There were some awful conditions for the players to deal with in Paris on Friday and we have yet to see the line up for both Singles Finals after the Novak Djokovic versus Dominic Thiem Semi Final had to be interrupted until Saturday.
The Roger Federer-Rafael Nadal rivalry was renewed on the clay courts but once again it was the Spaniard who won the match. I think it says plenty about the conditions when Federer mentioned merely getting the ball back onto the court was a success on the day, but the match up has always been a difficult one for him as Nadal reaches yet another Final here.
The two women's matches were filled with drama on Friday and I am not sure I agree with the negativity of seeing neither played on the main court at Roland Garros. Both matches were deserving on the day with the quality produced by the four players, but the way the organisers have tried to increase their financial pull from the tournament by asking people to buy two separate sessions for the men's Semi Finals played on that court meant they were backed into a corner.
They really had no choice and I am looking at this from a paying customer's point of view. If I have bought tickets for the first Semi Final and that is Roger Federer versus Rafael Nadal I am not going to be happy if a women's match is played first and goes three hours before the rain comes and I don't get to see the match I paid for.
In hindsight the women's matches didn't go that long, but there was the potential for that on a day when the organisers knew it would be full of delays and potentially shortened as it was.
And then imagine if you had tickets for the second Semi Final and find out you don't get to see any of it because a women's match had been played on the court first.
Ultimately the organisers had no choice and having both women's Semi Finals played early gives the winners the best chance of recovery ahead of the Final which will take centre stage on Saturday. Credit to Amanda Anisimova and Johanna Konta for making the Semi Final and I hope neither dwells too long on the opportunities they had to win the match.
I do think both can come again, particularly Anisimova who I believe is going to win a Slam on all of the surfaces and is a future World Number 1 in the making. But for now the attention is deservedly on Ashleigh Barty and Marketa Vondrousova who will play in the Final after the Djokovic-Thiem match is concluded.
Ashleigh Barty - 2.5 games v Marketa Vondrousova: A surprising Final has been set in the women's tournament at the French Open as Ashleigh Barty and Marketa Vondrousova were able to hold themselves together through nerves and terrible conditions in Paris on Friday. They spent almost the exact same amount of time on the court to beat Amanda Anisimova and Johanna Konta respectively and now have to return to the court twenty-four hours later for the Final.
Both players are going to be feeling very good about their chances of winning the match, but I really do think it is going to come down to who can handle the nerves the best. There is no doubt it is going to be nervy when you think it is a maiden Grand Slam Final for both Barty and Vondrousova and these are the moments when players can wonder if this is going to be the best opportunity for them to win a Slam as a Singles player.
I do think Barty and Vondrousova have shown enough to think they can do this again, but it may depend on the way this Final goes. For both I can see it being a springboard to more successes while the losing player could take a few weeks to get over things, but both Barty and Vondrousova need to keep that far from their minds.
Ashleigh Barty has dropped two sets on her way through to the Final and Marketa Vondrousova has yet to drop a single set, but I do think that could potentially help the Australian. She has shown she can recover from disappointment having recovered from a set and a break down to win her Semi Final and we have yet to see how Vondrousova will react if she does fall a set behind.
The Czech lefty should be respected for the battle she showed in overcoming Johanna Konta by saving two set points in the first set. In both sets she broke the British player's serve when she was serving for the set too so there is a real steel there, but Vondrousova may still need to play her best match of the tournament to overcome Barty.
Over the course of the clay court season I would say Marketa Vondrousova has played the slightly superior tennis to Ashleigh Barty, but it is the Australian who has impressed most in Paris. The favourite has played at a more consistent level and Vondrousova is going to have to dig in deep to win this one as she has been able to do in a couple of the tougher matches here against Carla Suarez Navarro, Petra Martic and Johanna Konta.
Being able to come through the difficult moments within the match will help her when it gets tough in this one, but Ashleigh Barty's serve might put her on the front foot. Marketa Vondrousova has returned very well in the French Open and I do think she will have her successes, but her own serve is one that Barty can attack and she also holds the head to head lead which may serve her well, although none of those previous matches have been on a clay court.
Ashleigh Barty doesn't have a bad record against a lefty opponent over the last twelve months and if you take out Petra Kvitova she has some strong numbers in those matches. I do think the backhand can be a weakness for the Australian as she doesn't always feel confident in hitting through the court off that wing, but I am looking for the Barty first serve to prove to be the difference maker on the day.
I think both players are here to stay and they can come again, but it is Barty who I am looking for to play the slightly more consistent tennis which can see her come through and win her maiden Grand Slam. The conditions remain difficult which could cause problems for both players, but I like Barty in a good looking Final.
MY PICKS: Ashleigh Barty - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
French Open Update: 58-49, + 8.49 Units (213 Units Staked, + 3.99% Yield)
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