Wednesday 30 May - The day in review

9.39 pm: Aye aye, that's your lot. Thank you so much for bearing with me after David had got us off to an absolute flyer early doors. Your mails, as always, have brightened my day, particular the ones later on. You're all too kind.

Peruse the home page (plenty of new content), the photo galleries and if you're printing off this blog to read on the train home, print it out with a small font and on both sides of the paper. My carbon footprint is big enough as it is without having to worry about you lot... multimedia@fft.fr if you think of something interesting overnight...

A demain, si vous le voulez bien...

9.33 pm: And ERV gets through, 6-4 in the fifth, and will face Melzer or Monaco in the third round. Cedric Pioline applauds from the sidelines. They're loving it loving it loving it up here. Loving it like that.

9.30 pm: Since there are literally dozens of you still out there, I'll tear myself away from updating the rest of the site to report that Vaseline has slipped a break point past Hingisnek and is serving for the match. His father was a semi-finalist here in 1983, you know (he beat Jimmy Connors in four in the quarters - we're veritable mines of information here, you know!) He lost to guess who in the semis... the winner that year... the last Frenchman to win Roland Garros... Yup, Yannick Noah.

9.17 pm: It's 3-3 in the Hingisnek - Vaseline game (slippery customer, the Frenchman is...)

9.15 pm: Roger finally takes it though, 1, 2 and 6 (8, for heaven's sake), and graciously smiles, even though he has not been in the best of moods for 20 minutes now.

9.10 pm: Rog lost three games in a row, a combination of semi-darkness and Ascione deciding that it was time to give it his all, leave it all out on the court etc. The Fed Express is not the happiest of campers as Ascione saves three match points on the TB. It's 6-6 as it stands... Meanwhile, on No.2 court, it's going with serve (and going all the way to 10 o'clock) between ERV and Hingisnek, 2-2.

8.52 pm: Great news. Weather forecast is for 22, 25 and 27 degrees over the weekend (Friday, Saturday and Sunday). And... no doubt to the chagrin of my Lahori reader, Feds is broken back, as the rain begins to fall even harder. Hopefully it'll bring ERV and Hingisnek off soon. Fed changes racquets. Not a happy chappy. I'd better keep typing as Fatima Happiness has just signed in to read. As long as I have at least two readers (multimedia@fft.fr if anyone else fancies a chat). Three actually, Adelina's checked in as well.

8.49 pm: Fed Express is having to take it to a few deuces on his own service here. Most inconvenient, as we'd all like to pack up and go home for the night. Ah there we go, 5-3, Ascione serving to save the match (aye right...) ERV takes the fourth, meaning they''ll probably be here all night (as will I - never mind, some of you will continue to tune in I'm sure - you know who you are). Other than those two, there is only a mixed doubles match still going on (and rightly so, as it's a tad parky out there I can tell you).

8.28 pm: ERV has broken in the fourth, but Radek Hingisnek leads 2-1 in sets. Nicole Vaidikidman leads by a set and 4-3 (with a break) over a lady whom my radio colleagues in French have just described as "the giant Uzbeki", Akgul Amanmuradova (and if you think I'm typing that again, you are sadly mistaken). Fed breaks in the third (ooh, they've been on court for over an hour...). Tell you what, from now on, I'll let you know if he loses a game. Vooooooooollandri, oh oh, cantare, oh oh oh oh has won SS, 5, 6 0. Into the third round already, the No.29 seed is.

8.23 pm: Federer strolls through the second 6-2 in 26 minutes. It looks like he's out on a practice court here. Awesome stuff (and as a non-American, I rarely use that word). La Monf, as they call Gael MySon, won the fourth 6-1 over Juan Ignacio Chela (there's only one Ignacio Chela...), and hi hon hi hon, allez les Bleus, LLLLLLodra beats Almagro in four sets. they're singing La Marseillaise up here as Llllllodra goes and kisses his father gallicly on both cheeks before saluting the crowd.

