World Sport News

Today 23 May, one of the most romantic cities in the world will turn Paris into the world capital of tennis. The French courts with “dirt” surface starts second in a row in this year's Grand Slam – at Roland Garros. On the eve of the organizers decided on a seeded tournament, which number includes 10 of our countrymen.

Sunday in Paris begins second season in tennis Grand Slam tournament – the French Open.

First tournament was held in 1891 in the form of a one-day national championship. Take part in it could only French tennis, as well as members of French tennis clubs. The first winner at the “Stade Français” was an Englishman, history has retained only its name – H. Briggs. The first winner of the women's tournament began in 1897, Françoise Masson. The tournament, however, was not too popular in the early years of the due status of a national competition – the best tennis players of the world could not take part in it. The situation changed with giving the championship's international status in 1925

Resume tournament after the First World War marked the heyday of French tennis. Suzanne Lenglen (which is named in her honor, the second most important court at Roland Garros), which won the tournament before the war at the age of 15 years, has dominated women's tennis and has won six of seven championships in 1920-1926.

The construction of the tennis arena

Roland Garros was a direct consequence of the victory in the Davis Cup Brunona Jacques, Jean Borotra, Henri Cochet and Rene Lacoste – in 1927. In the final, were defeated by representatives of the “New World” – the U.S. team. Second match was held in France next year. However, in Paris at that time there was a tennis stadium, enough of spaciousness for this major event.

Together Club “Stade Français” and the government had released 3 hectares of land near the Porte-Auteuil. Under the new arena was named after former club member, a French hero, a pioneer aviator, and a military pilot Roland Garros, who was the first man to fly nonstop across the Mediterranean Sea at 730 km (454 miles) from San Rafael in Bizerte. Roland Garros was killed just five weeks before the end of World War II.

Currently, the Roland Garros stadium, namely the central court of Philip the name marquees – one of the largest and most prestigious tennis arenas. However, the complex history marred by a short period during World War II, when German troops in occupied France, Roland Garros was used as a temporary camp where the Nazis gathered Jews for subsequent shipment to the east, where most of the prisoners found their death.

Since his building at Roland Garros has undergone numerous changes and expansions, which demanded the growing needs of tennis. Many people consider the birthplace of the Roland Garros clay courts at the game.

Centre Court Tennis

complex was built in 1928 and holds 15,000 spectators. In 2001 he was named after the former president of the French Tennis Federation Philip Shatrie – Court Philippe Chatrier. The second most important court is named the legendary French tennis player Suzanne Lenglen – Suzanne Lenglen Court, he holds 10 thousand.

Because of the outbreak of World War II, holding Roland Garros was suspended for 5 years. However, in the postwar period, tennis became a public sport, so its popularity has increased dramatically.

With the advent of

Open era in 1968 when the Roland Garros tournament, received the status of a series of Grand Slam tennis players have the right professional to perform here on a par with fans. Ken Roswell became the first winner of the championship of the New Age, having received a prize 15 000 francs. Nancy Richey won the women's championship.

It's time to check with the participants of the Roland Garros 2010. During the week of the organizers called on 32 players in women's and men's competitions grids. As expected they were headed first racket of the world Roger Federer and Serena Williams.

Men:

