‘He’s with me’: Mourning dad, American wins at French Open

Wed., May 31, 2017

By Howard Fendrich Associated Press

French Open

ATP WORLD TOUR/WTA TOUR

Wednesday’s Results

At Stade Roland Garros, Paris

Purse: $40.3 million (Grand Slam)

Surface: Clay-Outdoor

Singles

Men

First Round

Renzo Olivo, Argentina, def. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (12), France, 7-5, 6-4, 6-7 (6), 6-4.

Second Round

Dominic Thiem (6), Austria, def. Simone Bolelli, Italy, 7-5, 6-1, 6-3.

David Goffin (10), Belgium, def. Sergiy Stakhovsky, Ukraine, 6-2, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.

Diego Schwartzman, Argentina, def. Stefano Napolitano, Italy, 6-3, 7-5, 6-2.

Steve Johnson (25), United States, def. Borna Coric, Croatia, 6-2, 7-6 (8), 3-6, 7-6 (6).

Horacio Zeballos, Argentina, def. Ivo Karlovic (23), Croatia, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (5), 6-3.

Grigor Dimitrov (11), Bulgaria, def. Tommy Robredo, Spain, 6-3, 6-4, 7-5.

Novak Djokovic (2), Serbia, def. Joao Sousa, Portugal, 6-1, 6-4, 6-3.

Nikoloz Basilashvili, Georgia, def. Viktor Troicki, Serbia, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (2), 7-6 (6).

Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, Spain, def. Marco Trungelliti, Argentina, 7-5, 6-4, 7-5.

Rafael Nadal (4), Spain, def. Robin Haase, Netherlands, 6-1, 6-4, 6-3.

Milos Raonic (5), Canada, def. Rogerio Dutra Silva, Brazil, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4.

Albert Ramos-Vinolas (19), Spain, def. Benjamin Bonzi, France, 6-2, 6-1, 6-1.

Pablo Carreno Busta (20), Spain, def. Taro Daniel, Japan, 7-5, 6-4, 4-6, 6-0.

Lucas Pouille (16), France, def. Thomaz Bellucci, Brazil, 7-6 (5), 6-1, 6-2.

Jiri Vesely, Czech Republic, def. Aljaz Bedene, Britain, 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.

Roberto Bautista Agut (17), Spain, def. Mikhail Kukushkin, Kazakhstan, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (3).

Women

Second Round

Venus Williams (10), United States, def. Kurumi Nara, Japan, 6-3, 6-1.

Bethanie Mattek-Sands, United States, def. Petra Kvitova (15), Czech Republic, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (5).

Sam Stosur (23), Australia, def. Kirsten Flipkens, Belgium, 6-2, 7-6 (6).

Yulia Putintseva (27), Kazakhstan, def. Johanna Larsson, Sweden, 6-3, 1-6, 6-3.

Lesia Tsurenko, Ukraine, def. Ekaterina Makarova, Russia, 6-2, 6-2.

Jelena Ostapenko, Latvia, def. Monica Puig, Puerto Rico, 6-3, 6-2.

Shelby Rogers, United States, def. Cagla Buyukakcay, Turkey, 7-6 (6), 6-4.

Garbine Muguruza (4), Spain, def. Anett Kontaveit, Estonia, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-2.

CiCi Bellis, United States, def. Kiki Bertens (18), Netherlands, 6-3, 7-6 (5).

Elise Mertens, Belgium, def. Richel Hogenkamp, Netherlands, 6-3, 6-4.

Caroline Wozniacki (11), Denmark, def. Francoise Abanda, Canada, 6-0, 6-0.

Kristina Mladenovic (13), France, def. Sara Errani, Italy, 6-2, 6-3.

Timea Bacsinszky (30), Switzerland, def. Madison Brengle, United States, 6-0, 6-2.

Zhang Shuai (32), China, def. Aliaksandra Sasnovich, Belarus, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3.

Ons Jabeur, Tunisia, def. Dominika Cibulkova (6), Slovakia, 6-4, 6-3.

Svetlana Kuznetsova (8), Russia, def. Oceane Dodin, France, 7-6 (5), 5-7, 6-3.

Doubles

Men

First Round

Marcin Matkowski, Poland, and Edouard Roger-Vasselin (12), France, def. Nicholas Monroe, United States, and Artem Sitak, New Zealand, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4.

Malek Jaziri, Tunisia, and Andreas Seppi, Italy, def. Wesley Koolhof and Matwe Middelkoop, Netherlands, 7-6 (2), 6-7 (5), 6-4.

