9.51 pm: Djokovic wins the second in a tie-break, while Ferrer and Cipolla are also 2-0. Hernandez is two up and 3-1 in the third, while Garcia Lopez also has a two-set advantage, and it's gone with serve 2-2 in the second. And that's your lot. 11 hours of tennis, you lucky, lucky lot. Well done for sticking it out. Nadal got through, but we lost Roddick, Blake, Petrova, Gonzalez, Mayer...
Tomorrow's schedule is up, and you can see it here: http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/scores/schedule/index.html
Loit-Sharapova is first up - read about it here: http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/index.html
I won't be in until 4 pm tomorrow, so be nice to my colleagues while you wait. You never know, you might prefer them... Til then, take care, and thanks for keeping me company today.
9.33 pm: Bjorkman wins an epic. Karlovic next up for him. Djoker's still there...
9.30 pm: And to think you guys begrudged me a lunch break about 8 1/2 hours ago (I went for dinner a while back and you never noticed...) Moya leads 2-1 but Seppi is 4-0 up in the fourth. They might need torches if this goes to a fifth. Hernandez whitewashes the second and at that pace might have time to finish things off tonight before the sun sets. Ferrer won the first and is half way through the second against Bracciali. Blake is serving to save the match and... LOSES! Another top ten seed out. The No.8 loses to Croat Ivo Karlovic 7-5 in the fourth. Well I never. Ivo's ecstatic and throws his towel into the crowd. He'll face Bjorkman or Lukzac next up - probably the former, who is 5-1 up in the decider. Djoker's still out there, 5-5 in the second. He lives in London so he's used to murky light.
9.15 pm: I can't believe you're all still out there, let alone me... Apparently I need to improve my Latin. Non sum felix to audire that. Moya makes it two sets to one against Seppi, Bjorkman takes the fourth set 6-3 so they'll stay out there for a while yet (the sky is as bright as it's been all day, no artificial lights, Helma.) Recouderc beats Querrey 6-3 in the decider, to set up a second round clash with the Djoker or Giraldo (going with serve in the second, Djoker won the first). And if I wait about a minute before pressing "publish", Gilles Simon will have dumped Vince Spadea the American Gladi-ader out of the tournament, 6-3 in the fourth. Simon will play fellow Frenchman PHM in the second round.
9 pm: Good morning Melbourne! I haven't been to bed yet and you're already at work. I bet you finish your shift before I finish mine...Hartfield takes the first from Ginepri, Guzman and Hernandez need a TB, Giraldo breaks the Djoker in the second...
8.50 pm: The winners of the last three tournaments are through. Gaudio finally triumphs over Gicquel 6-3 in the decider and will face Hewitt in the next round. That man Nadal also got through, after a scare in the opening set. It was an SS job in the end, 5, 3 and 2. He'll face Gabashvili or Cipolla in the second round, who are currently disputing a tight first set. Elsewhere, Brzezicki is two sets to one up on Kendrick, Moya and Seppi are a set all, Djokovic took the first 6-3 from Giraldo, Karlovic took the third over Blake, Garcia-Lopez won 7-5 in the first but Berdych leads 3-1 in the second. Gilles Simon took the third from Vince Spadea, while USA's Querrey and French qualifier Recouderc are down to the wire in the fifth.
8.30 pm: Kohlschreiber finally triumphed 17-15 in the final set over Dlouhy. That's what I call giving the fans their money's worth. If Kohly can still lift a racquet after that, the No.28 seed will play Hernandez of Guzman in a few days time. Nadal breaks Del Potro again, PHM beats Maierand will play Spadea or Simon next up, with those two looking like they'll be there all night (meaning I will too, meaning you've all got to hang around as well). Djokovic and Giraldo are out on court No.3, to answer Krista, and Hartfield - Ginepri has also got underway, as has Cipolla - Gabashvili. More coffee please, Matron. Bjorkman is now only 2-1 down, having taken the third, Hajek has beaten Johansson in SS 5, 6 and 6, and will play the winner of the Hrbulihrachy battle. Henman lost 4, 3 and 2. The sun has finally set on the British Empire...
8.15 pm: Glad to hear some of you are still there, even if certain Eton scholars should be dulce et decorum est-ing it as opposed to reading my tomes. Dura lex, sed lex, Guy. Nemo auditur suam propram turpitudinem allegans. And let that be a lesson to you all. Guy also wants to know why Gonzalez lost. Because Radek is getting some Swiss coaching, simple as. More stats, is the cry form Ole in Norway. The stats are all there on the live scoreboards. Speed of serve, player tracking, percentages. Enough to keep even an American happy! http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/scores/cmatch/08ms.html then click on LIVE SCORES. Enjoy.
