French Open 2012: The 5 Biggest Surprises Through the 1st Week of Men's Action

The first week at the Grand Slams creates headlines such as comeback kids, hometown heroes, underdogs, warriors and memorable matches. Since the big four (Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Andy Murray) have overtaken the top, few, if any, upsets have occurred among them during the first week, including this year's French Open. 

However, the rest of the men's field have created an exciting seven days of play in Paris. 

The French Men Making a Statement

Seventeen french men entered the main draw, and looking ahead to the second week, two are left. From Nicolas Mahut defeating Andy Roddick and taking a set off of Roger Federer, to Paul-Henri Mathieu beating American John Isner 18-16 in the fifth set, and Richard Gasquet losing his lunch on Suzanne Lenglen and still managed to win in four sets, the French have put on quite a show.  

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, despite a few hiccups, looks the strongest out of the bunch, and should continue the show into the second week, possibly meeting world No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals. It has been 29 years since a French man has lifted the title, and the nation hopes it won't be much longer. 

Record-Setter

Poor John Isner. Once again going toe-to-toe with a Parisian in a Slam where there are no fifth-set tie breakers, and giving it his all.  But unfortunately, the American didn't come out on top, losing 18-16 in five hours and 41 minutes, saving seven match points, serving up 41 aces and playing in front of a packed pro-Mathieu house. Isner and Mathieu were not only battling each other, but daylight as well, almost extending the match to the next day, something not new for the American.  

They set the record for the longest fifth set played at the French Open, but left Isner discouraged and tired towards the end, giving the wild card, and 261st in the world, Paul-Henri Mathieu the win. 

The Comeback

Brian Baker, the Nashville native, didn't imagine himself in the main draw of a Grand Slam, starting the season ranked outside the top 400. His tennis career has been hindered through multiple surgeries and it has been questioned whether or not he could play professionally again.

But a month before the French Open, he won the Savannah Challenger and was a finalist in the ATP 250 tournament in Nice, France. With those recent success, he was rewarded a USTA wild card for the French Open and beat Xavier Malisse to reach the second round. He would eventually lose in five sets to Gilles Simon in the next round, but now finds himself ranked 141.  

Looking towards the grass season, the 27-year-old hopes to continue his recent success. 

Andy Murray's Attitude

Any tennis fan knows Murray's stubbornness when he takes the court. The world No. 4 can be seen yelling at himself, hitting his racquet at his legs and screaming for encouragement—all in one match. So it was surprising to see Murray's second-round match when, early in the first set, he was grimacing in pain, grabbing his lower back.

After losing the first set 6-1, his team and coach, former world No. 1 Ivan Lendl, told Murray to retire, not wanting the injury to risk his Wimbledon chances. Not surprisingly, Murray didn't listen. He continued to play, and won the match. He later explained that it wasn't a serious injury, but soreness and spasms from when he got up that day.  

Murray finds himself in the fourth round after dismantling Santiago Giraldo. Murray's stubbornness wasn't surprising, but the fact that he risked injury in a tournament where he is not favored to win, was. 

Emerging Stars: Andreas Seppi and David Goffin

Well, this isn't so much as an introduction for the ATP veteran, but the Italian is having by far his best clay court season of his career. After making the quarterfinals at Rome (Masters 1000 event and warm-up tournament for the French Open), he is now slated to meet world No. 1 Novak Djokovic in his first Grand Slam 16th-round appearance.

How did he get there? By surviving five sets to beat Spaniard and 14th seed, Fernando Verdasco. After losing the fourth set, and being up two sets to one, Seppi stormed back to win 6-2 in the final set. 

David Goffin of Belgium, on the other hand, was a lucky loser (meaning he lost in the qualifying rounds, but got into the main draw due to Gael Monfils pulling out) and is the only unseeded man left in the draw. The 21-year-old has a lot of heart and will play his own hero, Roger Federer, in Round 16.