Last modification: 07/06/09
 -  Amélie Mauresmo - French Open - Jo-Wilfried Tsonga - Rafael Nadal - Roger Federer - tennis
 
French Open 2009
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During the French Open, tennis's pre-eminent clay-court event, from May 24 to June 7, follow games, results and rankings live via Twitter on FRANCE24.com
Like a prelude to summer holidays, the French Open is back with its VIP guests and the occasional threatening rain cloud. In France, it's a time when bored office workers, exam-addled students and Parisian socialites grab every chance they get to keep tabs on the results. This year, like every other, most people have their ideas about who the finalists will be. But every year offers its surprises. The shocking defeat of four-time champion Rafael Nadal put an end to his dreams of winning a fifth consecutive title and opened up the court for a new champion to emerge. The architect of his defeat, Sweden's Robin Söderling, continues to power his way through the tournament. The women have also seen their share of upsets, with Venus Williams being eliminated early on, while her sister Serena dispatched her opponent in a decisive 53-minute match to move on to the quarter-finals.

  • FRENCH OPEN
    Today at the French Open
    Today’s French Open programme.
  • FRENCH OPEN
    Kuznetsova lifts women's title at Roland Garros
    Seventh seed Svetlana Kuznetsova staged an upset at the French Open as she beat fellow Russian Dinara Safina in straight sets (6-4, 6-2) to clinch the women's title, four years after winning her first Grand Slam at Flushing Meadows.
  • FRENCH OPEN
    Federer wins first title at Roland Garros, equals 14-win record
    Roger Federer became only the sixth man to win all four Grand Slam titles by beating Sweden's Robin Soderling in straight sets (6-1, 7-6, 6-4) in the final of the French Open, equalling the 14 Grand Slam wins record set by Pete Sampras.
  • FRENCH OPEN
    Del Potro hammers Robredo, sets up Federer clash
    Argentina's Juan Martin Del Potro (pictured) eased past Spain's Tommy Robredo in three sets (6-3, 6-4, 6-2) in their quarter final clash. Del Potro will now face Roger Federer in the semis, after the man from Basel ousted France's Gaël Monfils.