7.45 pm: Wocket Woger is 5-0 up after 20 minutes, six of which have been to change ends. Slim consolation for Rabia, who informs me that Pakistani TV have stopped broadcasting the game. I know it's not quite the same and let's face it, my chat's pretty poor, but have you considered the matchtracker? Go onto the home page and below the splendid picture of the statuesque Maria, you have the IBM summary scoreboard. Click on pointtracker for Fed (or for Monf). Ascione has just held his serve, while LLLLLodra has taken the match to a fifth set. Cibulkova has beaten Sun 4 and 4, while Mr Hingis-anek is 3-0 up in the 3rd. And I've only been typing this in order to let Rog bang down a couple of aces, which he has done. First set 6-1 in 22 minutes, none of which a disconsolate Rabia saw.

7.35 pm: Ici Paris, are you all still there? Gael My Son has broken in the third (lots of "Ooh la la"s from the French contingent in the office), while Sammy Stose has beaten Marigor Kirilandreevenkova, 7-5 in the third. ERV takes the second to level things against Mr Hingis, Nicole Vaidikidman is out and a break up early doors, Nalbandian has taken a 2-0 lead in sets, and JJ beat CC (Jankovic - Castano) 3 and 3. Ascione held him to a few deuces, but Federer broke Ascione's first service game. Ooh la la's again as Monfils takes the third. He's playing too much tennis, he'll be tired out by next Monday...

7.15 pm: Llllllodra squanders a 5-0 advantage in the TB and Almagro takes the third, much to the chagrin of my hi-hon-hi-hon colleagues. Juju wins 7-5 6-1 and looks almost as good as she did last year. And the year before. And in 2003. Chela-Monfils is going with serve in the third, Li beat Shepherd's Pie in the first 6-3, Sammy Stose has broken back against Kirilkandreeva, Cibulkova is a break up against Sun and ooh! Ooh! Roger der Dodger is out on Lenglen...

7.04 pm: Toufi from the Czech Republic has this to say regarding weather frogs: "it comes from the past when frogs were used for weather forecast, you needed a frog that was alive, a glass bottle, so that you could see inside and something like a ladder to put in the bottle for the frog to climb up and down .. when it was going to be sunny the frog was to try climbing out of the bottle and when it was going to by raining it stayed on the bottom..." I am speechless (and that doesn't happen often...)

7.01 pm: Never let it be said I'm not good to you. On the home page, we have banner pictures of Miss Sharapova and Mr Safin. Easy on the eye times two. There are a few galleries up there too as well, should you be all texted out from my efforts since 4 pm. Henin breaks Paszek, and Almagro takes it to a TB in the third.

6.56 pm: Ivan tells us that it's a lovely, balmy evening in Glasgow, while Rabia says she'll send us some of the stifling heat from Lahore to dry out the courts. Make it as garam garam as you can, Rabia. The laydeez are underway again, with Paszek sporting a woolly jumper in an attempt to fight back from a break down.

6.52 pm: The ladies are back out on Lenglen, Justine having warmed up in the same corridor where I admired Michaella Krajicek's new haircut the other day and brought her good luck for the first two rounds. She's called Kraai in her native Netherlands, Inke tells me, which I find helemaal mooi.

6.38 pm: Houston, we have moppage across the board. Moptastic scenes out here. Much mopification. Moppery abounds. Suzanne Lenglen is even shedding her waterproofs. Cross your fingers...

6.23 pm: No moppage yet, but the raindrops are becoming ever scarcer. Your mails aren't though. One from The Philippines and one from The Netherlands. Let's see how many mails we can get in from countries which take the definite article at the start of their names. The UK, the Ukraine, the US, the Lebanon? No, that was just a song by the Human League. The Gabon? One just in from someone who sounds American who thinks that Lilley is my first name (either that, or he's treating me like a public school headmaster). Some people, eh?