Nadal makes it two sets to love. Elsewhere, Gaudio is a break up in the fifth, as he should be - he was the last guy not called Nadal to win here... Spadea and Simon are level peggings after two, Hajek's a TB away from beating Johansson, Ulihrach and Hrbaty are doing that fifth set thing as well, while Bjorkman is fighting back, two sets down but 4-1 up. Zabaleta, who has priority on the letter Z with Gonzalez being out, is 2-1 in sets, 1-2 in the fourth. And local boy PHM is about to win. My colleagues will be beside themselves, I tell you.
8.05 pm: PHM leads two sets and 3-1, and Del Potro has just broken back! He's 2-4 down, but hey, a break's a break. Moya is a set up but 0-3 down in the second set to Seppi. Karlovic has equalised at one set all against No.8 seed James Blake, while Radek Stepanek, who is Martina Hingis' significant other and therefore almost as Swiss as I am, has beaten Gonzalez, the No.5 seed from Chile. We've had a few shocks today, eh folks? Stepanek will play ERV (which is how we now refer to Edouard Roger-Vasselin) in the second round.
8 pm: What a turnaround. Del Potro was 5-3 up, 30-0 and the ump overruled a call. Nadal then went on to win eight games in a row. He's still the king of clay. 1-0, 4-1 he leads. Adelina was cheering on Kristian Pless from afar and it obviously worked, as the Dane won in SS, 3, 2 and 6. The World No.81 will face Baghdatis next so will need all of Adelina's encouragement, and indeed smorresbrod, to get him through.
7.23 pm: 5-5 between Nadal and Del Potro, and 11-11, count 'em, 11-11 between Long John Dlouhy and Philipp Cabbagewriter. An epic. Titanic. Not that you lot care, you've gone home. Anyone still out there is requested to check in via multimedia@fft.fr otherwise I'll sulk.
7.16 pm: Del Potro breaks! Nadal breaks back!15 unforced errors already from the King of Clay, but he's battling out there for every point. Something's afoot here at Roland Garros...
7.10 pm: The number 3 seed is out. Roddick falls in four sets to World No. 125 Igor Andreev. He's a bandit on this surface, what did I tell you. Andreev faces Massu or Horna in the next round.
7.05 pm: The number 3 seed is fighting. For every fluffed shot, there's an ace behind it. He's saved a match point already. Gripping stuff. 5-4. Andreev to serve for the match.
7.00 pm: Jimmy Connors and Ilie Nastase are courtside for the last rites of Roddick's clay season 2007. Andreev is making every shot, Roddick is missing every chance he gets. 3-5...
6.56 pm: Roddick is shaking his head. Unforced errors have blighted his game today, and he is now two games away from an ignominious exit at the hands of Andreev. Soderling has retired, so Montanes is through to face Henman or Gulbis, probably the Latvian, who is about to take a two-set lead over a man almost twice his age. Gaudio is at 1-1, Kohly and Dlouhy are taking it to extras in the 5th, Navarro Pastor won the opener against Pashanski, Hrbaty has levelled it at 1-1 against Ulihrach, PHM (Paul-Henri Mathieu) won the first against Maier, Radek Hingis-Stepanek has taken the first set off No.5 seed Gonzalez, while Del Porto is holding Nadal at 3-3.
6.39 pm: Hewitt has SSed Mirnyi 3, 1 and 3, and the No.14 seed will face Gicquel or Gaudio next up. Call me an old stick in the mud (the address being multimedia@fft.fr if you wish to do so literally), but I just wish he'd wear that baseball cap the right way round... Lots of galleries up for you. Click on news and photos at the top.
6.37 pm: The sun continues to shine and the tennis continues to sparkle. Nadal is out on court, and is losing! Yes, losing! OK, so it's only 0-15 in the first game, but still, it gives the rest of the world hope. Andreev has broken in the fourth set - Roddick really is behind the 8-ball now. Zabaleta leads Calleri, by a set, Latvia prodigy Gulbis is one up on Tiger Tim, while Verdasco has nilled Haehnel in the fourth to win, and will face Tursunov in a few days time.