Rohan Bopanna, India, and Pablo Cuevas (9), Uruguay, def. Mathias Bourgue and Paul-Henri Mathieu, France, 6-1, 6-1.

Fernando Verdasco, Spain, and Nenad Zimonjic, Serbia, def. Florin Mergea, Romania, and Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi (13), Pakistan, 6-3, 7-6 (2).

Scott Lipsky, United States, and Leander Paes, India, def. Radu Albot, Moldova, and Chung Hyeon, South Korea, 7-6 (5), 4-6, 6-2.

Mikhail Elgin and Karen Khachanov, Russia, def. Steve Darcis, Belgium, and Benoit Paire, France, 6-2, 6-3.

Nick Kyrgios and Jordan Thompson, Australia, def. Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut (2), France, 7-6 (8), 4-6, 6-3.

Lukasz Kubot, Poland, and Marcelo Melo (4), Brazil, def. Julien Benneteau and Jeremy Chardy, France, 3-6, 6-2, 6-3.

Constant Lestienne and Corentin Moutet, France, def. Dustin Brown, Germany, and Yen-hsun Lu, Taiwan, 4-2, retired.

Purav Raja and Divij Sharan, India, def. Nicolas Almagro, Spain, and Steve Johnson, United States, 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-0.

Jan-Lennard Struff and Mischa Zverev, Germany, def. Gregoire Jacq and Hugo Nys, France, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Bob and Mike Bryan (3), United States, def. Philipp Petzschner, Germany, and Alexander Peya, Austria, 7-5, 6-3.

Ernesto Escobedo and Sam Querrey, United States, def. Simone Bolelli and Fabio Fognini, Italy, 2-6, 7-6 (7), 6-2.

Ivan Dodig, Croatia, and Marcel Granollers (7), Spain, def. Marcus Daniell, New Zealand, and Marcelo Demoliner, Brazil, 6-4, 6-4.

Oliver Marach, Austria, and Mate Pavic (15), Croatia, def. Jonathan Eysseric and Tristan Lamasine, France, 6-1, 6-1.

Sam Groth, Australia, and Robert Lindstedt, Sweden, def. Brian Baker, United States, and Nikola Mektic, Croatia, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (3).

Women

First Round

Ana Konjuh, Croatia, and Magda Linette, Poland, def. Lyudmyla and Nadiia Kichenok, Ukraine, 6-7 (7), 6-2, 7-6 (4).

Ashleigh Barty and Casey Dellacqua, Australia, def. Marine Partaud and Virginie Razzano, France, 6-0, 6-2.

Darija Jurak, Croatia, and Anastasia Rodionova (17), Australia, def. Mona Barthel and Carina Witthoeft, Germany, 6-2, 2-6, 6-4.

Eri Hozumi and Miyu Kato (18), Japan, def. Asia Muhammad and Taylor Townsend, United States, 7-5, 6-3.

Daria Gavrilova, Australia, and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Russia, def. Sania Mirza, India, and Yaroslava Shvedova (4), Kazakhstan, 7-6 (5), 1-6, 6-2.

Andreja Klepac, Slovenia, and Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez (15), Spain, def. Sorana Cirstea, Romania, and Donna Vekic, Croatia, 6-7 (2), 6-2, 4-1, retired.

Timea Babos, Hungary, and Andrea Hlavackova (5), Czech Republic, def. Tessah Andrianjafitrimo and Amandine Hesse, France, 6-3, 6-0.

Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina (2), Russia, def. Fiona Ferro and Margot Yerolymos, France, 6-2, 6-3.

Pauline Parmentier, France, and Yanina Wickmayer, Belgium, def. Audrey Albie and Harmony Tan, France, 6-2, 6-2.

Nao Hibino, Japan, and Alicja Rosolska, Poland, def. Jelena Jankovic, Serbia, and CoCo Vandeweghe, United States, 0-6, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (10).

Duan Ying-Ying and Peng Shuai, China, def. Varvara Lepchenko, United States, and Evgeniya Rodina, Russia, 6-1, 7-5.

Chan Hao-ching, Taiwan, and Barbora Krejcikova (12), Czech Republic, def. Annika Beck, Germany, and Renata Voracova, Czech Republic, 6-1, 6-1.

Jana Cepelova, Slovakia, and Hsieh Su-wei, Taiwan, def. Kurumi Nara and Risa Ozaki, Japan, 6-2, 6-3.

Myrtille Georges and Chloe Paquet, France, def. Anna-Lena Groenefeld, Germany, and Kveta Peschke (11), Czech Republic, 1-6, 7-5, 6-4.

