7.13 pm: Anyone still there? (Well, I know Janie is. I think I'll mail her on Monday otherwise I'll get withdrawal symptoms, let alone her). Here's tomorrow's schedule: http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/scores/schedule/index.html
Like you didn't know the timings already, eh? (A Canadian has just won the men's doubles, so I'm like talking Canadian, eh?)
7.05 pm: Tristan's not around today, so Giovanni's giving us a rankings update. As of Monday, it'll look like this: 1. Henin; 2.Sharapova; 3. Jankovic; 4. Mauresmo; 5. Kuznetsova; 6. Ivanovic; 7. S. Williams....
7 pm: NESTOR AND KNOWLES WIN, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4!
6.59 pm: 30-0. Get those Bahamanian and Canadian ribbons ready...
6.58 pm: Nestor and Knowles break and proceed to leap about the court as if someone has set fire to their shorts! Nestor to serve for the title...
6.54 pm: Break, then break back in the middle of the deciding set (I was watching it all from the press centre bar) and it's currently deuce-alicious at 4-4 on the Dlouhy serve.
6.17 pm: Blimey, no messing around! Knowles serves out and it's one set all!
6.16 pm: KNestor and Knowles break. 5-3. This match is going to a third set...
6.01 pm: 2-2 so far in the second set, both pairings serving well. Have a look at the home-page, by the way - you'll be flabbergasted by all the new content on there!
5.44 pm: Dlouhy and Vizner take the first set 6-2. Stroll in the park out there for the Czech No.9 seeds.
5.32 pm: Dlouhy and Vizner break again to lead 4-1 and are about to serve.
5.25 pm: Dlouhy and Vizner break to lead 2-1.
5.20 pm: Men's doubles underway. Knowles holds, as does Dlouhy. 1-1.
4.40 pm: Araz and Eli are busy warming down their vocal cords after the match, but would like me to thank Deborah in Oregon (and Tucker the cat) for recommending their services to the All England Club. I'm in trouble if ever they take me on for Wimbeldon - our daughter's getting christened on the day of the men's final! I'll have to do the true Brit thing and get knocked out early on...
4.35 pm: This is JuJu's sixth Grand Slam title, the announcer reminds us. Yup, and four of them here. She's entering Graf and Evert territory...
Men's doubles final up next, so don't think you're off the hook just yet...
4.31 pm: After the Belgian national anthem (Araz was on his feet in the boradcasting booth - he's a Belgie, you know...) JuJu takes the microphone and thanks her coach and her family for all their support, much to the delight of her moist-eyed nearest and dearest in the players' box. Ana also thanks her entourage, and then Mary has a quick word with the assembled throng, promising to be back next year. Fair enough - JuJu needs all the competition she can get on clay...
4.25 pm: Queen Justine, says Janie - a phrase I hadn't typed since this time last year, but if the crown fits... The trophies are now in place, ready for presentation. I wonder if she'll come up to the terrace of our office for an interview with Belgian TV, like she did last year? And here's Mary Pierce to present the trophy - biggest cheer of the day so far.
4.22 pm: JuJu thanks her family and indeed, she's been relying on them more than usual since the turn of the year since she split from Pierre Hardenne, her husband. She took some time away from the circuit, missing the Australian Open in January, but now she's back, and how...
4.21 pm: The final point typified the whole game. Great serve, Ana on the back foot, returning as best she could and JuJu wins on a smash. Ana hit 26 unforced errors, made five double faults and only got 50% of her first serves in. Ana is interviewed and is still all smiles. Incredible. The girl's only 19. I'd be in tears out there, and I'm almost twice her age...
4.20 pm: GAME SET MATCH HENIN! 6-1, 6-2.
4.19 pm: Line judge calls fault but Ana calls it an ace! Triple championship point...
4.18 pm: Ana totally shanks a forehand. Golfers out there will know what I'm talking about. 30-0.
4.17 pm: Nancy comments on the fact that there has been no grunting! Indeed - long may that continue! JuJu serves a big 'un again, and she's only three points away.
4.16 pm: Great serving, now that it's too late. Ana holds to love, but JuJu'll serve for game, set, match, championship, three-peat and fourth title after the change-over. "Ana, Ana" shout the crowd, as Justine checks her crib sheet again! Maybe she's learning her acceptance speech by heart...
4.15 pm: Another big serve, desperate return and smash make it 5-1. Ana to serve to take the match. They've been out there for one hour. The crowd sense that the matador is about to make the kill. Can the bull fight back, if only for a minute or two? Ooh, great serve, 15-0. Two great serves, 30-0. C'mon Ana!
4.14 pm: 30-30, JuJu nets a first serve. Glimmer of hope? No. JuJu absolutely mashes her on the next point, smashing the cover off the ball.
