The French Open

On Saturday morning, Ben Blair decided it would be really amazing to attend the final match at this year’s French Open. It was between Federer and Nadal — who are quite possibly the best two players of all time. So he got to work searching every possible online source and around dinner time, we were proud owners of two tickets to the final!

Yesterday, we drove to Paris straight from church. Jordan and Paul generously took care of all six kids, while Ben Blair and I grabbed a taxi to Roland Garros. The stadium was very French — lattice work cement, orange clay, green seats and red geraniums lining the court. It was such a treat to be there! This is what it looked like about 30 minutes before the match started:

There were more geraniums dripping from the stadium exterior.

Lacoste has been a sponsor of the French Open for 40 years. They placed shirts on bronze statues throughout the park.

Here are Nadal and Federer setting up for the final point. If you watch tennis, you already know at that Nadal won. Federer was the underdog and the crowd favorite, but he’s never beat Nadal at the French Open.

They were both really fun to watch. The match was 3 hours 40 minutes of hard play with a 10 minute rain break in the middle — can you imagine how exhausted they must have been? I kept thinking of Nadal, who doesn’t speak French, and wondered if he understood what people were calling from the stands.

I think my favorite part about watching tennis, is how civilized it is. The crowd is completely silent during play and very respectful. The other thing I love is that tennis stadiums aren’t too big — so if a fan calls out something during a break, or one of the players grunts during a hard swing, the whole stadium can hear it clearly.

There’s something spectacular about all those seats filled to watch two people compete.

I can’t say I’m a hardcore sports fan, but I’m always up for attending any event that feels a bit historic — I’m talking life list worthy events. This definitely fit that bill. What about you? Have you ever attended one of the Grand Slam tennis events? What sporting event would you most like to see?

78 thoughts on “The French Open”

  1. We love the Yale vs. Harvard football game. Not so much for the football, but for the DELUXE tailgate parties (plenty of fur coats and fine china!)

  2. Love that you went to the French Open! I agree that civilized sports are kind of nice. I am all for a loud football game, but tennis will always be my favorite! (And you and Ben Blair look totally French in the pic!)

  3. How fun! I have been to Wimbledon a few years back and if you can you must attend! It is seriously so much fun and the atmosphere is AMAZING!!!

  4. Ohhh my God!!! Nadal is so polite, and french people is so rude with him. He is a great guy. I don’t really know why thy hate him.

  5. So fun! While living in London in 1998, I attended Wimbledon with a group of friends for a day. It was amazing and certainly was life-list worthy. We dressed up, ate strawberries with cream, drank Champagne, and I brushed shoulders with Michael Chang. It was an amazing day.

  6. We would have died to see that final. Where were you sitting? I’m still finishing watching the middle part on the DVR. Maybe I’ll see in the crowd. :) I’ll look for your green sweater. Federer is my husband’s hero. In his words “He’s a ballerina, a doctor, a master.” What he means by ballerina, in Spanish, is that he plays so perfectly- every move is precise with no wasted energy. Javi plays almost everyday and says he learns so much just by watching Roger. And the fact that he speaks perfect French is probably what the French love about him. They have a huge thing for people who can speak their language well. Rafa sort of slaughters it. I think “thank you” is the extent of his French.

  7. My husband played tennis for our college (and still plays occasionally…when he can find a suitable partner — fyi, it’s *not* me!), so for his most recent birthday, I got him a vintage Roland Garros poster. Apparently they have an artist design one every year to commemorate the French Open. Did you see them while you were there?

    (I want to start a collection, but the old ones are kind of expensive…and VERY expensive to frame!)

    amy @ glass confetti

  8. You know I love this post….and brag brag…can’t help it proud of them:) My brothers won The French Open in 93….That seems so long ago now…I love that tourney! My fav…Well I guess maybe the US Open…Oh I am not Sure every grand Slam is amazing…But the posters…that my mother collects from The French are amazing! That red dirt stained into your socks forever! and….you got to see the greatest tennis players on the planet! I love Roger FED! I asked him at Christmas…are you the greatest tennis player that ever lived? He answered….and love LOVE this quote…That is what the record books say! I asked him if I could use that line…love it! Did you get a poster? Well since you are close…you should try wimby..and some strawberries and cream….amazing…so classic…and that grass…it is insane anyone could play on it…go take a tennis ball and play in your front yard…cannot stand it…but…its sooooo pretty! That was quite the score on the tickets! Great article!;) You can’t tell that I loved it!

  9. It sounds fantastic! I would love to do this, too! We did do the Vancouver Winter Olympic Games and had a time of our lives. We brought along our then 7 months old Annika and 3 yrs old Eduard and they did so well. I always hoped that one of these days I’d have a chance to go to the Games, however thought that financially it would not be possible. But it was very much possible and very reasonable with some homework.

  10. I went on study abroad to Paris, and was there during the French Open. I grew up playing tennis, and really wanted to attend, but couldn’t figure out how to get tickets! (This was before the internet was widely used.) I would still love to go someday… What fun that you guys were able to attend… and that it was the final between Nadal and Federer!

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