6.10 pm: Adelina is offering me Danish smørrebrød, but you're not interested in that, are you? Baghdatis lives up to his No.16 billing by despatching birthday boy Grosjean in SS, 3 2 and 4. He may well face a Dane in the second round, if Pless can beat Lu, so my smørrebrød wasn't totally irrelevant. Andreev takes the third set from Andy Roddick - now if that's not clay court banditry, I don't know what is. Ferrero has beaten Delic in four, and will face Koubek later in the week, to reply to Angeline. Dlouhy and Kohly are in a fifth set, while local boy Gicquel took the first set off Gaston Gaudio, who is not the man he once was here on the Paris clay. Nieminen is two up but a break down, while Ulihrach took the first off Hrbaty. And in better news for the Frenchies, Gael Monfils has just won a titanic battle with Oli Rochus, taking the final set 6-1. Lousy day for the Rochuses, eh?
5.45 pm: Told you he was a clay bandit, didn't I? (Scroll back down if you don't believe me). Andreev hits 12 winners, Roddick 13 unforced errors and it's one set all. Smitha can't take the pace any more and has departed, presumably to buy the chicken for the murgh chettinad she's whipping up for me. Kohlschreiber is now 2-1 up over Dlouhy, which apparently means "long" in Czech, so I'll keep my adverbs in check, as opposed to in Czech, in future. Massu is two up against Horna, and my main man Tiger Tim Henman is on court 7, in front of a packed crowd. Come on Tim, I'll be up there to watch you soon - let's turn court No.7 into another Henman Hill!
5.35 pm: Matt and Sandra are commentating up a storm on Radio Roland Garros. Feel free to mail them, or indeed yours truly, on multimedia@fft.fr . The Chronicles of Roddick continue - everyone's favourite No.3 seed is a break up in the second. Baghdatis is two up on Grosjy, Lleyton the Hew won the first over Mirnyi and Almagro has beaten Gimelstob 4,4,4. He'll square off against Llodra in round 2. Nalbandian beat Lee in four, and your friendly neighbourhood No.15 seed will face a qualifier next up. Marcos Daniel retired, leaving local nobleman (well he must be with a name like this) Edouard Roger-Vasselin through to face Gonzalez or Stepanek. Andreev breaks back, and Oli Roch, who after the retirement of his brother is now the only Rochus in the village, takes Monfils to a fifth set nail-biter of a decider. Patience leads Eysseric 2-1. Tursunov has beaten Di Mauro, and the Russian No.21 seed will now face the winners of Verdasco and Haehnel, which stands at one apiece.
5.05 pm: Monfils shrugs off his injury to win set three with a barnstormer of an ace (let's face it, most aces are barnstormers. You don't see many cheeky underarm drop shots that fall in for aces on the first serve, do you?) Baghdatis is a set and a break up on centre court over birthday boy Grosjean, while on Lenglen, Roddick has broken Andreev to lead 5-3. Hewitt is out on court against Mirnyi, while Almagro is now two up over Gimelstob. Well I never - Lee takes the third set off Nalbandian. Dlouhy is feeling a little less Dlouhy and has knotted it at 1-1 with cabbagewriter. Gajdosova took the first off Petkovic (the winner will face Marion Bartoli, don't forget - I'll be testing you on this tomorrow). Local qualifier Haehnal takes the first set off Verdasco out on court 17, much to the delight of the crowd, who are enjoying the veritable smorgasbord of tennis on offer today. Di Mauro has pulled back a set against Tursunov, and my typing fingers are beginning to hurt.
4.41 pm: I have offers of murgh chettinad in Delhi and chicken handi in Lahore. I am indeed a lucky man (I reiterate that since some of you think that all Drews are female. Only Ms Barrymore is. The rest of us are resolutely male). Any advance on those two dishes? Any Portuguese bacalhao or Danish smorgasbord on offer out there? I've had too much coffee today and am feeling a little... Dlouhy. Dlouhy incidentally is 4-2 up in the second on Kohlschreiber, which I reckon means cabbage writer in German. Conjure up some culinary delights for me while I conjure up some photo galleries for you.
4.39 pm: Monfils takes a tumble and needs treatment, but the plucky Frenchman dusts himself off and takes the second set to level matters against Oli Rochus. Speaking of Rochus', Chris Roch has been forced to retire, with Austria's Stefan Koubek going through to meet Delic or Ferrero in round 2. It's 1-1 between those two, the seed having knotted things by taking the second set. Clay court bandit Igor Andreev is out against housewives choice Andy Roddick, No.16 seed Marcos Baghdatis is 4-1 up against Seb Grosjean, whose birthday it is today. Not a very joyeux anniversaire at the moment. Lee is a break up on Nalbandian, believe it or not, Patience took the first off Eysseric in an all Bleu battle, German seed Kohlschreiber took the first off Dlouhy, and if I wait a minute, Chela will have beaten Santoro and secured a second round tie with the winner of Oli Rochus-Monfils. Yup, there it is. Four sets. Adieu Fabrice, vamos Chela.