1. Roger Federer (Switzerland).

2. Rafael Nadal (Spain).

3. Novak Djokovic (Serbia).

4. Andy Murray (GBR).

5. Robin Soderling (Sweden).

6. Andy Roddick (USA).

7. Fernando Verdasco (Spain).

8. Jo Wilfried Tsonga (France).

9. David Ferrer (Spain).

10. Marin Cilic (Croatia).

11. Mikhail Youzhny (Russia).

12. Fernando Gonzalez (Chile).

13. Gael Monfils (France).

14. Ivan Ljubicic (Croatia).

15. Tomas Berdych (Czech Republic).

16. Juan Carlos Ferrero (Spain).

17. John Izner (USA).

18. Sam Querrey (USA).

19. Nicolas Almagro (Spain).

20. Stanislas Wawrinka (Switzerland).

21. Tommy Robredo (Spain).

22. Jurgen Melzer (Avstriya.)

23. Ernest Gulbis (Latvia).

24. Thomas Bellucci (Brazil).

25. Marcos Baghdatis (Cyprus).

26. Juan Monaco (Argentina).

27. Feliciano Lopez (Spain).

28. Lleyton Hewitt (Australia).

29. Albert Montanes (Spain).

30. Philip Kolshrayber (Germany).

31. Victor Ganesku (Romania).

32. Guillermo Garcia-Lopez.

Women:

1. Serena Williams (USA).

2. Venus Williams (USA).

3. Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark).

4. Jelena Jankovic (Serbia).

5. Elena Dementieva (Russia).

6. Svetlana Kuznetsova (Russia).

7. Samantha Stosur (Australia).

8. Agnieszka Radwanska (Poland).

9. Dinara Safina (Russia).

10. Victoria Azarenka (Belarus).

11. Li (China).

12. maria sharapova (Russia).

13. Marion Bartoli (France).

14. Flavia Pennetta (Italy).

15. Aravane Rezai (France).

16. Yanina Wickmayer (Belgium).

17. Francesca Schiavone (Italy)

18. Shahar Peer (Israel).

19. Nadia Petrova (Russia).

20. Martinez Sanchez (Spain).

21. Vera Zvonareva (Russia).

22. Justine Henin (Belgium).

23. Daniela Gantuhova (Slovakia).

24. Litsiya Shafarzhova (Czech Republic).

25. Jie Zheng (China).

26. Dominica Tsibulkova (Slovakia).

27. Alona Bondarenko (Ukraine).

28. Alisa Kleybanova (Russia).

29. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (Russia).

30. Maria Kirilenko (Russia).

31. Alexandra Dulgheru (Romania).

32. Ekaterina Bondarenko (Ukraine).

Thursday organizers held the tournament draw grid participants. The first and second racket of the world Swiss Roger Federer and Spaniard Rafael Nadal were in opposite half of the grid. In half of Federer – the fourth seeded Scot Andy Murray, and Nadal in the semifinals could be to meet with the third seeded Serb Novak Djokovic.

Russian tennis player on the stage of the first round went to the following contestants:

Mikhail Youzhny in the first round meeting with Polish Michal Przhiziezhny, Igor Kunitsyn will face Spaniard Fernando Verdasco, Dmitry Tursunov – also with the Spaniard Daniel Gimeno Traver, and made their way through a sieve Teimuraz Gabashvili qualifying clash with Austrian Daniel Keisler.

Maria Sharapova, ranked fourth in the Serena Williams in the first round of play with Ksniey Pervak. Also in this quarter is Belgian Justine Henin, Sharapova, which can occur in the third round.

Current champion Svetlana Kuznetsova in the first round of cross rackets with Romanian Sorani Kirsten, Elena Dementieva will meet in Petra Martic Croat, Dinara Safina – a Japanese woman Kimiko Date Krumm, and Vera Zvonareva – with Italian Alberta Bryant. Jane Doe became the rival Chinese Shuai Zhang.

Remaining Russian woman in tennis rivals got the following:

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova – Alize Cornet (France)

Ekaterina Bychkova – Jie Zheng (China)

Vera Dushevina – Alona Bondarenko (Ukraine)

Ekaterina Makarova – Anastasia Rodionova (Australia)

Alisa Kleybanova

– Maria Koryttseva (Ukraine)

Elena Vesnina – Andrea Petkovic (Germany)

Maria Kirilenko – Carolina Shprem (Croatia)

Regina Kulikova

– Francesca Schiavone (Italy)

Alla Kudryavtseva – Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark)

Anna Chakvetadze – Kerber Angelika (Germany)

Mikhailov, Down-the-line.com

http://www.down-the-line.com