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Tsonga, Venus Face Entertaining Roland Garros Opponents

May 26th 2016

There are any number of reasons why a person might look forward to a match.  It could be that it promises a contrast in playing styles.  Frequently it is because it involves a fan's favorite player.  And sometimes it is because there is the possibility of some spectacular shot-making.  It is the latter that could potentially be the case when Jo-Wilfried Tsonga battles Marcos Baghdatis for the privilege of moving on to the third round.

The home crowd will be pulling hard for Tsonga.  The Frenchman is ranked and seeded seventh, which suggests that after battling injuries throughout a portion of 2015, he is back to playing top-level tennis.  He is a former Australian Open finalist and has gone deep at the other majors on many an occasion, including here in Paris.  He has repeatedly proven that he has the game to beat the greatest in the sport, and he is searching to have the chance to prove that again by continuing his journey at Roland Garros.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga

But Tsonga is not the only one in this contest who has proven to be a big-match player in the past.  So too has Baghdatis.  He knocked off many higher-ranked opponents in his run to the final of the Australian Open in 2006 and has enjoyed a fair amount of success over the course of his career.  He was once known for having some of the best hands and pure shot-making ability in the game, and he will certainly be looking to tap into that talent once again when he takes to the court against the Frenchman. 

The Cypriot is going to need to find at least some of that magic if he hopes to score the victory on Thursday, since there is little that he does that Tsonga does not do better.  Bagdatis considers his forehand his primary weapon, but the same can be said for Tsonga.  The seventh seed's groundstrokes are consistently better – although Baghdatis is not afraid to let rip a penetratingly flat slap shot – and with his height advantage, Tsonga gets more mileage out of his serve.  And while Baghdatis' backhand can be more reliable than Tsonga's, Tsonga's is unlikely to break down enough over the course of this match unless the Cypriot can put him under constant duress.  That scenario seems unlikely, for it is Tsonga who is more aggressive and always looking to move forward by nature, leaving Baghdatis as the one more likely to regularly be asked to come up with the pass.

Bagdatis will also be painfully aware that he is facing an uphill battle just based on his history with Tsonga.  The Frenchman is a perfect 6-0 in their rivalry, and most of those encounters were straightforward.  As his higher ranking and semifinal showing in Monte Carlo would suggest, Tsonga is also playing better tennis right now.  By contrast, the only thing this season Baghdatis has had to smile about was his trip to the final in Dubai.  But Baghdatis is a spontaneous player, and there is no telling when he might strike gold.  He also went four sets with Tsonga when they met earlier this year in Melbourne, so he must have some hope that an upset could happen.

What could happen and what will happen are not always the same.  In this scenario, Tsonga is the one more apt to waltz away the victor.  He has the better game, the home crowd advantage, and a huge mental edge given his perfect record against the Cypriot.  That is a lot for Baghdatis to overcome, but even if he is unable to pull off the upset, hopefully he has able to turn back the clock and still make it the entertaining affair it has the potential to be.

Venus Williams

It seems impossible to get through a tennis season without hearing some talk about the passing of the torch from one generation to the next.  That topic may come up Thursday, when Venus Williams, one of the most decorated, current stalwarts of the women's game, takes on young countrywoman Louisa Chirico to advance to the third round.

Williams has done and achieved so much in the sport that she is a familiar name to those outside tennis circles.  She has won a plethora of titles, including many Grand Slam singles and doubles crowns.  She is a former No. 1, who has made the finals of all four majors at least once, and despite all the suggestions of retirement and health issues she has had to battle, she is currently ranked just outside of the top 10 at No. 11.  All told, Williams may not enjoy the aura of invincibility she had in her prime, but she remains capable of playing top-notch tennis.

While Williams has nothing left to prove, Chirico is only beginning to try and make her mark in the sport.  The American turned 20 earlier this month and has spent the majority of her young career playing the ITF Circuit and qualifying of the main tour-level events.  She broke ground in a big way earlier this spring, however, when she worked her way through the qualifying of Madrid to reach the semifinals.  She would like to now make an equally impressive splash in Paris.

Of course, Williams will not make it easy for her compatriot.  The elder American possesses greater firepower from the ground and on serve.  She is also the better mover around the court and boasts a superior transitional game when looking to get to the net.  One key area of liability for Williams, though, is her second serve.  She does not want to donate many double faults, to which she can at times be prone, nor does she want to give Chirico too many looks at clobbering that second delivery.  The younger American has a solid game, and she is especially confident off her forehand wing.  If she has a good serving day and takes her opportunities when she gets a look at a Williams second serve, she has the requisite skills to take command of the rallies, particularly with her favored forehand.

What is equally important for Chirico in this match, however, is that after her surprising run in Madrid, she ought to be brimming with confidence.  In addition to that, clay is her preferred surface and Roland Garros her favorite tournament.  Furthermore, outside her title run in Kaohsiung, Williams has struggled to win back-to-back matches, so she is not exactly in a good place mentally.  On the flipside, she does have more experience than Chirico, who is contesting just the third major of her career, but will that be enough?

Odds probably favor the experience and more powerful game of Williams to get through this encounter, but based on current form, it is no guarantee.  Chirico has the game and has the confidence, and there is no telling if and when a young gun will break out to make her mark.  Williams is likely to avoid allowing Chirico to do that on Thursday, but do not be surprised if the American upstart gets the better of her.