4.14 pm: Gasquet beats Mahut in SS, 3 2 and 2. He'll face flying Vliegen next up. Chela is 2-1 up over Santoro, Almagro took the first off Gimelstob, Delic won the first set TB against No.17 seed Ferrero, which I know will disappoint a number of you, especially as the underdog has also broken in the second. Olga Savchuk has beaten Yaroslava Shvedova 5 and 5, and she'll face Sybille "Bam Bam" Bammer in the second round, the Austrian having cracked the code to beat Italy's Roberta Vinci (SS, 4 and 4). Llodra is one up on Devilder, Nalbandian two up on Lee, Laine and Castano have gone to a decider, Tursunov is two up, Koubek's 2-1 up on Chris Roch...
3.58 pm: Bartoli wins 6-2 6-4 and the No.18 seed and French No.2, and she'll face Gajdosova or Petkovic in the next round. Gasquet's two sets up, Vassallo Arguello took the fourth off Falla in a TB and thus wins. He'll face Volandri next time up. Frenchman Alexandre Sidorenko retired in the fourth, so Austria's Werner Eschauer is through. From one -enko to another, he'll face Davydenko next round - a slightly bigger fish, with no disrespect meant to the player ranked 304 in the world...
3.42 pm: Bartoli serves for the match... Oli Roch takes the first set despite a fightback from Gael my son (Monfils). Gasquet is about to take the second set from Mahut, having already snaffled the first a mere half-an-hour ago. Chela's well on the way to taking the third from Santoro, Almagro has broken Gimelstob, Savchuk has taken the first set from Shvedova, Nalbandian the first set from Lee and Vliegen has beaten Udomchoke in SS, 2 4 and 3. He'll face Gasquet or Mahut in the second round. Right, off to do some photos.
3.30 pm: My number one fan Smitha is having problems with the photo gallery link - here it is again: http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/news/photos/index.html No Timea in there yet, but she can be seen here: http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/news/articles/2007-05-24/200705241180029795000.html for Warren's benefit. She's a Swiss miss, Warren, and that's my adopted home, hence my support. And on the subject of Swissies, Stan the Man has done it - 6-4 in the fifth. Hopp Schwiiz.He'll face Ljubicic in the second round, and I know who my money's on (the Croat - I may be partisan, but I'm not daft).
In other news, Rabia, my equal number one fan, has promised me food, so I'm off to Lahore. See you on Thursday...
3.25 pm: Berlocq beat No.30 seed Benneteau in a four-hour classic, the Frenchman having made twice as many unforced errors or his opponent. He'll face Starace in the next round. Gask won the first and is up in the second, Oli Rock is 4-1 up over Monfils, Chela blanked Santoro in the second (what is happening to the Frenchies, eh?), my coffee is getting cold while I type this, Volandri has won in straight sets (SS from now on, I hope you're noting all these down), 3, 5 and 3 and will face Vassallo or Falla (4-4 in the fourth) next up. Vliegen's two sets up, Montcourt has beaten mini-Boris and will face Nieminen or Lopez, the serviette has stuck to my tarte aux pommes, Bartoli has broken, Nalbandian's out, as is Tursunov and Eschauer's a break up.
And breathe...
3.05 pm: Rezai is a break up in the second, Mahut is now only one break down to Gasquet (it was two), Berlocq and Volandri both have victory within their grasp, Koubek takes revenge on Chris Roch by taking the second set TB to make it one TB all, Eschauer is 2-1 and a break up, Bammer is 1-0 and a break up which in women's tennis is as good as 2-1 and a break up, if you see what I mean, and Chela is wiping the floor with French veteran Santoro in the second, 4-0. Ah, in the time it's taken my numble fingers to write this, Bartoli has broken back. Tennis - it's a thrill-a-minute...