6.08 pm: How long is the rain going to last, I hear you all cry in unison. Well, on a scale from one to absolutely no idea, I have absolutely no idea. It's now only spitting and spotting, as opposed to bucketing, so that's a good sign. As soon as I see any moppage, you'll be the first to know. I am, however, reliably informed by a source who shall remain nameless (it's Guillaume, who writes a lot of the stuff on the site), that there will be some play again this evening, as the clouds should soon have passed us over. Where's my weather girl when I need her? By the way, did you know that in German, a weather presenter on the TV is known as a weather frog? The knowledge I pass on to you lot, I hope you appreciate it. It may come up in a pub quiz one day or in trivial pursuit...

5.50 pm: And then it starts to throw it down. Buckets. Torrential. Diluvian. Katzen und Hunde (to reply to one of my Canadian reader's mails earlier, yes I studied languages). As things stand, when the rains came, scores were as follows: Chela-Monfils is 1-1, Henin is already three up in the 2nd on the shapely Austria Tamira Paszek, Almagro is serving (or rather will be serving) at 5-6 in the third against Lllllllodra (sounds more Welsh than French to me ), Radek Hingis took the first against ERV, Jelena "Weird Al" Jankovic is a game away from round 3 against Castano, Voooooooolandri, oh oh, won the TB, Li leads Shepherd's Pie 5-2 (the French are convinced that a fellah called Parmentier invented the potato, when actually we all know it was Sir Walter Raleigh), Nalbandian is a set up and 2-2 against Navarro, Cibulkova, Dominika of that ilk, leads a set and 2-2 against Sun, whose first name sounds like Tintin but is actually Tiantian. Oh and Sammy Stose is fighting back against Maria Andreev. Who was it asked me if players socialise together?

5.35 pm: Na Li is out on court 6 and is four up on Pauline Shepherd's Pie Parmentier already. Paszek takes Henin to a gazillion deuces, but much to Bjoern's chagrin, Henin takes the first 7-5. Kirilenko looks like she'll beat Sammy Stos, while there's a TB between Vassallo Arguello and Vooooooolandri, oh oh, cantare, oh oh oh oh (copywright Gipsy Kings). Oh, and well done Malgosia who spotted the fact that two photos were the wrong way round... Nice to see you're all keeping up. And while I'm typing, mon fils (not the one I was off visiting this morning, but Gael) has broken in the second and is now serving to make it one each a-piece.

5.20 pm: Hello to Janie Red, congrats to Aparajith on getting 91% in his exam, Hopp Schwiiz and Grueezi wohl to Kristina, I'll try to more women's commentary for Carmen's benefit, kudos back to Deborah and as for Fiona, well I'm blushing. On Lenglen, incredible scenes. Henin won the first five, Paszek has won the next five. Incroyable. You wouldn't croy it, you really wouldn't. It's too windy on No.1 so they've gone off, for tea and cucumber sandwiches (well, probably a brie baguette and a glass of rouge).

5.12 pm: Smitha's back, but I seem to have lost Fatima and Rabia, not to mention Adelina and Angeline. Still, I do have Bjoern and his teutonic chat, who blames ALG's loss yesterday on Angela Merkel. Blimey, that's a bit harsh. He also tells me that Justine and Serena will meet in the quarters (sharp as a pin is our Bjoern), so he puts Amelie into his final four, his fab foursome, his carre d'as as they say over here. His fanta Vier as they'd say where he comes from. ERV (were you paying attention yesterday? Edouard Roger-Vasselin, for heaven's sake) is out against Radek Hingis (Hopp Suisse!) and Roxette Krajicek has beaten Shenay Perry in three sets. She was dressed for success out there on court 12, so it was bound to happen. And when she served four aces in a row, it must have been love...