Raluca Olaru, Romania, and Olga Savchuk, Ukraine, def. Mandy Minella, Luxembourg, and Anastasija Sevastova, Latvia, 7-5, 7-5.

Aleksandra Krunic, Serbia, and Ajla Tomljanovic, Australia, def. Natela Dzalamidze and Veronika Kudermetova, Russia, 6-2, 6-4.

Mirjana Lucic-Baroni, Croatia, and Andrea Petkovic, Germany, def. Maria Irigoyen, Argentina, and Demi Schuurs, Netherlands, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4.

Lucie Hradecka and Katerina Siniakova (6), Czech Republic, def. Lauren Davis and Nicole Melichar, United States, 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (2).

Mixed

First Round

Abigail Spears, United States, and Juan Sebastian Cabal, Colombia, def. Chan Yung-jan, Taiwan, and John Peers (1), Australia, 6-4, 6-2.

PARIS – Steve Johnson held everything in, all of it, until he simply could not any longer.

Still mourning the recent death of his father, a tennis coach who helped Johnson learn the game back home in California, the 25th-seeded American didn’t allow the jumble of feelings show outwardly. He didn’t permit them to affect his ability to smack a tennis ball, either, and managed to edge Borna Coric 6-2, 7-6 (8), 3-6, 7-6 (6) and reach the French Open’s third round.

For nearly 4 full hours Wednesday, Johnson stayed the course, over and over, even as the on-court particulars grew complicated. He managed to be OK even after his initial four match points slipped away. And even when he was docked a point by the chair umpire for what an incredulous Johnson considered an innocuous extra hit of the ball deep in the fourth set. And yet again when Coric twice was a single point from forcing a fifth set.

Only when, on his fifth chance to end things, Johnson delivered a clean forehand winner to seal the victory, did he let go, dropping onto to his knees near the baseline, his chest heaving, his eyes filling with tears.

“I have no idea what happened after I hit the forehand. I just kind of collapsed and, emotionally, it got the best of me,” said Johnson, who faces No. 6 Dominic Thiem next. “The other days, I was able to kind of get to the locker room and kind of compose myself a little bit. Today was just such an emotional match. A long match. Up and down. Just to get through it was something that I know I’ll be very proud of.”

At the other end of the court, Coric mangled his racket by rearing back and smashing it one, two, three, four times, then after a pause, once more for good measure.

Coric said afterward he knew about the personal difficulty his foe was dealing with.

“Super tough, definitely,” the 40th-ranked Croatian said. “And all the credit to him, that he was able to go through this period and also to play this good.”

After they shook hands, Johnson leaned his head on his arm atop the net, sobbing.

Steve Johnson Sr. passed away three weeks ago.

“I know it’s going to be emotional for quite some time. Who knows how long it’ll take? I just know he’s with me. He raised me to be a competitor and a fighter to the last point. And that’s what I try to do with my tennis,” said the 27-year-old Johnson, who won two NCAA singles titles and four team titles at Southern California. “I may not be the best tennis player. But there’s not going to be a day where I’m just going to let you win. I’m going to try and give it my best.”

There were other winners and losers, of course, on Day 4 of the French Open, but nothing quite so poignant.

The 12th-seeded Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga left meekly, eliminated 7-5, 6-4, 6-7 (6), 6-4 by 91st-ranked Renzo Olivo of Argentina after only one game Wednesday in a match suspended a night earlier because of darkness. It was 2008 Australian Open runner-up Tsonga’s first loss in the first round in Paris since his debut 12 years ago.

“Last week, I won my first-ever clay tournament,” Tsonga said, referring to an event in Lyon. “And today, I lost at the French Open. It’s the paradox of tennis.”

Ah, so philosophical.

No call for such reflection from those who advanced, including defending champion Novak Djokovic and nine-time champion Rafael Nadal among the men, and defending champion Garbine Muguruza, former No. 1s Venus Williams (whose pregnant sister Serena was in the stands) and Caroline Wozniacki among the women. There were a couple of surprises: No. 6 Dominika Cibulkova was beaten 6-4, 6-3 by 114th-ranked Ons Jabeur of Tunisia, while 18-year-old Californian CiCi Bellis defeated No. 18 Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands 6-3, 7-6 (5).

Two-time major champion Petra Kvitova, who needed surgery on her left hand after a knife attack at her home in December, bowed out in the second match of her comeback, a 7-6 (5), 7-6 (5) loss to American qualifier Bethanie Mattek-Sands.

“It’s weird. I mean, I’m disappointed, for sure. I came here to win the matches,” Kvitova said. “The fairytale ended. Now, in upcoming weeks, I think it will be business as usual.”

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