2.57 pm: Sequera wins a thriller, 9-7 in the third, over Razzano (more French misery) and will face one of my favourites, Serena, in round 2. Both Rochus' are out there now, Oli about to start, so I want you to have your wits about you. Rammy Hill breaks back against Stan. Damn and blast it. Laine (known to her friends as Penny...) takes the first set over Castano, Eschauer takes the third over Sidorenko and Bammer takes the first from Vinci. The gallery is here, by the way: http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/news/photos/index.html
2.54 pm: On Chatrier, Bartoli has served successfully for the set against Rezai, Gasquet is a break up on his compatriot Mahut on Lenglen, Santoro in his 37th consecutive French Open (OK, 18th consecutive) has taken the first set on a TB against Chela, Volandri is now two up against Capdeville, Tana has beaten of ofthewater (Dellacqua) and will face Santangelo in the second round. Pauline Parmentier shepherd's pie (look it up if you don't believe me) has beaten Miriya Koryttseva and will face Li Na (Lena who?) in the second. Out on court, Chela has broken Santoro early doors in the second and Capdeville has done likewise to Volandri in the third. Berlocq also looks like he's going to oust Bennet'. Tricolors will be flying at half mast there. Montcourt is two up now on Boris jr., while Stan the Man, Wawrinka the stinka is no longer having a stinker. He's taken it to a fifth set and is 3-0 up on Rammy Hill, as I have taken to calling Ramirez Hidalgo (not to his face). If Stan can pull this one out of the fire, I'll treat him and my little Timea to a Swiss cheese salad this evening to celebrate.
2.30 pm: Now for some all male action. Monaco beats Fognini in four, he'll face the melter, as I call Melzer, in round two. Canas will face Bolelli, but you knew that already. Out on court, Sequera and Razzano are 6-6 all each apiece in the decider, Berlocq's a set away from ousting No.30 seed and French No.2 Benneteau, Tanasugarn and Dellacqua are too long for me to keep typing out so they'd better hurry up and sort out their third set, Montcourt took the opener off Ben (not Boris) Becker, Vliegen is flying past (flying? Vliegen? Gddit?) Udomchoke 5-2 in the first, Chris Rock-us is 7-6 3-2 up on Koubek, my little Swiss miss Timmy is two points from victory, while Eschauer and Sidorenko are a set all. Come on Timmy, do it for me. Yay! She does. All smiles. After all, she's a qualifier who has just won in straight sets, nilling the second one. Zheng takes defeat gracefully, while my little Timmy will face Schiavone (probably) or Meusberger in the second round.
2.22 pm: I was busy publishing photos, before any of you tear a strip off me. Galleries to come in a minute or two, if I can tear myself away from my public for a moment (no rest for the wicked). Shenay Perry beats French favourite Olivia Sanchez 6-3 in the third and will face the Roxette-haired Michaella Krajicek in the second round. Maria Kirilenko has finished off her tie in double quick time over Maria Elena Camerin and will face doubles ace Sam Stosur (on her own as opposed to with Lisa Raymond, that would be cheating) in the second. Akgul Amanmouradova, hereafter known as Akkie, beat Vania King 6-3 in the decider and will face Nicole Kidman, sorry, Vaidisova, in the second. In current action, Bartoli has broken Rezai (pronounced Rez-eye) to lead 2-1, but Aravane is far from daunted and breaks back straight away. Breakadelic.
2.05 pm: Ljubicic lives up to his No.7 billing, beating Clement in straight sets. He'll play either Stan WW or RH in the next round, that tie being 3-3 in the fourth, Ramirez obviously 2-1 up. Radio Roland Garros is back on the air, so go and listen to Eli and Araz and see whether they're as funny as I am. Or not. multimedia@fft.fr is the address you all know by heart now, especially Smitha (who chastised me for having a 30-minute lunchbreak) and Fatima (who didn't, so she's back as my number one fan).
1.59 pm: Clement takes Ljubicic to a tie-break. He's fighting here... Berlocq makes it one set all against Bennet', Volandri is back on, a set up against Capdeville, Sanchez and Perry are all square at a set a piece, Dellacqua is serving to make it one all against Tanasugarn, Montcourt is a break up on Becker, Chris Rochus - Koubek has gone to a tie-break (TB from now on, I'm a busy man), Timea Bacsinszky (my little Swiss Timea from now on) won the first on a TB (you see how much time I'm saving?) against Zheng, and Schiavone is about to take the first set 6-2 over Meusberger.
1.50 pm: The Fed Express is through, 6-4 6-2 6-4. A wave to the crowd, a chat with the courtside journalist and off he goes, signing programmes along the way. Nice chap. Legendary Swiss politeness. Six aces, no double faults. Well done that man. What do players do during their spare time, I am asked? Some of them pop off to an Italian restaurant around the corner from here where I managed to go last year but saw precisely nobody of any importance, I'm afraid, so no gossip. Otherwise, the younger ones give their thumbs a workout on video games. I'm too old for that kind of thing, obviously. So, Feddy Boy is off Chatrier, and next up is the all Mademoiselle battle of Marion Bartoli (No.18 seed) and Aravane Rezai. Should be a battle royal after Aravane's recent performances on clay.
