French Open 2014: Day 9 Schedule, Matchups Predictions for Roland Garros Bracket
The 2014 French Open tournament continued to show just how tough it was Sunday, as No. 4 seed Roger Federer was eliminated by Ernests Gulbis on what was a thrilling day on the clay courts of Roland Garros.
Don’t worry about Federer, though, as Christopher Clarey of The New York Times spoke to the Swiss star about how the veteran player has already shifted his focus to the next crop of grass tournaments:
After several exciting early rounds at the Grand Slam event in France, tennis fans across the world are anticipating a Day 9 schedule full of big names continuing their attempt at winning the 2014 French Open.
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Here is the full television schedule for Monday and the top matches from the Day 9 schedule.
| June 2 | 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. | Round of 16 | ESPN2 |
| June 2 | 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. | Round of 16 | Tennis Channel |
| Andrea Petkovic | vs. | Kiki Bertens | Court Chatrier | Petkovic |
| Simona Halep | vs. | Sloane Stephens | Court Chatrier | Halep |
| Jelena Jankovic | vs. | Sara Errani | Court Lenglen | Errani |
| Lucie Safarova | vs. | Svetlana Kuznetsova | Court Lenglen | Safarova |
| Rafael Nadal | vs. | Dusan Lajovic | Court Chatrier | Nadal |
| Gael Monfils | vs. | Guillermo Garcia-Lopez | Court Chatrier | Monfils |
| David Ferrer | vs. | Kevin Anderson | Court Lenglen | Ferrer |
| Andy Murray | vs. | Fernando Verdasco | Court Lenglen | Murray |
*For the full schedule, check out RolandGarros.com.
Top Matchups on Day 9
No. 4 Simona Halep vs. No. 15 Sloane Stephens
With the early exit for No. 1 seed Serena Williams, the pressure has been amplified for No. 4 seed Simona Halep. On Day 9, Halep will face her toughest test thus far against No. 15 seed Sloane Stephens.
Stephens has done well to make it to the fourth round, but Halep is the real deal and is looking to win her first career Grand Slam event. On the road to the fourth round, she beat Alisa Kleybanova, Heather Watson and Maria-Teresa Torro-Flor in the first three rounds, respectively.
When asked about her recent success and the corner she has turned in 2014, Halep told Simon Cambers of The Observer (via The Guardian), “It’s not a surprise [to me] because I’m more confident now in myself. I’m enjoying the moment now. It’s my best of my career, and I have to be happy on court and to fight for my chance.”
Halep is one of the most underrated female tennis players in the world, and many fans aren’t even aware of just how talented the player really has become. With a strong finish to the 2013 season and a great start to 2014 with her career-best Australian Open result, Halep is carrying serious momentum at Roland Garros.
If she can continue to serve the ball strong and dominate the baseline, as she has throughout this tournament, there is no doubt that she will beat Stephens and put herself in a position to contend for the French Open title.
Predicted Score: Halep wins 6-4, 6-4
No. 7 Andy Murray vs. No. 24 Fernando Verdasco
There are few men in the tournament with as much experience as No. 7 seed Andy Murray, but after a five-set thriller against No. 28 seed Philipp Kohlschreiber that spanned two days, all eyes will be on how the star from Great Britain will bounce back.
Instead of Murray spending Sunday resting and preparing for the fourth round, he was forced to continue his third-round match and will be forced to play for the third straight day. For fans worried about the player, his endurance and stamina shouldn’t be an issue.
Retired English soccer player Gary Lineker talked about just how impressive Murray’s victory was:
Murray spoke to tennis insider Lucia Hoff after his Day 8 win:
While Murray’s victory Sunday was enough to make any fan tired just watching—he won 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 12-10—there is no doubt that this is the kind of match that can build supreme confidence.
Even with his challenger hitting perfect shots and Murray making errors, he was still able to pull himself together in key moments and force the game to the next set. With his shot finding its mark and Murray mentally strong, it will be tough to beat him at Roland Garros this year.
Even with no day of rest, Verdasco is in serious trouble.
Predicted Score: Murray wins 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1
*Stats via RolandGarros.com.
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