French Open Organizers Couldn't Care Less About the French

For a country that has been longing for a major champion for so, so long, you would think. think that the French open committee would oblige to their players requests to better the country's chances of winning a big one. But you'd be wrong.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga crushed his countryman Josselin Ouanna on Wednesday, 6-0, 6-1, 6-4, but he was less than thrilled by the scheduling of his first and second round matches, and lashed out at the organizers of the year's second slam at his presser.

"Frankly, I was a bit disappointed because I was playing on a Sunday,” said Tsonga. “I had asked not to play on a Sunday, absolutely, because I had practiced in such a way that I thought I wanted to play on a Monday or Tuesday, to be totally fit. But they imposed it. Today, we’re in France. I’m French. I’m the French No. 1. I would have thought it was legitimate for me to be listened to."

He added, "If you look at (Andy) Murray, if he decides on a day or a time schedule at Wimbledon, nobody is going to impose anything on him. For (Roger) Federer, in his country it’s the same. And in the U.S., I suppose it’s the same thing for the best American players. I think that Lleyton (Hewitt) probably plays in the sun during the Australian Open because he loves the sun and other opponents don’t like the sun."

Yes, maybe Jo-WIlly could have said the "I'm the French No. 1" part better, but he's got a point. Richard Gasquet, also from France, lost in 5 sets to Andy Murray in the first round and also complained about the tournament committee giving him the short end of the stick. Perhaps they'll realize their wrongdoings when Tsonga is too worn out to make a big run.

Roland Garros Results; Murray Fights off Gasquet, Serena, Federer and Djokovic Advance

Serena Williams kicked off her Roland Garros campaign pretty solidly on Monday, knocking off Stefanie Voegele 7-6 (2), 6-2. The number one seed was joined in the next round by a wobbly Carolina Wozniacki, who despite a serious ankle injury was able to quickly defeat Alla Kurdyatseva. 11th seeded Li Na, 8th seeded Agnieszka Radwanska and Lucia Safarova all advanced to round 2 with straight set wins, while Alona Bondarenko and Francesca Schiavone had to fight their way through 3 setters to earn their spot in the next round.

On the men's side the defending champion stepped out onto the same court that solidified him as the G.O.A.T just under a year ago, and he definitely impressed, crushing Peter Luczak 6-4, 6-1, 6-2. In Federer's quarter is Gael Monfils and Stanislas Wawrinka, both of whom advanced, Monfils in 4 sets and Wawrinka in straights. 2009 Roland Garros semifinalist Fernando Gonzalez fought off Thiago Alves in 4 sets while Spaniard Nicolas Almagro won a thriller, 6-4 in the 5th. Big servers Ivan Ljubicic, Tomas Berdych, John Isner and Taylor Dent all defeated their respective opponents in straight sets (Dent hit a 149 mph serve, a French Open record).

Jelena Jankovic continued her impressive Spring, having little trouble in defeating Alicia Molik. Elena Dementieva also looked primed for a serious run, conceding just 3 games against Petra Martic. In Dementieva's quarter is fellow Russian Alisa Kleybanova, who also won an easy 2-setter. Agnieszka Radwanksa, seeded 8th, won 6-0, 7-5 over Elena Baltacha and Sam Stosur, 7th, beat Simona Halep 5 and 1.

It was no secret that Andy Murray's struggles have been more than just a mid-season slump, but the Scot's determination (or perhaps it was his opponent's lack of endurance) was on display in his thrilling comeback 5-set win against Frenchman Richard Gasquet on Monday. A popular pick to send Murray home early, Gasquet jumped out to a 2-set lead 6-4, 7-6 (5) before falling apart and allowing the 4th seed to run away with the final 4 sets, 6-4, 6-2, 6-1. Novak Djokovic also struggled in reaching the 2nd round, beating Evgueni Korolev 6-1, 3-6, 6-1, 6-3. Seeded Spaniards Tommy Robredo and Feliciano Lopez were ousted by in straights respectively by Viktor Troicki and Julian Reister. American Mardy Fish joined countrymen Dent and Isner in proving wrong the assumptions about the US men on clay, mounting a comeback from 2 sets to 1 down to triumph.

Sydney Player Party Video

The Sydney Medibank International Player Party was a few nights ago, and it's always fun to see what the stars are like off the court. Here is a little behind-the-scenes scoop at the event, with some player interviews. Some side observations:

-Wozniacki's dress isn't doing it for me

-Azarenka looks like a fashionista in the making

-Serena's nails are FEROSH! God, I love her.

-Seeing Oracene, Serena's mom, is exciting

- I'm slowly growing on Agnieszka Radwanska's newspaper dress

- Those ice-cream cone thingies are tempting me to go get dessert-- peace :)

Look Ahead to 2010: 5 Players to Watch For

We're just days away from ringing in the new year with family and friends, but more importantly, the beginning if the 2010 tennis season is inching closer and closer. The first week of tournaments is January 4th, so we have a few days to make our predictions and look ahead to the year's first slam, the Australian Open. We'll begin by looking for 5 players that will make big-time noise this year.

1. David Nalbandian- This Argentine had a crummy 2009, with a severe injury that shortened his campaign, and disappointing results, but with one of the best backhands in the game, and the experience to match it, Nalbandian will return to the elite. He now sits with a ranking of 64, but after surgery and a long 7 months of preparation, look for the former world number 3 to make a surprising run in Melbourne.

2. Sabine Lisicki- After winning her first ever title in Charleston, upsetting Caroline Wozniacki in the final, Sabine Lisicki continued her impressive play, finishing the season just outside the top 20. The 20 year old reached a GS quarterfinal at Wimbledon, and was 2nd on the WTA Tour in aces behind Serena Williams. Expect this German to make a lot of noise in 2010.

3. Richard Gasquet- Cleared if his now infamous cocaine scandal, Frenchman Richard Gasquet is ready to return to the ATP Tour with a chip on his shoulder. Once a fixture in the top 15, Gasquet career took a turn for the worse with zero titles in 2008 and a 2009 cut short by suspension. Now just outside the top 50, Gasquet, who is still just 23, will be a danger to the elite.

4. Shahar Peer- This Israeli has been on the tour for quite some time, but at just 22 years old, she has her whole career ahead of her. Shahar Peer won two titles in 2009 at recorded 39 match wins. She has said she plans to have an even better year in 2010, so the ladies of the tour should be aware of Peer and her fierce groundstrokes.

5. Petra Kvitova- Petra Kvitova made her mark on the WTA in 2009. At just 19 years old, she defeated then world number 1 Dinara Safina en route to the US Open 4th round. She won her premiere title earlier in the year in Hobart, and she reached the top 50. This Czech could definitely become a threat on the big stages.