1.43 pm: Right, where were we? Wocket Woger took the second set and is a break up in the third against Michael Russell, who looks like Wolves soccer player Jody Craddock. Clement is fighting to stay alive against Ljubicic, 5-4 up in the third. Sequera levelled matters at 1-1 against local lass Razzano, and all of these matches can be followed via the incredible IBM point tracker located on the home page. Stan the Man WW won the third set so is alive and kicking and Vassallo is two sets up over Falla. Economidis, having lost the opener, wins in four, 6-7 6-4 6-4 6-1 and will face Tommy Robredo in the next round after the number 9 seed beat Roitman 3, 4 and 2 in straight sets. Melzer breat Acasuso 4, 5 and 4, while Canas won 3, 1 and 4. In the ladies draw, Czech Kveta Peschke has created the shock of the tournament so far by putting out Russian No.11 seed Nadia Petrova in three, whitewashing the final set. Nurai Llagostera Vives beat Smashing Anna in straight sets too. Peschke may well face French nhopeful Cohen-Aloro, currently back on court, while LV will face Garbin. And then the winner of those two will face eachother in the third round. Symmetry - it's beautiful, isn't it?
1.09 pm: Fed's back on court, Robredo is 2 sets up on Roitman, Monaco took the third against Fognini (who leads 2-1 in sets), Melzer is two sets up on Acasuso (ignore my earlier predictions...), Petrova won the second but it's now 3-0 in the decider to Peschke, Ram beat Stan in the second so is now two-up, Economidis has levelled matters at one set all, Llagostera Vives (LV from now on) is two sets up and Koryttseva has also squared it up with Parmentier (which is French for shepherd's pie) at 1-1. And I'm off for the quickest lunch-break in the history of journalism.
12.55 pm : With the openers drawing to a close, we're finishing off some of yesterday's matches. Croat No.7 seed Ivan Ljubicic is now two sets up against local matador Arnaud Clement, much to my colleagues' chagrin. In fact, it's quite wiped the cha-grins off their faces. Mara Santangelo has beaten Agnieska Radwanska 6-1 6-4 and will face someboady with a name that is a little easier to type in the next round, namely the winner of Tanasugarn and Dellacqua (hmm, not that easy to type, as it happens). Bolelli beats Verkeer 6-1 6-4 6-4 and will likely face Canas in the next round. Lapentti has beaten Peya, who retired when 6-2 6-2 2-1 down. Youzhny is next up for him in the clash of the walkover-benefitees. Ascione lost only five games to Cilic and is staring down the barrel of the Fed Express next up, unless Russell manages to pull that tie around when they resume.
12.52 pm: Where's Youzhny, you all ask? Getting some practice in after Hernych dropped out of their first round tie after nine points. Do keep up please...!
12.50 pm: For those of you who haven't seen it yet, Vaidi's spectacular orange number is now on the home page. Photos to follow of Mathilde Johansson as well, who has just bested ALG 7-5 6-4 and will face elegant Elena in the second round, Russian No.13 seed Miss Dementieva having beaten Angelique Kerber 6-3 6-2. Bravo Mathilde. My French colleague are hi-hon-hi-honning like good 'uns upstairs.
12.41 pm: Jeu set match for Vaidosova, the most impressive 1.80m lady called Nicole this side of Miss Kidman. 6-4 6-3. Job done. And she's off, with a quick wave to the crowd, probably to listen to that iPod of hers. The Fratellis, maybe? Perhaps a playlist from an up-and-coming Glasgow DJ? A podcast of Scotland's third goal against Holland at the 1978 world cup? Hmm, maybe not everyone has the same iPod as I do... She'll face the winner of King-Amanmouradova in the second - the Uzbeki won the first on a tie-break, son't you know...
12.40pm: For anyone experiencing scoreboard problems, well... on the scorebaord page (which is here: http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/scores/index.html ) there is a LIVE SCORES button top left. Click on there and go fer yer life, as they say in Oz. I apparently am not allowed to go for lunch until after Federer has played. Yeesh, I'll be hungry. Rabia, I hope you'll be cooking me a mehti chicken if you're going to make me wait that long. Johansson is a break up against Groenefeld, or ALG from now on. I'm asked if she's had any off-court problems - well, all I can say is that she looked fine at breakfast yesterday and the day before. Monaco is bouncing back in the third, and Stan the (Swiss) Man is holding his own after getting "bagelled", according to Zara (bagel with Swiss cheese? I'm huuuuungry...) in the first.
