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France, Serena, Sharapova, Sock lead 2015 French Open midterm grades
PARIS – Halfway through the 2015 French Open, the second major of the year, let’s hand out some grades. While two of the top five women's seeds in Simona Halep and Caroline Wozniacki have dropped out, Maria Sharapova looks to raise the trophy for the third time, while Petra Kvitova and Serena Williams are still in the game to deny the defending champ her triumph. And while a matchup with Novak Djokovic looms in the quarterfinals, Rafael Nadal must first go through American Jack Sock to claim his tenth French Open title, as Roger Federer and Andy Murray still remain in the running as well.
As usual, all marks will be distributed on a belle curve. As of Saturday evening local time, here are our midterm grades.
A
The Short List of contenders
The men’s Big Four, Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova are all still in contention. Most have hardly had to sweat.
Day 7 recap: Serena rallies to beat Azarenka, top men dominate
France
The French Open, indeed. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Gael Monfils, Richard Gasquet, Jeremy Chardy and Gilles Simon are still alive, as is Alize Cornet on the women’s side.
Switzerland
Apart from Federer and Wawrinka, Timea Bacsinszky makes it to Week Two. And Martina Hingis is the odds on favorite to take doubles.
Jack Sock
He’s been saying all spring how much he likes clay. And he put his mouth where forehand is, blazing to round four. Now a date with Nadal awaits.
Ryan Shane and Jamie Loeb
The Virginia junior and UNC sophomore won the his and hers NCAA singles titles. Virginia and Vanderbilt won the team titles.
• MORE FRENCH OPEN: Sock becomes youngest U.S. man since Sampras to make French Open R4
A-minus
Mirjana Lucic Baroni
One of these heartstring stories that tennis furnishes from time-to-time, perhaps to balance the narratives of injury and burnout. MLB played tremendously in her win against Halep, simply hitting the third seed off the court. Then she lost a winnable match against Cornet when she tightened in the third set.
Thanasi Kokkanakis
The Aussie teen plays with poise that belies this age. Two strong wins to start—one a heroic five-setter over Bernie Tomic—and a nothing-to-be-ashamed-of effort against Djokovic.
• MORE FRENCH OPEN: France's top men look to make run at home
B
The Sunday start
It’s a boon for the fans, who have an extra weekend day to attend. It’s a boon for the tournament, which can sell an extra session, as well as an extra day of weekend television. The players—not unreasonably—resent the imposition. The easy solution: keep the session, but let it be reflected in the prize money.
Steve Johnson
A terrific win his first match, a five-set grind-a-thon against seeded Guillermo Garcia Lopez. An expected win in his second match against Sergiy Stakhovsky, no one’s clay court specialist. But Johnson simply couldn't get his teeth into his third rounder against Stan Wawrinka.
Gael Monfils
It wouldn’t be week one of the French Open without LeMonf playing a thoroughly unnecessary and thoroughly enthralling five-setter. This year, we got two.
• DAILY DATA VIZ: The ups and downs of flashy Frenchman Monfils
French crowds
Sharapova's strong first and second serves show her mental toughness
They get a bad rap for their fickle fandom. (Both Serena and Sharapova have already been booed.) But they know their tennis. The folks at home see empty seats in the regions. (A problem that plagues most tournaments.) What they miss: the masses crowding the practice courts and wreathing the outer courts, watching up-and-comers.
Alexa Glatch
All credit to the Californienne for her for qualifying effort. This has echoes of Brian Baker’s comeback story from several years ago. But Glatch let a winnable match—leading to an encounter against Serena Williams—slip by in round one, against Anna-Lena Friedsam.
Americans
With Sock leading the charge, there have been some individual bright spots for the states. But, overall, a modest first week.
B-minus
Sexy picks
Dominic Thiem? Karolina Pliskova? Anna Schmiedlova? David Goffin? Each showed glimpses of potential. But none remain in the draw.
C
Genie Bouchard
This is to sophomore slumps what the FIFA is to a p.r. challenge. A top player a year ago, the Canadian has lost eight of nine matches and is—as she gamely admits—lost right now.
