French Open 2020: Serena Wants More, Djokovic under Scrutiny

Serena Williams holds the trophy after winning the French Open in 2015. (AP)
Serena Williams holds the trophy after winning the French Open in 2015. (AP)
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French Open 2020: Serena Wants More, Djokovic under Scrutiny

Serena Williams holds the trophy after winning the French Open in 2015. (AP)
Serena Williams holds the trophy after winning the French Open in 2015. (AP)

Serena Williams won her first Grand Slam title at age 17 and now that she’s pushing 40, she’s still making it to the late stages of major tournaments.

Impressive as that might be, it’s not enough for her. She wants a 24th Grand Slam singles trophy.

“A semifinal is always great. Is it great for me? Absolutely not. That’s just how I feel. That’s how I always feel,” Williams said in Paris on Saturday, her 39th birthday and the day before the pandemic-postponed French Open begins.

“I mean, I’m in a position in my career where I cannot be satisfied,” she said. “I don’t want to sit here and say, ‘Oh, I’m happy.’ Because I’m not.”

Since setting an Open-era record with her 23rd major singles championship at the 2017 Australian Open while pregnant, Williams has reached four Grand Slam finals, losing each. She made it to the semifinals at the US Open two weeks ago, when she stretched her left Achilles tendon and lost in three sets to Victoria Azarenka.

Only one player in tennis history has won more Grand Slam singles titles: Margaret Court, who collected 24 across the amateur and professional eras.

“I wouldn’t be playing if I didn’t think I could perform,” said Williams, who flew from New York to Paris to rehab her Achilles and train on clay courts at her coach’s academy. “I’m not at 100%, physically. But I don’t know any athlete that ever plays ... when they’re feeling perfect.”

As for turning 39?

“I honestly never thought I would be playing at my age. I mean, I don’t quite look 39,” Williams joked. “But, yeah, I don’t know when it’s going to stop for me. I just have fun. When I feel it’s over, it’s over. But I could have guaranteed and pretty much bet my life that I would not have been playing at 39. This is why I don’t bet.”

Here are other things to know about the 2020 French Open:

Djokovic’s emotions
Novak Djokovic already would have been closely watched in Paris — he is, after all, ranked No. 1 and seeded No. 1 and won five of seven Grand Slam tournaments to raise his total to 17 major titles, closing the gap with Roger Federer (20) and Rafael Nadal (19).

Now Djokovic’s every emotion could be scrutinized at a tournament he won in 2016, because it his first Grand Slam appearance since getting disqualified at the US Open this month for accidentally hitting a line judge with a ball hit in anger after dropping a game in the fourth round.

“That’s something that is obviously staying in my mind after what happened in New York. It’s going to stay there for a long time. Of course, I will make sure I don’t make the same mistake twice. It happened. Whatever happened, happened. I had to accept it and move on. Of course, it was a shock for me and a lot of people. But that’s life, that’s sport. These things can happen,” Djokovic said Saturday.

“But I don’t think that this will have any significant negative impact on how I feel on the tennis court.”

He noted his title last week at the Italian Open in his return to action.

“I did not feel any kind of emotional disturbance or difficulty to actually be able to play or still express my emotions in whatever way,” Djokovic said. “Of course, I try to keep my negative reactions on the court as (few) as possible. But I guess it happens as well. I’m not going to be down on myself because of that.”

Covid and fewer fans
It seems quite clear that the coronavirus will hover over the French Open much like it did the US Open, with test results as newsworthy as tennis results. After all, the COVID-19 outbreak is why the tournament was moved from May until now. More than a half-dozen players already were dropped from competition — qualifying or the main draw — either because they tested positive in Paris or came in contact with someone who did.

One former member of the Top 10 and a past Grand Slam semifinalist, Fernando Verdasco, said he was kicked out of the French Open because of what he believes was a false positive.

With the number of virus cases in France growing, daily spectators will be limited to 1,000, with 750 ticket-holders (who will be selected by lottery) and 250 people in VIP or sponsor seating.

“It’s not the tournament I played in before,” eighth-seeded Frenchman Gael Monfils said. “It won’t be the same tournament I dreamed of.”

