Alcaraz/Nadal (ESP) def, Koolhof/Griekspoor (NED)

Fia and Rafa had the right idea coming out of the gate, playing Griekspoor especially at the net. In Koolhof’s first service game, Griekspoor let one dipping shot from Rafa go that dropped in, missed a volley on the net off a return from Fia and missed a return on the net off a return from Rafa, to set up a break point that game. Later on on two of their own games points in that game he missed two more volleys. They were going at him time and time again, at the net and making him volley. He’s the weakest doubles player on the court and they were trying to exploit that. But I mean it’s Carlitos and Rafa two of the best in tennis history at hitting passing shots and both can rifle forehands. It’s not an easy position for Griekspoor. They didn’t win that game but it sent a message right off the bat. The first three return games Rafa putting pressure each game taking it to deuce. It was only a matter of time until they broke, and they did. Capped off by a ridiculous cross court forehand winner from Fia. Stupid. That got him, Rafa, and the crowd hype. They controlled the match for the most part but that gave them the lead for the rest of the set. 6-4.

The start of the second set seemed to be repeating the first set. The Spaniards getting easier holds than the Dutch, but still nobody had any break points until the 3-4 game. Alcaraz serve up 40-15 and then the next few points could not find a first serve. He was trying to hit too good of shots, it seemed. Trying to hit an insane angle on the 40-15 point and then going for too good of a 2nd serve, trying to set Rafa up. They got out of that game, but there was real doubt for a bit. Carlitos hit a huge kick 2nd serve to save BP. Once they escaped that though you could smell the break. Very next game, chances for team Spain, but to no prevail. Their next return game, more chances, but again no break of serve. They have dominated most of their 4 sets played and found themselves just 10 points away from going home in the 2nd round.

In the tiebreaker, they left no doubt. Came out early and got a double break lead, thanks to a Alcaraz lob setting up a Rafa FH, and then an unreal inside out Rafa FH return winner. It was 5-0 before you knew it and from there on it was straight smooth sailing, like they were in a Waymo.

Evans/Murray (GBR) def. Gille/Vliegen (BEL)

ANDY F#$%ING MURRAY. WHAT ELSE CAN I SAY. I had this whole thing written out down to the last couple points and none of it even matters. Murray magic. How does he do it?! Of course he did it. Saving match points again. Certainly not again, he just did. He couldn’t save more match points. Down 9-7 in the 3rd after having their own 2 match points in the 2nd set and being up all throughout the 3rd set breaker. Unbelievable scenes in Paris. How can you not be emotional about sports. I’m on the couch damn near in tears thinking we’ve seen the last of Andy Murray. I never even really liked Andy Murray until later in his career really. But thought man here’s his last return. And it clips the net goes over and messes up the opponent enough just enough for them to miss. Then on match point just serving up an absolute dime to the T to set Evans up for a match winning put away overhead. Ochocinco!! If you didn’t watch that match you have got to check the highlights. Typical Andy Murray fashion. Here is what I had written until all hell broke loose:

The Brits came out destined to not make this be the day Andy plays his last match. They were a little nervy the first game, but saved break points, got through that, took a deep breath, and then turned those nerves into energy. Both players ripping more Come On’s! Than I’ve heard them do. Almost like they were playing Davis Cup and the crowd was a home crowd. Not near a full stadium but the people there definitely were backing the Brit’s. Nobody can root against Andy. Not now! But they got a break right away, kept the energy up, and didn’t face much trouble on serve the rest of the set, holding out for a 6-3 lead. 

In the 2nd set they didn’t get that early break and the seeded Belgium duo was able to settle in a little bit getting easier holds, but you could tell they were a little rattled, missing shots that they probably wouldn’t usually miss, and then the crowd going against them. It can definitely be frustrating. And on top of that, it can’t be easy trying to retire a legend like Andy Murray, with the crowd going crazy. Only Tiafoe can do that I guess, sorry Roger. I always wonder if there’s some doubt from the other player, because there’s obviously some respect, but is there some doubt like man I don’t want to do this to him, to the tennis world. But as the set wore on, they became more confident, and some of that feeling crept over to the other side of the net. Dan Evans even hit his signature move of hitting himself in the head with his racquet. With only a 10 point tiebreaker for the third set, could one slip up be 50/50 raffle ticket to see if Murray is retired or not?

The second set headed to a tiebreaker and was full of twists and turns. Murray/Evans were up a mini twice, and then down a mini, and then back up match point, then down set point, then up match point. 2nd serve. Murray rifles a forehand at the net player who shanks a volley perfectly through the middle of the players right near the baseline. The next point 8-8, the Brit’s thought it was a let serve, the chair didn’t call it, and they lose the point. They argue that, then get a let called on them, double fault. 8-10. 

In the 3rd set; they were up a mini but quickly gave it back. You can see Evans just wants it so badly for Murray, living and dying by every shot. So tense. So much tension on the Brit’s side of the net. They felt like they should’ve won the match yet they found themselves in a dog fight.. 

Oh how cruel this sport can be. 1 second you’re making a 9-4 comeback to save retirement, and then 48 hours later you are blowing match points to head into retirement. It’s not the way Andy deserves to go out, but rarely does anybody go out the way they deserve.