Women’s seeds
Celebrities at the French Open
2016
Leonardo DiCaprio
2016
Tim Roth and his wife Nikki Butler
2015
Hugh Grant
2014
Prince
2014
Benedict Cumberbatch
2014
Owen Wilson
2013
Leonardo DiCaprio and Lukas Haas
2013
Forest Whitaker
2013
Redfoo and SkyBlu of LMFAO
2011
Bradley Cooper
2011
Salma Hayek
2011
Bar Refaeli
2011
Pippa Middleton
2010
Jay-Z and Beyonce
2010
Brooklyn Decker
2010
Grace Jones
2009
Eva Longoria and Tony Parker
2009
Hayden Christensen and Rachel Bilson
2009
Anna Wintour
2007
Antonio Banderas
2007
Don Johnson
2006
Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn
2006
Kristin Scott Thomas
2006
Jean Reno
2006
Bec Cartwright
2006
Boris Yeltsin
2005
Danni Minogue
2002
Matthew Perry
2001
Sean Connery
2001
Bill Clinton
1987
Jerry Lewis
Including Bouchard, five of the top 10 don't get out of week one. Pick a side: instability at the top versus depth of field.
Grigor Dimitrov
Another tournament, another triumph of style over substance. Nifty strokes and a crisp outfit. But the No. 10 seed couldn't even muster a set in his first match.
French Open security
Given the history—both at this event and in Paris this year— how does anyone run onto the court un-accosted (and un-Lacosted)?
Fashion
With Stan Wawrinka's shorts leading the way, it has not been a strong event for attire.
Roland Garros expansion
In the most underreported story of Week One, the Paris city council rejected the expansion plans, an unmistakable blow to the tournament. As a colleague at L’Equipe put it: “Especially in Paris, here’s a big difference between drawing up fancy [architectural] renderings and actually getting construction approved.”
GALLERY: FRENCH OPEN FASHION HITS AND MISSES
French Open 2015 Fashion Hits and Misses
MISS: Lucas Pouille, Nick Kyrgios, Thanasi Kokkinakis, Mahesh Bhupathi
The kit is actually fine. But so many young players are wearing it that it feels like a team uniform.
HIT: Alize Cornet
HIT: Madison Keys
Ana Ivanovic
HIT: Kei Nishikori
HIT: Eugenie Bouchard
MISS: Rafael Nadal
The blue looks great against the red clay but did he really need *that* much blue?
HIT: Ana Ivanovic
HIT: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
HIT: Tomas Berdych
HIT: Novak Djokovic
HIT: Richard Gasquet
HIT: David Goffin
HIT: Jack Sock
MISS: Teresa Torro Flor
MISS: Stan Wawrinka
The shorts are so shocking they actually distract from the 70s-inspired polo.
HIT: Marin Cilic
MISS: Fabio Fognini
The Hawaii-themed headband doesn't quite make sense.
HIT: Gael Monfils
HIT: Roger Federer
HIT: Roger Federer
HIT: Maria Sharapova
HIT: Caroline Wozniacki
MISS: Victoria Azarenka
Love the shorts! Hate the one-note color.
HIT: Julia Goerges
HIT: Elina Svitolina
HIT: Carla Suarez Navarro
HIT: Garbine Muguruza
HIT: Angelique Kerber
HIT: Serena Williams
Serena Williams
HIT: Petra Kvitova
HIT: Kristina Mladenovic
HIT: Simona Halep
Fabio Fognini
HIT: Alize Lim
MISS: Sloane Stephens
The peach color is a little washed out. Would have loved to see it in bolder tones.
Borna Coric
Nick Kyrgios
Bernard Tomic
HIT: Simone Bolelli
HIT: Andy Murray
HIT: Venus Williams
MISS: Kaia Kanepi
Those socks!
HIT: Heather Watson
HIT: Dominic Thiem
MISS: Agnieszka Radwanska
Sadly we never got to see this disco ball on a sunny day.
MISS: Taro Daniel
Those shoulders.
HIT: Roberta Vinci
MISS: Karin Knapp
Worst women's dress of the year?
HIT: Sam Stosur
HIT: Luca Vanni
HIT: Yanina Wickmayer
HIT: Amandine Hesse
MISS: Diego Schwartzman
Did a red sock sneak its way into the laundry?
HIT: Ajla Tomljanovic
Jon Wertheim is a senior writer for Sports Illustrated and has been part of the full-time SI writing staff since 1997, largely focusing on the tennis beat , sports business and social issues, and enterprise journalism. In addition to his work at SI, he is a correspondent for "60 Minutes" and a commentator for The Tennis Channel. He has authored 11 books and has been honored with two Emmys, numerous writing and investigative journalism awards, and the Eugene Scott Award from the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Wertheim is a longtime member of the New York Bar Association (retired), the International Tennis Writers Association and the Writers Guild of America. He has a bachelor's in history from Yale University and received a law degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He resides in New York City with his wife, who is a divorce mediator and adjunct law professor. They have two children.