5.07 pm: Paszek breaks back against Henin. Curious. Llodra takes the second to level matters at 1-1 with Almagro. Jelena takes the opener with a second break, Shenay Perry takes the second against Roxette, Maria Kirilenko takes the second from Sam Stosur and local heroine Stephanie Cohen-Aloro (SCA from now on) is a set and a break up over Kveta Peschke.

5.05 pm: Ishy tells me that Venus broke a service record this morning (presumably in terms of speed and not number of bounces on the ground before actually arcing the back). Thanks for that, hope your room reminds spider-free this evening (the things people tell me in their mails, enough to make a man blush!) Guy tells me that Jamie (brother of Andy) Murray is out of the doubles, meaning that there is official nothing British left at this tournament. Except David and I. And we live in Avignon and Zurich respectively, which has to tell you something. Time to dig out the old joke: Q: What do you call a Brit at the second week of a Grand Slam?
A: Drew

5 pm: Chela takes the first (two breaks to one) and Monfils doesn't seem happy, maybe about the weather, as it's a tad on the drizzly side. We've all played in worse than this Gael, so suck it up. Ivan for one, up in Scotland, has played in worse than this... A big shout out to all the Scottish tennis fans and to those off to Austria to see the football/soccer team play tonight. Justine Henin has ventured out onto Lenglen and has raced into a 5-0 lead in a matter of seconds. Ominous form. So that's Serena, Ana, Jelena and Justine for the semis (he says trying to remember the draw off the top of his head and probably getting it wrong).

4.40 pm: Oh that's just magnifique, that is. As soon as I arrive, Timea loses, 3-6, 6-7 (5). It's my fault, I'm a jinx. I think I'll leave, let David take over again. Chela's 4-2 up on Monfils, and Jelena Jankovic's a break up. I think I'll support her from now on (as well as Serena, Patty and Ana, who did wonderfully well this morning and who will play another of my favourites, Sania Mirza, in the third). Amelie of Montmartre has won, 6-0, 7-5. Bravo Amelie.

4.20 pm: Ladles and jellyspoons, I'm back, like Queen Latifah. Did I miss much? Can somebody write in and let me know what I missed this morning? Hang on, let's have a quick shufty around the courts. Gael Monfils is out again after yesterday's marathon five-setter, taking on Chela, who has had the barefaced cheek to break the Frenchman already. Home favourite Amelie de Montmartre is locked at 5-5 with Laura Granville after taking the first set six - l'oeuf (that's were love comes from - a zero looks like l'oeuf, or "the egg"... don't say I don't never teach you nuffink). Almagro has taken the first 6-2 from Llodra (who is a local but since he's losing, he's no longer a favourite). Davydenko is two sets up on Eschauer, Jelena Jankovic (another of my tips for the semis) has just started, Monaco is a set up on Melzer, it's going with serve in the second, Schiavone has WHAT! Taken the first set off MY little TIMMY Baksinszky. Shocker. There's a TB in the 2nd as well. I'm nervous. Ferrero's serving for the second (one set up), Martina Mueller is a set up and 4-4, Marion Bartoli has won in three sets over Petkovic, Olaru has beaten Vakulenko in SS, Michaella Krajicek with her Roxette haircut is a set up on Perry, Sam Stosur has broken Kirilenko twice, which her boyf Igor Andreev won't be too pleased about, Starace is 2 up on Berlocq and that's about it. Oof.

4pm: In my last log before Drew returns to reclaim his throne, let's take a look at some of the other news that may have slipped through the net on this action-packed, interruption-free day. Without wishing to dwell on it, there are indeed no more Americans in the men's singles. Robby Ginepri did better than most of his compatriots by taking his match to five sets, but still went down 6-2 in the last set to Daniel Hartfield. Carlos Moya was also taken to five, but seized the initiative in the final set against Andreas Seppi to win 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 2-6, 6-0. The 1998 champion faces Frenchman Florent Serra in the second round.

