Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Live - French Open

Dinara Safina

Live video - Safina v Azarenka

LIVE TEXT COMMENTARY (all times BST)
606: DEBATE

To get involved text us on 81111 with TENNIS before your message. (Not all contributions can be used; UK mobiles only; network rates apply)

By Piers Newbery

Text in your views on 81111
1341: "I think it's going to be a nail-biting 5 set affair, with Murray coming out on top!! 4-6, 7-5, 7-6, 3-6, 6-4."
From Gemma hoping her boss doesn't catch her on the internet in Newcastle via text

1341: "Wow azarenka has completely stunned safina so far! Shes just not turned up as of yet. Think ill be waiting a while to watch the murray match..."
From mark in south yorkshire via text

1339: And Super Robin Soderling matches Azarenka's pace, taking the first set 6-1 against Davydenko.

1338: Safina went into the match having lost five games in four matches. She's just shipped another six in under half an hour as she blasts a forehand way wide to drop the set 6-1 against Azarenka.

It's bad news for a Briton
1336: Tough times for Laura Robson on Court Three as the Briton falls a set and a break down against Sandra Zaniewska of Poland.

BBC Radio 5 Live
1334: "Safina is going to have to hope that Azarenka's serve comes down from the lofty plane that it's on at the moment," says Times correspondent Neil Harman on 5 Live Sports Extra. The Belarussian moves 5-1 clear.

1333: "Murray 2 dropshot gonzo into submission. He'll win in 4."
From doyley, working hard.... via text

1330: The (potential) shocks just keep on coming - Safina falters under the pressure of another Azarenka barrage and slips a double-break down at 4-1.

1329: Look out - Soderling is a double-break up at 4-0 on Davydenko. And the Russian thought he was onto a winner after the Swede beat Nadal, saying, "Against Soderling I don't need to run so much and play long rallies - not like against Nadal when you have to run 20 minutes for one point."

1326: "What a start this is from Azarenka, a spectacular hold and quite a statement," says Sam Smith on the Red Button as the teenager moves 3-1 clear of Safina.

A squirrel
1325: "Re:1250 i agree about the squirrels Piers, there's two who sit outside the window where i work looking at me with those piercing eyes, with the late start in paris its given me more time to feel scared about leaving the office."
From a very nervous dave via text

1323: Is there no stopping Robin Soderling? Sentences you never thought you'd write... the Swede has a break against Davydenko and leads 2-0, while Safina gets off the mark to trail Azarenka 2-1. It could be a tight one on Chatrier.

Text in your views on 81111
1320: "Gonzalez is so unpredictable and I feel Murray can mix it up and frustrate the Chilean. Muzza in 4 sets!"
From Stuart, Inverness, via text on 81111

1320: "I'm sitting here pretending to revise while hoping that Safina wins quickly so that i have a legitimate reason to stop pretending to revise!"
From Matt, Ipswich, via text

1318: The shock of losing a game appears to have rattled Safina and Azarenka is dominating right now, she leads 2-0. Meanwhile, Soderling recovers from 15-40 to take the opener against Davydenko on Lenglen, and Robson has levelled at one set all.

1315: Top seed Safina serves first against Azarenka. It seems much of the UK is willing the Russian to continue her swift progress through the draw so we can get to Murray. For those hoping it's an epic that pushes Murray back to later on, good news - Azarenka breaks to lead 1-0. The 19-year-old Belarussian is a rising star and beat Serena to win in Miami earlier this year, one of three titles in 2009.

It's good news for a Briton
1310: Things are looking better for British junior Laura Robson, who dropped the first set against Sandra Zaniewska of Poland but is 5-1 up in the second. I'm going to risk the arrow again...

Get involved on 606
1308: "The last few matches murrays serve has been broke too easily, i think today the key thing is to get the first serves in and if murray takes the first set i fancy him to cruise it in 3 sets."
From (bigmc1_9) WGS - Legend on 606

1306: "Gonzalez to win in straight sets...Only way I can see Murrey win this If he wins the first set!"
From Where's Robinho? on 606

1303: Safina and Azarenka walk out onto Court Philippe Chatrier, which then observes a minute's silence following the Air France tragedy yesterday.

1300: The website streaming (UK only) is now up and running, so if you manually refresh the page it should magically appear at the top. Any dodgy arrows and strange time entries should also disappear, happily.

Text in your views on 81111
1259: "I'd love to see murray take advantage of nadal's exit to reach final but i can't see him beating gonzo today."
From Gordon Keane, Glasgow, via text on 81111

1256: Back to the big one - Murray and Gonzalez have met twice before, with one win apiece, the Scot taking the last one at the 2006 US Open when he was a callow 19-year-old. It was a fiery encounter and they usually are where Gonzo is concerned, although for the most part he takes any anger out on the ball. The 28-year-old from Santiago hits the ball very, very hard. The winner will play Nikolay Davydenko or Robin Soderling, who open proceedings on Court Suzanne Lenglen before Maria Sharapova plays Dominika Cibulkova.

A squirrel
1255: I don't know about you but these later starts at Roland Garros don't agree with me - how to fill that extra three hours? For me it was a brisk walk across Hyde Park, where I swear the squirrels are getting more aggressive. No matter, we're nearly ready for action and first up at 1300 BST is top seed and demolition woman Dinara Safina against ninth seed Victoria Azarenka of Belarus. Safina has lost five games in four matches so far, so she's not messing about.

It's bad news for a Briton
1246: Some early British news and girls' top seed Laura Robson has just lost a titanic first-set tie-break 12-10 in her second-round match against Sandra Zaniewska of Poland.

Andy Murray
1245: Afternoon, I think you all we know why we're here. Andy Murray will take on big-hitting Chilean Fernando Gonzalez in a couple of hours' time with a place in the semi-finals of the French Open at stake. The match will be live on BBC Two, the Red Button, 5 Live Sports Extra and, of course, right here (streaming UK only). BBC Two will kick in at 1415 BST, the Red Button, streaming and 5 Live Sports Extra at 1300 BST, and I've already started. Obviously. We are also thinking of making BBC Sport's Chris Bevan summarise the match through the medium of contemporary dance.

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