Event of the Day: French Open Day 15
Our event of the day is the 15th and final day of the 2018 French Open at Roland Garros in Paris. The second Grand Slam tournament of the season finishes with the men’s singles final match between defending champion Rafael Nadal of Spain and the Austrian Dominic Thiem. Nadal, the world number one, is aiming to win his 11th Roland-Garros final. He has been victorious in all of his French Open finals and he is unprecedented in winning ten singles titles at the same major tournament. On the other hand, Thiem is featuring in his first Grand Slam final, after finally getting past the French Open semi-finals, where he has been stopped in the two previous years.
The ‘Dominator’ beat the tournament’s biggest surprise, Marco Cecchinato from Italy, in the last four, in straight sets – 7-5, 7-6 (12-10), 6-1. Nadal was equally impressive against the Argentinian Juan Martín del Potro – 6-4, 6-1, 6-2. Thiem has three wins in his nine matches with the Spaniard so far, all on clay, including the last one, a month ago in Madrid when he won 2 sets to love. However, Nadal has won in straight sets in their only two Grand Slam clashes to date – last season’s French Open semi-final and in a second round Paris duel in 2014. Who will triumph on the court Philippe Chatrier in today’s showdown? The ‘King of Clay’ or the ‘Prince of Clay’? Will Rafa get his 11th Coupe des Mousquetaires or will Thiem win his maiden Grand Slam? Don’t miss today’s match to find out.
Honourable mentions around the globe go to the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal. Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel won the pole position in Saturday’s qualifying in front of Max Verstappen from Red Bull in third and Valtteri Bottas of Mercedes in second. It’s Day 2 of the men’s tournament and Day 3 of the women’s tournament of the World Rugby Sevens Series at the Stade Jean-Bouin in Paris. There is a Friendly Football International between Austria and Brazil at the Ernst-Happel-Stadion in Vienna. It’s the fifth and final day of the 1st Test match between West Indies and Sri Lanka at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain; whilst Ireland Women and New Zealand Women play their 2nd ODI at the Vineyard in Dublin. It’s the fourth and last day of both, the European Tour’s Shot Clock Masters at the Diamond Country Club in Atzenbrugg and the PGA Tour’s FedEx St Jude Classic at the TPC Southwind in Memphis. In the AFL, Fremantle face the Adelaide Crows at the Perth Stadium in Burswood. A Diamond League meeting, Bauhaus-Galan, takes place at Stockholm Olympic Stadium in Stockholm. In the MLB, the Los Angeles Dodgers meet the Atlanta Braves at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. In sailing, the 2018 Volvo Ocean Race continues with Leg 10 starting in the Port of Cardiff.
Whatever you’re watching, enjoy!
Photos by Roland Garros