No final this year for Stefanos Tsitsipas who failed to appreciate that the clue to his opponent was in plain sight. And two days after he was asked if he was considering retirement, Marin Cilic skewers the second seed Daniil Medvedev.
Homework
We're a bit surprised that the fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas was bemused. He was up against Holger Rune in the fourth round and failed to work out his opponent. Meaning of rune? "Secret, a mystic symbol, sentence, spell or song". Tsitsipas couldn't fathom the game of the 19-year-old Dane who's appearing in his first French Open. And so last year's beaten finalist is on his way home. A book on Norfdic legends for bedtime?
Iga run
Top seed Iga Swiatek registered her 32nd consecutive victory. But it was a long-winded affair. She seemed out of sorts during her first match against the Chinese teenager Qinwen Zheng. She squandered five set points on her way to losing the opener in the tiebreak. The second set was one-way traffic to the 20-year-old Pole and she got the decider 6-2. Zhang said she ran out of steam as she dealt with leg and stomach problems. "It's pity that I couldn't give what I wanted to give," the 19-year-old bemoaned. "And I just want that the next time I play against her I'm in perfect shape." That should be some contest because Zheng - with all her ailments - didn't disgrace herself.
Night sessions
There was a behind-the-scenes punch-up between the broadcasters of the French Open. France Télévisions wanted Day 10's last eight clash between Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic to be played during the day. Amazon Prime Video - a subscription channel which televises the night match - wants it - quite logically - at night. Test of strength. Battle of values caper. And then compromise. Anyone interested in the 59th meeting between the gladiators can watch it for free as unrestricted content in France across Prime Video mobile and web apps. Such munificence. Or is it a canny coup? Imagine the furore if Amazon Prime had insisted on forbidding non-subscribers? Especially when one of the tournament organsier's big marketing claims has been: "Tennis for All".
Night sessions II
Perhaps the organisers of the night sessions should serve hot drinks to the poor souls in the stands. The punters had to amuse themselves with Mexican waves and clapping to keep warm during Daniil Medvedev's toilet break just after the second set. Marin Cilic ran up and down the tram lines. No such luxury as the temperatures plunged to 16 degrees celsius for the paying public. Many of them were draped in blankets. Chilled watching Cilic. And he at least got them off home nice and early with a 6-2, 6-3,6-2 annihilation of the Russian.
Night sessions III
Only one of the eight night sessions has featured a women's match. That was Alizé Cornet taking on the 2017 champion Jelena Ostapenko. Otherwise it's been a man thang. Presumably because their matches last longer? And you get more value for money? Iga Swiatek v Qinwen Zheng? Two hours and 45 minutes. Night match between Daniil Medvedev and Marin Cilic? One hour and 45 minutes. It's heartwarming during these cold evenings to see the French Open taking the lead on equality.