Rain and chill
Brrrr. With a fall-time French Open replacing the usual spring-time setting, the forecast calls for near-daily rain — good thing there is finally a $55 million retractable roof on Court Philippe Chatrier — and temperatures in the low 60s Fahrenheit (around 16-18 Celsius) during Week 1.

“A little bit weird,” 2018 champion Simona Halep said. “It is a little bit too cold, to be honest.”

She and other players have noted that the chill can affect play, too, making balls zip through the air less quickly.

On the other hand, this was 2016 French Open champion Garbiñe Muguruza’s take on the circumstances: “I don’t really care (about) the weather or the month. I’m just happy to be here competing.”



'Not at the Level': Atletico Left to Ruminate after Club World Cup KO

Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann and his team-mate Julian Alvarez react after Club World Cup elimination on Monday. Patrick T. Fallon / AFP
Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann and his team-mate Julian Alvarez react after Club World Cup elimination on Monday. Patrick T. Fallon / AFP
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'Not at the Level': Atletico Left to Ruminate after Club World Cup KO

Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann and his team-mate Julian Alvarez react after Club World Cup elimination on Monday. Patrick T. Fallon / AFP
Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann and his team-mate Julian Alvarez react after Club World Cup elimination on Monday. Patrick T. Fallon / AFP

For all the excuses -- and there have been many -- one line from Antoine Griezmann cut straight to the heart of the matter after Atletico Madrid's Club World Cup elimination.

"We have to look at ourselves and see that there are times when we are not at the level and we have to resolve that," said the veteran French forward.

Griezmann's goal earned Atletico a 1-0 win over Botafogo on Monday but the Brazilian side progressed ahead of the Spaniards on goal difference to reach the Club World Cup last 16, reported AFP.

Atletico were left licking their wounds, just like they were after failing to win a major trophy this season.

Their controversial Champions League last 16 elimination by Real Madrid after Julian Alvarez's "double-touch" penalty left Atletico raging at referees, UEFA and their arch-rivals.

They spiraled and blamed that for their capitulation in La Liga, which they led at Christmas, while Simeone insisted a Copa del Rey semi-final defeat by Barcelona was something the club had to accept.

"We are trying to keep improving to get closer and closer to the teams above us and to accept the place we are," said the Argentine coach.

However Atletico, who won La Liga in 2014 and 2021, and finished runners-up in the 2014 and 2016 Champions League final, have been far closer to the elite than they are right now.

Some players at the club understand that, like Griezmann and goalkeeper Jan Oblak, while others do not seem to.

"We'll keep rattling the cages of those at the top," pledged Marcos Llorente after the group stage elimination in the United States.

Atletico were upset that some penalty appeals were ignored during the win over Botafogo in Pasadena.

"I've never seen anything like it, to be honest, I think we should have been awarded two penalties," complained winger Giuliano Simeone, the coach's son.

"I think the decisions are not favoring us at all -- in all the debatable ones, we have to play against that."

'It takes work'

It was Atletico's opening 4-0 thrashing by Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain that cost them qualification and also showed how far they are from the game's peak.

Simeone has been in charge since 2011 and many would say he is the greatest coach in the club's history, but in recent years questions have grown around whether he is the man to drive Atletico further.

The last trophy they won was La Liga four years ago.

"I'm sad to be eliminated, we got six points from three games. We won two," said Simeone.

As has so often proven the case in recent years, it was not enough.

In some quarters of the Spanish media, former Rojiblanco defender Filipe Luis, coach of Brazilian side Flamengo -- who have made it through to the last 16 -- has been linked as a future Atletico coach.

"They've had a long season... let's hope the next one is better for them," said retired Atletico great Sergio Aguero, but with the team not progressing, some fans are losing their hope.

Griezmann, who signed a new contract with Atletico at the start of the summer and ended a 18-game goal drought against Botafogo, believes it will take elbow grease.

"It takes work, and it's a problem deeper and more to do within the team than the referees," he added, as Atletico packed their bags for home.

"We have to focus on what we have to improve, on what we have to do to win these games."