12.30 pm: Gagli and Vaidi are deucing it up again, as is their wont. You get your money's worth from these two. Ah, jonxed it again. Vaidi breaks, it's 4-2 to the teutono-Czech, who then aces her first service in the next game as a wee exclamation mark to all those past deuces. I'm supporting here today, as she is wearing the same shade of orange as I am. Fognini is two sets up against Monte Carlo, and cocorico! Local hero Julien Benneteau takes the first on a tie-breaker against Berlocq. Canas... (er... I've had cruises and sails, I need another boating metaphor...) coasts (ha!) to a 6-1 second set and leads 2-0. Ladies, Henri Leconte has just been spotted in the crowd, oozing gallic charm.
12.25 pm: Blue skies smiling on me, nothing but blue skies do I see. Better than I can't stand the rain (The Commitments version), I'm sure you'll agree. Gagli has taken umbrage at being described as having a cheesey game and has broken back against Vaidi. Buongiorno to all my Italians readers. Francy's commenting on the tennis, which is fine, but the guys writing in merely seem to want to know my top 10 ladies players. Gents, per favore, I'm a serious journalist... Ana Ivanovic is as sweet off the court as she is efficient on it, however, so look out for her being video-interviewed later in the week. She lives in Switzerland as well, so I can countenance supporting her.
12.20 pm: By George, by jingo by crikey, it's all happening here. Vaidi is a break up in the second and seemingly cruising to victory, while Jelena Jankovic has sailed to a 6-2 6-2 straight sets win over Stephanie Foretz. The No.4 seed will face the winner of Misses Castano and Laine in the next round. Bolelli takes the second against Verkerk, who is failing to hark back to his glory days of a few years ago. In other news, since this is a democracy but I also have to eat at some point, I am going to let you decide by vote when I should be allowed out for a quick dejeuner. multimedia@fft.fr to cast your vote.
12.15 pm: I'm back. Fastest dub in the west (of Paris). Vaidi takes the first set over Gagli 6-4 (Swiss tennis seems to be more like Swiss cheese this morning - full of holes). Elegant Elena takes the first set over Kerber 6-3, Johansson (allez les Bleues) 7-5s the first over Groenefeld, Fognini's a set up against the principality of Monaco, Melzer wont the first against Acasuso, Peschke took the first from Petrova, which is quite a turn-up for the books, Guccione bested Economidis on a tie-break, Lapentti 6-1d Peya, Llagostera Vives 6-2d it over Smashnova, Ascione is so good, he scored it twice - 6-2 6-2 over Cilic, Canas took the first off Hanescu and Parmentier is one up over Koryttseva. Oof.
11.45 am: In the time it took me to get a coffee (my colleague has abandoned me, I had to get my own...) Bolelli (over Verkerk), Ascione (over Cilic), Santangelo (over Radwanska), Ramirez (over Stan), Lapentti (over Peya), and Jankovic (over Foretz) have all won the first set. I ask you, you turn your back for one minute and look what happens. And I now have some videos to go and dub. Click here: http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/multimedia/index.html and then on the News of the day - Day 2. That's me pretending to be the physio, and then Paul-Henri Mathieu. Dulcet tones, I think you'll agree. I'll dub as quickly as I can and be back soon. In the meantime, don't go changin'...
11.40 am: I now have a cap and my sunglasses on in a desperate attempt to see my screen. Ramirez is 5-0 against Stan the Man Wawrinka. The Swissie needs my support, yet I am chained to my desk. Curses. Foiled again. If it wasn't for you pesky kids... Lapentti is 5-1 up on Peya, and Bolelli is similarly advanced on Verkerk. Jankovic and Dementieva are 4-2 up, as is Fognini. And Canas. And Ascione. Seems to be a popular score at the moment. Melzer's giving it some 4-2 action against Acasuso as well. Johansson - Groenefeld, guess what the score is?
