galmc2Report

In January 1991 while on my inaugural backpacking adventure in Australia (I had “fled” Canada after my first marriage went under) I found myself in Melbourne at the same time as the Australian Open was taking place. At the time I was a fairly big tennis fan, and followed all the tennis major championships and many of the players. I remember getting a cheap ticket that allowed outside court GA seating, and finding a court that allowed me to watch Gabriella Sabatini in singles, Canada’s Grant Connell vs some Swedish dude, and Boris Becker. I don’t think I moved from my seat for 6 hours!

Fast forward to 2018 and I’m in NYC with a chance to see the US Open. I saw Britain’s Andy Murray (who was on the comeback trail), but the biggest match was the upset of the world #1 female player, Simone Halap. Just like in Australia 27 (OMG) years earlier, it was a super cool day of wandering around and seeing great players up close.

Fast forward again to 2023. This time it’s Paris and the French Open at famed Roland-Garros! Our time in Paris would cross over briefly (our end was the beginning of the tournament). Unfortunately, I missed the initial on sale date, and since the event really has cracked down on 3rd party resellers, the best I could do was get a ticket for the Qualification Week that served as somewhat of an appetizer to the main tournament. My ticket allowed all access to the tournament qualification matches happening on the outer courts, and access to the main stadiums to watch any practice sessions that were taking place.

Getting to Roland-Garros from our apartment was easy, just 30 minutes on the #10 metro followed by a short walk and a security check. then I was on the grounds and ready to see some tennis!

My last match of the day was also the coolest. I wandered back to court 14 with hopes to get a set for the last match of the day. Unfortunately I had not factored in that one of the players was from France (Lucas Pouille, who in 2018 was ranked #10 in the world for men’s singles). Now his ranking is #414. His opponent was an Austrian, Jurij Rodionov, currently ranked #134 (and about to play the role of villain in the proceedings).

I was stuck in line outside the court for all of the first set, which was handily won by the Austrian. That ma have been good for me, as a few folks left at the set break and I was back in a standing room position for set 2!

I know there will be more drama to come from this tournament, but seeing a comeback victory by the local hero was a great end to a great day of tennis at Roland-Garros!

(And a postscript- for the first round of the tournament, fate conspired to create a rematch between these two players. And once again the Frenchman was victorious, albeit in not quite as dramatic fashion)