3.40pm: Sorry all, been dubbing Davydenko. Back to tell you that French No.1 Richard Gasquet has been ushered out of the tournament by unfancied Belgian Kristof Vliegen. The No.11 seed fell apart after a close-run first set and went down 7-6, 6-3, 6-1. The home fans can console themselves with the fact that Amelie Mauresmo (wearing a fetching white sweat shirt with violet arms and white skirt for your information Francy) has won the first set of her match with Laura Granville, 6-0 in the blink of an eye.

3pm: Robredo is safely through to a second round match-up with Safin's conqueror Janko Tipsarevic. The Spaniard wrapped up his first round win over Konstantinos Economidis 6-4, 7-5, 6-4. David Ferrer is another Spanish seed to have secured his second round slot. The 12 seed sprinted past Daniele Bracciali of Italy 6-1, 6-1, 6-2.

2.30pm: Talking of the ladies, we have an all-American affair on court 1 where Venus Williams has won the first set 6-1 against Ashley Harkleroad . And don't worry Smitha I haven't forgotten Sania Mirza of India who made light work of Alberta Brianti (6-1, 6-1). A tough encounter with Ana Ivanovic awaits Mirza in the second round. Local girl Mathilde Johansson will be kicking herself. She had Elena Dementieva in trouble there but failed to press home her advantage in either set, before losing 7-5, 7-5. The Russian 13 seed made her experience pay, and she looks suitably relieved....

2.20pm: Hey it could be worse, American readers, you could be British. Tim Henman came and went before I'd even noticed yesterday and with Andy Murray injured that's our interest in the men's.... and women's singles gone, gone, gone.

2.15pm: For any Americans daring to peek at the scores after yesterday's debacle in the men's singles, let me bring you newsof your sole survivor, Robby Ginepri. He's currently battling to save a modicum of pride against Diego Hartfield of Argentina. Things had been going well fro Robby at 2 sets to 1 up but Hartfield is currently 3-0 up in that fifth set. Will this really be the first time since 1973 that there are no American men in the secoond round of a Grand Slam tournament?

2.05pm: Patty Schnyder is through. After taking a set to get going, the Swiss (miss as Drew would say) raced through the next two to win 2-6, 6-1, 6-1 over Martina Sucha. The No.14 seed will take on Kateryna Bondarenko of Ukraine in the second round.

1.55pm: Marat Safin leaves the tournament, and frankly it's something of a surprise. When he cruised past Vicente on Sunday, he looked in fine fettle, but Tipsarevic fully deserved his straight sets victory 6-4, 6-4, 7-5. The Serbian is already through to the third round, where he will face the winner of the Robredo-Economidis match currently being played on court 7. The Spaniard Tommy Robredo has fought back to win the first two sets 6-4, 7-5.

1.45pm: Rising star Novak Djokovic finished off Santiago Giraldi by the way. Two sets up overnight, the sixth seed won the third 6-4 to earn a second round slot against local qualifier Laurent Recouderc. Tomas Berdych, meanwhile, has fallen at the very first hurdle. 5-7, 4-6, 2-2 down overnight, the tenth seed didn't last long this morning, losing the third 6-4 to Guillermo Garcia-Lopez.

1.35pm: Marat's fighting. He earns three break points at 4-4 in the third set but fails to take any of them. He is serving to stay in the match. Sorry Sophie from SYDNEY but Janko Tipsarevic is looking odds-on here. Something of a surprise out on court 17 as Patty Schnyder loses the first set 6-2 to Martina Sucha, before fighting back to claim the second 6-1.

1.20 pm: Down 1-4 in the opener, ninth-seed Tommy Robredo crawled his way back into the contest, reeling off five straight games to clinch the set 6-4. Economidis, making his first appearance on the Parisian red dirt at 29, is up 3-0 in the second. 2005 US Open semi-finalist Robby Ginepri turned things around on Court No8 against Argentine's Diego Hartfield taking a commanding 4-6, 6-1, 7-5 lead.