11.30 am: The sun is so bright here that I am wearing sunglasses at my computer. What a turnaround. Gagli-Vaidi ihas gone to it's 27th deuce (well it seems like it) in the second game. Jankovic has 3 break points for a 4-1 lead over Foretz, Kerber has broken back against elegant Elena, Berlocq has broken local favourite Bennet' (leads 3-0), Fognini has broken Monaco, Melzer is still a break up over Acasuso, Peschke is off to a good start having broken Petrova, Bolelli is still a break up over big hitter Verkerk, Ascione has broken Ilic (4-1), Canas has broken Hanescu and the rest are even steven. Breakalicious, I think you'll agree. Ahhhh, ain't it grand to have so much tennis to watch? I'm almost tempted to stroll around the courts and applaud politely, drinking in the sun and the ambience, but then you'd miss me, wouldn't you?
11.25 am: The first winner of the day! Youzhny has won by a walk-over as Hernych deemed himself unfit to play. He came out, warmed up, played nine points, called a doctor and that was it. Handshakes all round, thanks for coming, taxi for Hernych... Youzhny will play the winner of today's clash between Lapentti and Peya in the second round.
11.22 am: Vaidisova holds serve, puts pressure on Gagliardi's. Hopp Suisse, I say (but then again I would, wouldn't I?) Jelena Jankovic (any relation to weird Al?) has broken twice already and is 3-0 up against the bespectacles Mademoiselle Foretz. Elena Dementieva has also broken, as has Melzer against Acasuso. Bolelli has broken Verkerk as well.
11.12 am: Players warming up everywhere, as are you with your main. A-salaam alaikum Rabia, good luck with your exam. Namaste Smitha, today's match of the day for me is Melzer - Acasuso, and the order of play is mainly done by seeding. Shalom Shay, Shahar Peer isn't playing today due to the rain changing the schedules, we've got a bit of catching up to do. G'day Sophie, how's the fish at Doyle's? There are a few Marat photos in Sunday's photo gallery, you lucky girl: http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/news/photos/index.html (and for you too, Anney). Ciao Andrea, I only watch women's tennis for the sport, and am not in the slightest interested in the cuteness of the players... Thanks for the weather updates Kristina, Hey Jerry, we don't need a roof here, the weather's lovely, and greetings back to Richard in Africa.
11.05 am: Out come the players onto Chatrier. Nicole's in a fetching orange and white number, while it's allez le bleu for Emmanuelle. Miss Vaidisova was listening to her iPod as she came out. A podcast of French lessons? A bit of Edith Piaf? Paulo Nutini? I guess we'll never know, but I'll despatch one of our roving reporters to ask her. Ah, the lovely Deplhine is in the office now and is forwarding all of your mails to me. Let's have a delve in the postbox.
10.55 am: The crowds are pouring in and the players are warming up. Vaidisova - Emmanuelle Gagliardi are first up on Chatrier, Jelena Jankovic will take on local hopeful Stephanie Foretz on Lenglen, Elena Dementieva against Angelique Kerber on No.1, then on No.2 it's Mathilde Johansson - Anna-Lena Groenefeld (the German girl will win since I bumped into her over breakfast...), Julien Benneteau - Carlos Berlocq on No.3, then Monaco - Fognini, Melzer-Acasuso (he could create a few surprises), Santangelo-Radwanksa, Petrova-Peschke, Verkerk-Bolelli, Wawrinka (yay!)-Ramirez Hidalgo, Youzhny-Hernych N(should be a good 'un, that one), Lapentti-Peya, Llagostera Vives-Smashnova (love that name), Ascione-Cilic, King-Amanmuradova (any Uzbeki fans out there?), Canas-Hanescu (Canas is a real dark horse for the semis, I reckon), and Parmentier-Koryttseva. Oof. That's the order of play on EVERY court to begin with. I spoil you guys and gals rotten, I really do. Who's your favourite uncle? Come on, let's hear it. That's right, Uncle Drew...
10.40 am: Morning one and all! Did you sleep well? I should hope so, as you're going to need your wits about you today - tennis a-go-go on the agenda today! You'll have to make do without my witticisms as it's sunny skies and matches here, there and everywhere. It might cloud over a little later but we should get a full day's play in. The forecast for the rest of the week is less positive, but I personally will believe it when I see it. Keep sending your positive energy and nice thoughts across here to Paris, and we'll blow those dark clouds away. Spread a little happiness as you go by...
There are 82 matches on schedule today - 82, count 'em! Plenty of French interest, Nicole Vaidisova will be out early as well. I've been asked who I think can "do a Vaidisova" this year - ie a young relative unknown. Hmm. Ana Ivanovic isn't an unknown, but she's still young and I see her through to at least the semis this year. Maybe Nicole again... If I had to stick my neck out, then it's an Ana - Serena final for me. In the men's, well, I think you can all guess who we think will go all the way (Henman - Wawrinka obviously...)