4.13 pm: Ana's trying to hit a winner every other shot, and consequently she's missing every other shot. 30-15 on the Henin serve.
4.11 pm: It's a shame, really. Someone like Kuznetsova last year, Mary Pierce the year before and now Ana this year plays out of their skin to reach the final, and finds that they're got nowt left in the tank just as JuJu is warming up to her imperious best. Alex sent in a mail to that effect earlier in the week - you were spot on, ma tres chere...
4.10 pm: 30-40, Ana nets a first service. Second kicks, but she hits the next forehand way wide. JuJu breaks again, leads 4-1. The way things are going, the men's doubles will be on pretty soon.
4.09 pm: Ana nets an easy forehand. Oh for a rain-break now. Do a Sharapova - change racquets, get the trainer on, anything...
4.07 pm: Double fault from Ana. And then next up, she serves a beaut but JuJu's return is even better. 0-30.
4.06 pm: JuJu looks like she's filming a video on how to hit forehands. She holds and leads 3-1.
4.05 pm: Ana gives JuJu the run-around. 15-30. Cheers. Fist-pumping. Small battles first, then maybe, just maybe...
4.04 pm: Ana pounces on a poor drop shot but proceeds to serve it up on a plate, as if JuJu needed free gifts. 15-0 is soon 30-0 after a booming forehand.
4.02 pm: JuJu is forced back another two times and nets on each occasion. Ana holds her serve, and while she is still a break down, maybe she will be able to collect her thoughts her during the change-over.
4 pm: Ana's forced to defend and send up a lob, and JuJu's smash is long. 30-0. Hopefully this will give the No.7 seed some confidence.
3.59 pm: A 10-shot rally ends with Ana netting on the backhand. Another unforced error and JuJu is 2-0 up. The crowd try to motivate Ana as she prepares to serve again. And she wins the opening point on a wide backhand from JuJu (one of the few women to play one-handed on the backhand).
3.57 pm: Great service return but followed up with a loooong forehand. 30-30. Let, then long on the JuJu serve, the second is mediocre but Ana tries to win the point on the return and forces it just wide. 40-30.
3.55 pm: Backhand passing winner from Ana. She closes her eyes, enjoys the moment and tries to remotivate herself, as do the crowd, who go wild - all for one point, 15-15. She wins another as she forces JuJu back behind the baseline. 15-30 and the crowd, who just want to see a game here, applaud wildly again. Is there a chink of light here? JuJu's first serve is long...
3.54 pm: The Belgians in the crowd don't seem to want to gloat over the inevitable, and there is an almost deathly hush over Chatrier. The spectators (perhaps led by David, who's out there) then try to gee Ana up, but nothing's going right for the poor Serbian teenager out there at the moment.
3.52 pm: Oh dear. JuJu totally walks all over Ana's opening service in the second. 15-40 and a replayed point saves Ana, for the moment, but her service has gone all to pot. Double fault, and it's 0-1, JuJu has broken already.
3.48 pm: JuJu takes it to 40-15 but the crowd remain quiet. They came for a match, and as a powerful JuJu serve makes it first set to the Belgian defending champion, they still remain hushed. They all want Ana to make a match of this. Her service is suffering though, presumably from nerves. It's at times like these that you see a player's mental fortitude. Ana's all on her own out there - a mere 19-year-old on the highest stage. JuJu's an old hand - Chatrier's her back yard. What can Ana do now?
3.46 pm: JuJu comes to the net and Ana nets. 30-0. JuJu nets a drop-shot: 30-15.
3.45 pm: Ana comes to the net and dominates until JuJu passes her. 15-0.
3.43 pm: Ana pushes a forehand waaaaaay long (all of the aaaaaa's were necessary there, it was that long). 15-30, first service misses than another looooong forehand. 15-40. The crowd try to gee her up. Now would be as as good a time as any for a first ace. Nope. Unforced-er again, JuJu breaks again and it's 5-1.
3.42 pm: Ana to serve. She's only got 35% of first serves in so far, compared with 61% from JuJu. Forehand unforced-er for 0-15, then a stand-off at the net which Ana wins. 15-15.
3.40 pm: Forehand long from Ana. 40-15. Same again, and JuJu holds. 4-1. During the change-over, JuJu is reading from a crib sheet! I kid you not! MONTER AU FILET - get to the net, it says! She hasn't had to do that much yet...
3.39 pm: A netted forehand then a winner from Ana. 15-15. Great service from JuJu down the middle which is an ace in all but name, 30-15.
3.37 pm: A momentous rally, Ana gives it everything and still JuJu wins the point. First serve then netted - she really needs an ace or two pretty soon - and... double fault. JuJu breaks. leads 3-1. Silence falls around Chatrier. I think they're behind the underdog here. 1-0 40-0 to Ana, and now it's 1-3.