1.10 pm: Racquet slamming Marat Safin's stock is plummeting. The 29-year-old two-time Grand Slam champion is fighting for his life on Court Suzanne Lenglen. Safin can't match Tipsarevic's intensity and does not have the same firepower he relied on in his previous match against Fernando Vincente.

12.50 am: Doesn't look too good for crowd favorite Marat Safin down two sets to love 6-4, 6-4 to Serbian Janko Tipsarevic. On the other hand, sixth seed Novak Djokovic is making short work of Colombian Santiago Giraldo, snatching the opening sets 6-3, 7-6 (3). Both men are tied in the third at 3-all. On the women's side, Maria Sharapova witheld a late surge by Frenchwoman Emilie Loit to secure a berth into round-two 6-3, 7-6 (4).

12.35 am. The weather's holding nicely, with the wind chasing those clouds across the sky. Hello, Emilie Loit has just broken Sharapova to go 3-2 up in the second set. In the men's, ninth seed Tommy Robredo has contrived to lose the first three games of his match with Greece's Konstantinos Economidis.

12.30 am: And how's Maria doing I hear you cry. Pretty good actually. She's currently 6-3, 2-2 up on the brave Miss Loit, who is making kight of her injury to stay in the second set. Meanwhile, a whole host of matches are over in the women's singles, and former champion Anastasia Myskina has been blown away 6-1, 6-0 by American Meghann Shaughnessy. Ninth seed Anna Chakvetadze has disposed of Alicia Molik 6-2, 6-3 and Ana Ivanovic is safely through too, 6-2, 6-0 over Sofia Arvidsson.

12.15 am: Make that a set down. Tipsarevic is finding his range, and Marat throws his racket to the ground in disgust as he fires one wide to concede the set 6-4.

11.45am: When I say rain...perhaps I should say drizzle. The players are still out there and some of them are clearly intent on getting things done and dusted before the heavens open. Take Svetlana Kuznetsova for example, who is currently 6-0, 3-0 up on compatriot Ekaterina Bychkova. Romania's Edina Gallovits is currently heading for a double Bagel too, over Vasilisa Bardina of Russia. She leads 6-0, 1-0. The same can be said for 22 seed Alona Bondarenko of Ukraine, who leads 6-0, 4-0 over Iveta Benesova of the Czech Republic. Who's gonna win first?

11.40 am: Elsewhere, Marat Safin leads 3-1 over Janko Tipsarevic on Suzanne Lenglen Court, Ana Ivanovic has raced to a one-set lead (6-2) over Sweden's Sofia Arvidsson on court 7. And oh yes, it's raining....

11.30 am: Play is underway on centre court, where Maria Sharapova hasn't forgotten to wear three-quarter leggings to keep her muscles warm on this chilly morning. The world No.2 has had to wait four days to get out there and she looks pumped up and ready to go. A long first game sets the tone for things to come as her canny left-handed opponent Emilie Loit mixes things up, using the drop shot, slicing and chopping the ball to keep it under Sharapaova's radar. Those tactics finally help her hold serve, but whether she manages to keep that up for long, I have my doubts. Ah there we are, a poor volley into the net from Loit with the court wide open and Miss Maria has her break to lead 2-1. Here comes the physio for Loit, who seems to have a lower back/thigh problem. She takes a medical break, leaving Shaparapova alone on court to practise her serving, Maybe the French girl should have borrowed a pair of those leggings to keep her muscles warm too....

11.10 am: Well first things first and apologies to the legions of Drew Lilley fans who have been enjoying our Swiss/Scot's witty coverage so much over the past few days. Have no fear, he'll be back at 4pm CET, so bear with me until then...

10.59 am: Morning all and welcome to Paris on a grey old morning. It isn't raining yet, but don't hold your breath. Providing the weather holds we have a cracking day in prospect here so don't go away....