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  • FRENCH OPEN
    Balls and balloons at the Roland Garros museum
    Tucked in behind court N.1 lies Roland Garros's “Tenniseum,” where visitors can witness the world of tennis brought to life in the wonderful realm of comic strips.
  • FRENCH OPEN
    Del Potro hammers Robredo, sets up Federer clash
    Argentina's Juan Martin Del Potro (pictured) eased past Spain's Tommy Robredo in three sets (6-3, 6-4, 6-2) in their quarter final clash. Del Potro will now face Roger Federer in the semis, after the man from Basel ousted France's Gaël Monfils.
  • FRENCH OPEN
    France's last hope, Gaël Monfils, loses to Federer
    Roger Federer reached his 20th consecutive Grand Slam semi-final on Wednesday with a 7-6 (8/6), 6-2, 6-4 win over France's Gaël Monfils (photo), dashing the home crowd's last hope of seeing a Frenchman reach Sunday's final.
  • FRENCH OPEN
    Kuznetsova ousts Serena Williams to meet Stosur in semis
    Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova (pictured) finally got the better of America's Serena Williams after a three-hour quarter-final duel at the French Open to set up a semi-final clash with in-form Australian Samantha Stosur.
  • FRENCH OPEN
    'Stone Hand' gives Murray a beating, sets up Soderling clash
    Britain's Andy Murray (photo) crashed out of the French Open after losing in four sets to Chile's Fernando Gonzalez. The Chilean, nicknamed Stone Hand, will now face Robin Soderling, who earlier thumped Nikolay Davydenko in the semi-finals.
  • FRENCH OPEN
    Sharapova comeback falls short, Safina powers into semis
    While former world number one Maria Sharapova (photo) saw her dream of a comeback shattered by Slovakia's Dominika Cibulkova, top seed Dinara Safina defeated Belarusian Victoria Azarenka to reach the semi-finals.
  • FRENCH OPEN
    France's Monfils beats Roddick in straight sets
    Sixth-seed Andy Roddick followed Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic out of the French Open after losing in straight sets to home favourite Gael Monfils. Roddick walked away in disgust after having repeatedly complained of poor light to the umpire.
  • FRENCH OPEN
    Federer survives Hass scare to reach quarter-finals
    Roger Federer has beaten Germany's Tommy Haas 6-7 5-7 6-4 6-0 6-2 to reach the quarter-finals of the French. The 27-year-old Swiss was two sets and 3-4 down facing a break point, but went on to win the next eight games.
  • FRENCH OPEN
    Safina powers on, Ivanovic heads home
    Top-ranked Dinara Safina easily swept aside France’s Aravane Rezai 6-1, 6-0 to reach the French Open's quarter-finals. The Russian will go up against Belarussian Victoria Azarenka who brushed away defending champion Ana Ivanovic.
  • FRENCH OPEN
    Serena Williams qualifies for quarter-finals in less than an hour
    Serena Williams dominated the match in her victory against Canadian Aleksandra Wozniak, winning 6-1, 6-2 in 53 minutes. The US second seed will meet either Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova or Pole Agnieszka Radwanska in the French Open quarter-finals.
  • TENNIS
    Four-time champion Nadal crashes out of French Open
    Defending champion Rafael Nadal was knocked out of Roland Garros in the fourth round, beaten 6-2, 6-7, 6-4, 7-6 by Sweden's Robin Soderling in one of the greatest upsets in the French Open's history.
  • FRENCH OPEN
    A complicated last 16 awaits Aravane Rezai
    Playing for the first time in the fourth round of the French Open, France’s Aravane Rezai faces top-ranked player Dinara Safina. It's a big challenge for Rezai, who has only won a single title in her career.
  • FRENCH OPEN
    Federer, Monfils and Tsonga through to last 16
    Gael Monfils (pictured) and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga fired up the French fans at Roland Garros on Saturday as both stormed into the last 16. There were joined later by Roger Federer who beat Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu.
  • FRENCH OPEN
    Roddick impresses, Dementieva crashes out
    Andy Roddick gave a dazzling performance at Roland Garros on Saturday to beat Frenchman Marc Gicquel in three sets. But it was a different story for the women's fourth seed, Russian Elena Dementieva, who was defeated by Australia's Samantha Stosur.
  • FRENCH OPEN
    Venus Williams flames out of tournament
    Five-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams (pictured) suffered a humiliating 6-0, 6-4 defeat against Hungary's Agnes Szavay in the third round of Roland Garros. The American lost at the same stage of the tournament in 2007 and 2008.
  • FRENCH OPEN
    Federer and Venus Williams qualify for next round
    World number two Roger Federer managed to qualify for the French Open's third round after a hard battle against Argentine's Jose Acasuso. Venus Williams, the third-seed, had to save a match point. Five Frenchmen will play the next stage.
  • FRENCH OPEN
    Farewell to Santoro, the French 'Magician'
    Roland Garros bid farewell to one of its darlings Wednesday, the startling 36-year-old "Magician", Fabrice Santoro. The Frenchman was unable to pull off one of his baffling feats as he lost to Belgium's Christophe Rochus in four sets.
  • FRENCH OPEN
    Nadal storms into last 32, Ouanna defeats Safin
    After a difficult first round, the world number one, Rafael Nadal, had a much easier time against Teimuraz Gabashvili of Russia and qualified for the last 32, as did the Frenchman Josselin Ouanna by defeating former number one Marat Safin.
  • FRENCH OPEN
    A good day for the French: wins for Gicquel, Razzano and Monfils
    French players Marc Gicquel, Virginie Razzano and Gaël Monfils gave con brio performances in the first round of the French open, while Michael Llodra was no match for Juan Martin Del Potro.
  • FRENCH OPEN
    France’s Rufin beats Argentina’s Schwank in surprise victory
    By winning his way to the next round under a scorching sun, Guillaume Rufin, ranked 599 in the world, was a surprise hit at Roland Garros. The 19-year-old Frenchman ably defeated the Argentine Eduardo Schwank in three sets (6-1, 6-3, 6-3).
  • FRENCH OPEN
    Safina: "I played my game and that was hard for Keothavong"
    World number one Dinara Safina made light work of her opponent, Anne Keothavong, in two sets (6-0, 6-0). With her victory, Safina positioned herself as the tournament favourite.
  • FRENCH OPEN
    Amelie Mauresmo knocked out in first round
    French hope Amelie Mauresmo was humiliatingly knocked out in the first round of the French Open on Sunday, losing in two sets (6-4, 6-3) to German player Anna-Lena Groenefeld, ranked 51st in the world.
  • ROLAND GARROS
    Nadal handed tough path to fifth French Open title
    World number one Rafael Nadal faces a treacherous task in his bid to win a fifth consecutive French Open title as he faces potential clashes with former world number one Lleyton Hewitt and Spanish compatriots David Ferrer and Fernando Verdasco.
  • TENNIS
    Roland-Garros' new face revealed amid opposition
    The French Tennis Federation turned to architect Marc Mimram to improve and expand the site of Roland Garros, home of the French Open, but has yet to obtain a building permit from the Paris planning authorities.
  • ROLAND GARROS
    Top women contenders' strengths, weaknesses
    Tennis seems to course through the veins of Dinara Safina as well as Venus and Serena Williams: the female top three share the same powerful serve and indomitable spirit. But France's Amelie Mauresmo has got back into top shape just in time.
  • ROLAND GARROS
    Strengths and weaknesses of the top male contenders
    Roland Garros favourite Rafael Nadal seems well on his way to sweeping a record fifth successive French Open title, although he may come across a few impressive contenders along the way.
  • ROLAND GARROS
    French tennis relies on the old guard
    With the four young 'Musketeers' down to two, Alize Cornet not in the best of shape and Marion Bartoli uneasy on clay, Amelie Mauresmo (photo) seems to be France's only hope at this year's Roland Garros tournament.
  • TENNIS - ROLAND GARROS
    2008 French Open
    From May 25 to June 8, the world's tennis elite meets in Paris for the season's most prestigious clay tournament: the French Open at Roland Garros.

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