3.35 pm: Ad JuJu as Ana hits one long. First service is wide by a thou', second service kicks, Ana dominates and wins it with a lucky-ish drop shot. Deuce.
3.34 pm: Ana's attacking but making a few mistakes. Deuce here on her service. Attacking is the way to go - she has a real height difference she really must use - 16cm is enormous.
3.31 pm: Ana bounces around nervously before serving - she's not hitting her firsts with any conviction at the moment, but she sticks a backhand passing-shot past JuJu that's worth any ace. 30-15.
3.28 pm: JuJu gives Ana the run-around. 40-15 after three points worth of cross-courting. JuJu attacks a forehand that seemed to be three feet above her head and Ana can only net. JuJu leads 2-1.
3.26 pm: Ana on the back foot, lobs then gets to the smash from JuJu and sends a forehand past her. She's playing with confidence, you have to give her that. 0-15.
3.25 pm: Sliced backhand into the net gives JuJu a break point, then a lucky netcord gives her the game. JuJu breaks back!
3.23 pm: Ana's hitting her first services long. She wins a point on her second though to get to Ad, then sends another service long. The whole match could hinge on whether she can hold her, keep her confidence intact. The thrill of breaking will be wiped out, and more, if she's broken back. Back to deuce as Ana hits a forehand wide.
3.20 pm: The current poll stands at JuJu in two: 59%, JuJu in three: 11%, Ana in three: 23%, Ana in two: seven percent. People telling me my maths earlier was wrong: too many. Ana storms to a 40-0 lead, JuJu brings here back. Deuce-aroony.
3.17 pm: Nope, here's another one after another run of powerful Ana forehands. Double fault! Ana breaks!
3.16 pm: Net cord bounces back, 30-40. Then JuJu punches one cross-court and she's saved two break points. Will that be the only chance Ana gets?
3.15 pm: The ladies each net a forehand, then Ana comes out with an incredible passing shot from the baseline. 15-40 already...
3.13 pm: JuJu's first service is a let, then a fault. Second service, Ana passes her. 0-15...
3.11 pm: Ana wins the toss and elects to receive. It's 23 degrees out there (as I said it would be earlier) and the wind is 2m/sec (ie not much). 2000 champ and 2005 finalist Mary Pierce is watching, as is Cedric Pioline.
3.10 pm: One more vote each for Ana (didn't say in how many) and JuJu (in two). Anees in the UAE wants me to do point-by-point commentary since he's stuck in the office. Yup, and David and I want to go on a double date with Ana and Sania Mirza, but some things in life ain't gonna happen... I'll do my best, though, and otherwise Anees, you can always listen to my colleagues Eli and Araz on Wadio Woland Gawwos. Click on the link at the top of the page.
3.05 pm: The ladies are out on court! All smiles, both of them, as well they might be, since they've just received a lovely bunch of flowers. That's two in two days for Ana, who was given a wonderful bouquet from my buddy Pierre who films a lot of the video interviews. Don't believe me? We have proof here: http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/multimedia/index.html Click on Inside the French, then News of the Day.
2.55 pm: Vilas has still got the magic touch on clay! With John Fitzgerald, ol' Guillermo has just won the Legends over-45s doubles against the legendary pairing of Brian Gottfried and Raul Ramirez. 6-3, 6-1 out on Lenglen, in front of a very receptive crowd (with all four players enjoying themselves out there). Raul playing in his glasses - not often you see that...
2.35 pm: A relaxed lunch. Luxury. So relaxed, I had two. Main course and cheese with Delphine, then dessert with David and the guys who do the videos. Predictions: not many so far - you're all out enjoying your weekends while some of us have to work... Anyway, 63% say JuJu in 2, 18% say JuJu in 3, 18% Ana in 3, 9% Ana in two...
12.27 pm: Afternoon one and all! How are we today? First things first - it was cool this morning when I went for my jog, but the sun has since come out. It's still a bit muggy, but the forecast during the afternoon is for it to be warm and overcast, 23 degrees.
There's obviously only one match on our minds today - Ana versus JuJu, and that starts at 3pm. In other action though, Brugeira and Krajicek (Richard, not Roxette), have beaten Sanchez and Stich 7-6, 6-3 in the under-45s doubles semi. The over-45s will be up later: Vilas, McEnroe, Jarryd... Gottfried and Ramirez... fair takes me back, it does.
There will also be Dlouhy and Vizner against Knowles and Nestor in the men's doubles final once Ana and JuJu have gone at it. So, today's predictions. I want to know who will win and in how many. JuJu in two is my call to start you off. multimedia@fft.fr is the address as always. Come on, get writing...
